First of all I'd like to say that I only managed to completely see this film today. Haven't read the book or anything. Having read all the reviews I agree with almost all good or bad, as almost all of them has some truth in what's being said.
First of all the movie is way ahead of it's time and have some magnificient shots and the pallete of colors, specially the warm red's and vibrant blues , really loved them. I also loved the psychdelic travel through space and time near the end, in fact it's my favorite part of the movie, simply because it's stunning pallete of colors. Thinking it was made in 68 is really brilliant.
Now let's go right trhough the "meaning" of the movie, well , at least what I think of it.
In fact I see the black monoliths as just some markers in mankind evolution. Being the first the evolution from primates to sapiens , the second as the evolution of men as a race that achieved the space exploration and the third and final as the meeting with the "creators" (which is clearly implied as being an superior alien race that left us all the beacons for us to achieve it) in which we are reborn as superior beings that achieved travel through space and time. Of course all is very metaforical and explained in a very surrealistic way so it's open to any interpretations, but this how I see it.
Now let's break the movie into parts and look at the flaws of each one :
Prologue - Completely not necessary the first 2 minutes of blackness. Then we are presented with the score everyone knows this film for. The alignment of planet, moon and sun is also fine.
Part I - The Dawn of Men
Some breathtaking beautifull shots , drags for too long. Nice effect for the apes, considering the year it's been made. Implies the cruelty latent in nature and men.
Part II - Drags wayyy too long. The spacecrafts are well done , scenarios are good, but not necessary so long shots. Also begin the problems i see in this movie. The classical score , for me don't fit so well in this, despite what others say. In fact it's a bit annoying, and I like classical music! Also, what's with that "hat" the girls have in the spaceship ? It was for them to not knock with their heads like a helmet? Don't get it nor like it. Then the "futuristic" gadgets, well it's ok but too little. Cmon, not a single robot? Then comes the dialog , and I really think it's very poor written and bad executed. In fact the cast for this movie is weak and the actors are just forgettable. The meeting is bland and don't add nothing to the plot besides the typical "governamental cover of something extraordinary". Also the futuristic food is a bit forced.
Part III - The voyage to Jupiter
Now this is where the movie drags the most and I found most faults. While the lack of sound in space is nice the little buzzers and the score are annoying. Really annoying in fact. Then we get the super AI HAL , our villain. Like many said here, it's well portrayed but nothing is ever explained to why or how it goes "bananas". And the way that guy is thrown into space, perhaps the worse effect on this movie. Then it isn't clear why HAL kills the hibernating "scientists" or why. Probably some kind of allegory to "AI can be bad and threatning to mankind" . All in all I think it's really a side story that only serves to drag movie a lot more. It could have been developed much more as it had potential for a good story but it feel just rushed and out of ideas. Also how the hell a supercomputer that command everything on the most advanced spaceship ever to exist is defeated so easily. Didn't convince me at all.
Part IV - Jupiter and Beyond
Know it comes the most thrilling and beautifull shots and effects. I really love the "space and time travel sequence" and for me it wasn't too long. In fact the pallete used is brilliant specially when flying through the seas of warm red's and vibrant blues. Really a work of art and the best part of this movie visually, for me. Then the surreal final that I explained in my pov in the beggining of the review.
All in all 2001 is and will ever be a landmark in cinema and is one of those movies of extremes, being those overratedly high or unjustified lows. So for me the rating I give is the correct for the brilliance of art and vision but also for the overexcessive drag and annoying score / soud fx's.
But hey, it's just one more review on the many around. Hope it has meaning to someone out there...
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