A Classic Film

Rating: Null/10 (19 April 1999)

Some would argue that this film lacks narrative cohesiveness, but I disagree. It is like a painting or a poem, you have to look at it more than once to fully appreciate it. Arthur C. Clarke himself said, "If you completely understand 2001, then we failed." The reason I like it is that it is so ambiguous that you can interpret it almost anyway you want to. Incidently, the film was based on Clarke's short story "The Sentinel." The book 2001 (also written by Clarke) was based on Clarke and Stanley Kubrick's screenplay. I must say, though, the novel did help me understand certain parts of the movie.
Something else I like is its realistic depiction of space travel. It's also interesting to note that, really, the most "human" character in the film is the computer HAL.
The film is fascinating for the questions it raises about mankind's place in the universe. It is truly a classic.
I was happy to hear that there are plans to re-issue 2001 theatrically on New Year's Eve 2000. I've never seen it on the big screen, but I know it would be a different experience. If you're going to watch it on video, make sure you find the widescreen edition, as pan-and-scanning doesn't do it much justice.