Yeah There's Not Much Story But Who Cares?

Rating: Null/10 (3 April 2016)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
**** (out of 4)
After discovering a mysterious object beneath the moon's surface, an astronaut heads to Jupiter with a thinking computer known as the HAL 9000.
That doesn't sound like too much of a plot description but to be honest there's really not too much "story" here. Of course, the lack of a well-detailed story is something people use to attack the film and I agree that more of a "story" would probably have been good during the middle portions of the film but that doesn't take away the overall impact of the movie. I was lucky enough to see this on the big screen in 2016 and it's just amazing to see this film and think that it was made over forty-five years ago.
Needless to say, this film is all Stanley Kubrick as he pretty much did everything. This brain child is without a question a masterpiece on the visual level and it's just remarkable to see how well this film has stood up over time. I consider myself a major film buffs that enjoys movies from all eras but there's no way to deny that certain classics have fault with their special effects when viewed today. There's really not a single fault in regards to the effects and I must say that this film remains the benchmark for everything dealing with outer space.
We could name dozens of science fiction films that 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY influenced but I think it would be easier to say that every sci-fi film that followed owes something to this. What was so remarkable is how the special effects look 100% here and even if you try looking for something that looks fake you're not going to find it. Kubrick did a remarkable job at creating space and so much so that if you learned he actually went to space to film this stuff you'd believe it. The sets are also rather remarkable and they too look every bit as great today as when they were released.
The actors in the film are also very good but they really do take a back seat to everything else. This is a visual movie with breathtaking cinematography and I've already talked about the special effects. The film also works on your ears and we've got one of the greatest music scores ever recorded as well as some of the greatest sound effects you'll ever hear. Again, hearing and seeing 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY is really an adventure and an experience all of its own.
Kubrick created several great films in his career and while I don't rank this as his greatest, it's impossible to underplay its importance in history and how remarkably well it stands up decades after its release.