One of the greatest films ever made.

Rating: Null/10 (9 October 1999)

First let me start off by stating the following; Unless you are really ready to make up your mind, ready to think for yourself, ready to open your mind and watch a movie where YOU, the viewer must determine the premise without having it spoonfed to you, DON'T WATCH THIS MOVIE.There are two basic camps about this film, either you hate it, or you love it.There is no middle ground.
Kubrick ask some very basic and ancient questions here;
1) Why am I here?
2) Am I truly alone in the Universe?
The only movie I've ever seen that remotely comes close to the simple beauty of this movie is David Lynch's Eraserhead.
What is the monolith? Perhaps it is the Unknowable, that catalyst which drives man to discover, and try to determine where we stand in the scheme of Creation.
What was the meaning of the ending? Perhaps that no matter how evolved we may become, we will truely never know the deep mysteries of life.
Are we alone? More of a philisophical question that an actual scientific one, it is the most Kafkaesque question in this film. You must determine it yourself.
This movie ask the questions that are normally the trade of Philosophers and Clergymen. Not a film for the weak minded, or lazy of Will.
To all it's detractors, yes, it has no dialogue to help you along, it has bewildering gaps of silence, and an ending that will literally take an excrutiating exercise of thought to even attempt grasping at straws for meaning. All that aside, it is still ONE OF THE BEST STORIES EVER PUT ON SCREEN, PERIOD!
Like a game of GO, it is both simple and unfathomable. One of the greats. If you are ready, watch it.