A movie made brilliantly by a show off

Rating: 7/10 (9 July 2017)

Kubrick is one of the greatest film makers of all time, he was from the visual impact school of directors right up there with Schlesinger, De Palma and Scott who were all influenced by Kubrick's visual prowess and all revelled in colour film making. None were from the narrative story telling school at the other end of the spectrum although Kubrick had made cogent movies as good as Paths Of Glory but by the time of almost full colour movie production he had nestled firmly into the graphic design subset of auteurs wanting to make film art.
And it's with this 'piece' he puts on an exhibition of what he can create. It is quite like walking slowly through a filmic art gallery, with a thin semblance of a story running through it, but not as the main event. The focal point is the visual lushness of the sets, the brilliance of the design and greatness of the concept. It displays techniques and skills more than human relationships. It is high on art, low on drama, and will inevitably split the audience into two very different groups, those who are mesmerised by this sensual feast and those are bored rigid by the lack of real drama or action or purpose.
I think it's an absolutely brilliant indulgence taken to its limits by someone given a seemingly huge budget to make a really memorable spectacle about not much at all. I love it and hate it! The creative side of me welcomes it being made to display high end film art and show off what can be done in the craft, as an exhibition. The earthy side of me thinks it's a highly pretentious showy bore by someone seeking greatness as an artist and failing to give me a satisfying story. (But glad it was made as the visual design is truly eye catching, even if parts are very overindulged in such as the long colourful vortex sequence near the end and the general use of classical music masterpieces, which nonetheless do fit and enhance the experience.)
Yes, this classic sci-fi art movie will split viewers down the middle, even individuals.