A fascinating and unnerving study of space and man's curiosity towards the unknown

Rating: Null/10 (28 July 2000)

I think if Kubrick were still with us, he would delight in viewing the vast melting pot of ideas and opinions that have arisen as a result of people viewing this film. For any piece of artistic work to generate such passion in response can only really be said to be a success ( as long as it isn't entirely negative ). If after engaging with media such as film we are only left with a memory of a plot and how good or bad it was then the film makers aren't harnessing the full potential of this medium, something which Kubrick did effortlessly. To say the creation and moulding of films like 2001 were effortless most probably seems a very flippant comment to make, but it simply appears to be so with the regularity that kubrick managed to make films truly this massive in scope.
I apologize for such lengthy digression but I believe the title and director both deserve generous prelude.
2001 is first of all hard to understand; but only as far as the intricacies of the plot are concerned, the monolith being the centre of most confusion but this doesn't detract from the enjoyment that can result from viewing 2001. From the opening a mood and rhythm is set by the soaring musical score and mesmerising photography coupled with the Kubrick's voyeuristic, sweeping shots, instilled is an incredible atmosphere, one of majesty and wonderment. Once the mood and pace is set Kubrick flows through a brief history of man, which many may ovelook but in itself is proleptic and perfectly poised to set the scene; once you realise the camera sits on the apes for so long to outlay the monotony of life, and to enable us to realise the relevance of human eyes piercing the dark fur (I'm sure kubrick could have utilised real apes if he felt it served his purposes better, but not so). The apes are the first to encounter the intelligent monolith, and the reaction of this species to it is once again relevant. showing the fear but great curiosity felt when unable to understand something.
The film progresses in the same style, The monolith becomes the centre of the rather puzzling equation, one which man is determined to answer and is entirely ignorant of any consequence that may befit such a task, and unafraid to indulge in it's own creations to help our plight in understanding, the unknown. The HAL computer helps create an increasingly eerie atmosphere that coerces with the uncertainty felt by the viewer to what is out there. The film soon concerns itself with the dangers faced when man creates something he cannot control, a plee from kubrick in the same way as with a clockwork Orange for the world to take a step back and view things objectively with an eye to the future.
The expanse of thought that results from viewing that I've attempted to convey are reason enough to go out and rent this. Think of it not as slow but as hypnotic, and not as confusing or incoherent but as a nod to the universe and the variety and oddities it brings with it. Apart from it's inspirational subtext it's a freeflowing symphony of light and sound with awesome architecture and calculated sound.
Kubrick's the man to applaud for managing to bring to life Clarke's hugely complex study into cinematic format with a realistically viewable length. It screams Kubrick and that can't be bad. I apologize, this time if my comments sway on to the pretentious side of analytic but if you've seen this then you can probably forgive me.
If all this hasn't persuaded you to get hold of a copy, then I give up.