Review of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) by Eric M — 18 Nov 2014

A frustrating film to grade, as my opinions on it are radically split. On the one hand, Kubrick's blend of visuals and music is hypnotically beautiful in a way no other science fiction film has ever been and possibly ever will be. I understand how foundational this film has been for the visual style of science fiction, my favorite genre. Some complain that the space and travel shots go on for too long. I disagree: Kubrick forces you to sit patiently and contemplatively through his vision of the future. The third act, featuring the infamous HAL 9000, is utter brilliance, chilling and frightening in its battle between man and machine, portrayed in a minimalist style that somehow works. The first act at the "dawn of man" is odd, but is tolerable when you accept the premise, and the second act is enjoyable because of its beautiful visuals and the frightening reappearance of the monolith (seriously terrifying).

Why then, only three stars? The absurdly pretentious ending. There is a fine line between allowing the audience to meditate and think on the meaning of a story and simply confusing then with delusional and convoluted metaphysical musings with zero explanation. Storytellers are to be guides, never forcing travelers into particular narrow interpretations, but setting them on a general path nevertheless. Kubrick forsakes the role of guide, and instead throws a mishmash of imagery at the viewer, confusing and terrifying any normal filmgoer. I get the Nietzschean interpretations of the Star Child, and the explanations of the monolith and the room that Dave stays in, and even the reason for the prolonged light show sequence. But one could never make any sense of it within the context of the film itself (assuming they didn't succumb to a seizure first), and for that reason, "2001: A Space Odyssey" is a film that you will never forget for both better and for worse.

*Addendum: I have bumped my score up by a star after rewatching the film, and mulling over it for the past several months. Though I think the problems I mention earlier in the review still exist, the film does provide some slight hints to the audience. The ideas driving the story are provocative, and the stunning visual achievement must be respected. Besides, HAL 9000 is one of the high points of American cinema. The pacing is still too slow at times, and I still argue Kubrick should have guided the audience a bit more, but monumental genre-defining works must be given their due.