2001: A Space Odyssey is rightfully considered one of the greatest science fiction films of all time. The Stanley Kubrick masterwork polarised critics when it debuted in 1968, with actor Rock Hudson even walking out of the theatre, saying, “What is this bullsh*t?” Sorry, Mr. Hudson, but crazy Kubrick was just ahead of his time.

2001: A Space Odyssey is a 2 ½ hour-long epic inspired loosely by the many short stories of Arthur C. Clarke, who also helped Kubrick write the screenplay. The film begins in the prehistoric era with the “Dawn of Man” where we see two tribes of apes fighting over a water hole where they also encounter an alien monolith. This monolith is a recurring artifact in the film as another is found again by humans millions of years later on Earth’s moon. Humans being the nosey f*cks we are, decide then to find out the origins of this monolith and send out two poor ba*tards on a spaceship toward Jupiter. 

This spaceship is operated by an artificial intelligence named HAL. As their journey continues, the two astronauts start seeing some oddities in HAL’s behaviour. I won’t say too much else, but just know that what transpires afterwards is a riveting sequence of events that makes HAL’s “character” one of the most chilling in cinematic history that is incredibly pertinent today. 

Kubrick’s technical prowess as a director is showcased in full in this film. Every shot is purposeful and the practical effects are so well done that it’s remarkable to think this was made in the late 60s; with some elements looking better than sci-fi productions made even today. There’s this eerily cold and distant feeling you get when watching the movie as well, an uncomfortable detachment which Kubrick illustrates through his colour-grading, set designs, and even in the way in which each actor delivers their lines; as if they themselves are these stoic androids. It’s done purposefully as Kubrick wanted to portray futurism and space travel in an almost clinical manner. 

Kubrick pioneered some now-famous shots in A Space Odyssey, too. Like the “match-cut” shot that begins at the end of the prologue with an ape tossing his bone in the air, and as it spins he cuts to an orbiting man-made space weapon–marking not only the end to the prologue but also exemplifying the progress of man’s devastating creations of destruction. 

2001: A Space Odyssey is one of my favourite films of all time and one that, if you’re a fan of sci-fi, is a required watch.