Jon Monsarrat review: I'll Explain The Ending

Rating: 10/10 (31 August 2002)

2001: A Space Odyssey is a classic. It just is. From a drama perspective, it's accessible (I'm not a drama fan), and you can't beat Arthur C. Clarke (the writer) for deep issues about the meaning of life, evolution, aliens, and artificial intelligence.
From a science fiction perspective, it's incredible that the film is still powerful over 30 years later. Unfortunately, back when "2001: A Space Odyssey" was released, space flight was big Big BIG with the forthcoming Apollo landing on the moon. Nowadays we see so much computer graphics and spaceships that it's a little old hat and I'm forced to admit that some of the sequences are, well, slooow. But the film still holds up remarkably well compared with its 1960s peers.
OK, here's my explanation of the ending, and I won't spoil it for you if I say vaguely that "it's weird". Weird it is. The explanation has two parts:
(a) It's an acid trip. Yes, this film was made in the 1960s.
(b) Aliens aren't just people in funny costumes who share our principles and ways of thinking. They would be very, well, ALIEN. The weird bit at the end isn't supposed to be taken literally. It is supposed to unnerve you and make you get a taste of how strange, different, yet wonderful aliens would probably be.
Who should see this film:
-- Everyone. If you're only going to see one sci-fi film in your life, this would be a good choice, or "Contact", or "The Terminator", or "Gattaca".
I'll give 2001: A Space Oddssey a only-barely-losing-its-perfection 10 out of 10. And definitely check out the movie "2010", which is just as good!