Mixed feelings

Rating: 7/10 (16 January 2008)

I have a love/hate relationship with this movie.
I'll start with the good. Visually, this is a breathtaking movie. Excellent camera work, great set design, and the ability to hold up very well, even 40 years later, is an accomplishment no one can ignore. We truly get a sense of the vastness of space, and how small we as humans are. This movie works best on a big screen, to fully appreciate its physical beauty. Conceptually, it's a good plot. I often think of things on a larger, cosmic scale, which is abundant in this film. It makes you feel like a little kid, gaping at wonders beyond your imagination, and at the same time, very lonely and isolated. We are sent millions of miles from home, in a quiet spaceship, with only two astronauts, a crew of comatose scientists, and an on-board AI to keep us company. However, my favorite part of the movie (and in my humble opinion its strongest point), is its villain. HAL 9000 (or simply HAL) is one of the most nefarious and treacherous villains ever to grace the big screen. He has no physical body to speak of besides a small red light on the wall, but his presence is everywhere. He can command the ship's machinery and systems. How can you defeat a foe using the very thing that's keeping you alive? Even so, through all his villainy, we can't help but feel for him, and understand his fear as he is slowly (and possibly painfully) shut down.
I've given this movie quite a bit of positive lip service. So what didn't I like about it? Well, quite frankly, I liked 99% of this movie. There are only two things I didn't like. Reason 1: Pretty minor. I felt the sequence falling through Jupiter's atmosphere was too long. I think a couple of minutes of psychedelic colors would've sufficed, as opposed to about 5 or 10. But, this is minor. The next reason, unfortunately, isn't. Reason 2: The ending. We watch Dave go through life slowly on Jupiter (a scene which was shot very well), and slowly die before the all-powerful monolith.... AND THEN DAVE WAS A FETUS. Wait, what? No, really. The last 10 seconds of this movie ruined it for me. Say what you will. Symbolism and metaphors are fine, but turning your protagonist into a space baby is just silly. I've heard the ending to the book explains this sequence fairly well, but Kubrick doesn't.
I appreciate this movie for what it is. It defined modern sci-fi as we know it. It influenced countless films after it (including my personal favorite, Alien), and is a visual treat to look at. However, its ending kills it. I also don't like the elitism behind the big fans of this movie. The general attitude is, "Well, if you didn't like the ending/movie, CLEARLY you don't possess the intelligence to understand it. 2001 is a THINKING man's movie." No. I am not stupid. I liked most of this movie. I didn't mind the slow pacing, or the small amount of dialog. I understood most of it. Giant fetuses just don't do it for me.
Overall? Certainly an important movie, if nothing else. Lovely to look at, with a fantastic villain, if a bit of a letdown. Should be seen by anyone who considers themselves a fan of sci-fi.