wow

Rating: Null/10 (6 August 2000)

I wrote that "wow" in all lowercase letters for a reason. 2001 leaves you feeling small and insignificant in the vast scheme of the universe. The biggest problem most people have with the movie (if they are one of the few that don't absolutely love it) is that it is too long, boring, drawn-out, etc. This is just one of the countless examples of Kubrick's genius present in the film. What better way to express the hugeness and emptiness of space than with minimal dialogue and long, seemingly unnecessary scenes? This also serves to add to the realism. Any high school physics student can tell you that zipping around through space with 'zooms' and 'booms' is simply not possible.
That having been said, I'd like to move on to the film's content and message(s). I'll admit, the first time I watched it, I was more than a little disappointed by the ending. But, when a week later, I was still speculating over "what happened to Dave" and "just what the heck is the deal with the space-baby?!?!?", I realized that the movie accomplished its goal in that regard. I must have seen it 20 times since then, and each time I come up with a new explanation. That's the sign of a good movie.