There is no doubt that Stanley Kubrick is a brilliant film maker. Most of Kubrick's films have a very artistic quality but he also manages to make them entertaining as well. He can also go through many different genres which is something I really respect in a director. He can make comedy, drama, horror and sci-fi.
There is no denying that this is a very arty and metaphysical film. The plot is not that obvious. It is not until later in the film that you realize what is going on. All we know is that it takes place in various places in human history. That is one of the reasons I like it. It does not give you all the answers right away and does not explain them in an obvious way. You have to think about it and you can interpret it in many different ways. This is a sci-fi film that came out before 'Star Wars' which made the genre more mainstream. The film is very poetic in the imagery and the score. Kubrick is known for his groundbreaking camera moves and this film is no different. In this case 'camera move' might be the wrong way of saying it. I think 'set moves' is a more accurate description. The way the sets seem to move and the camera stay still is amazing and make this film a real work of art. I admit that things move at a very slow pace but that just suits the type of film that it is. This means it may not be everyone's style. It feels very much a film of its time. I cannot imagine it being made today unless it was a small independent film. The music is one of the films major achievments. Such a beautiful selection of classics and they sounded wonderful being played by a live orchestra. I thought, though, that there was more music in the film.
The acting is not one of the major features of a film like this. Kier Dullea probably has the biggest part in the film as one of the astronauts that has to tackle HAL. He is quite good and works well against a voice. Dougles Rain is equally as good as the voice of HAL. His droning monotone really adds menace to the scenes where he goes crazy.
I can highly recommend this if not for the fact that you will understand many parodies that have been made of the film over the years.
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