2001: SPACE ODYSSEY

Critical review by :- VF

One of the most spectacular and polarizing films - Kubrick’s 2001: Space Odyssey stands out to be a
modern futuristic masterpiece released in 1968. On the surface, 2001 tells a story of human history -
related to technology and alien intelligence centered on human evolution. In collaboration with Arthur
C. Clarke’s “The Sentinel”, Kubrick wanted to make a film that would burrow deep into the audience’s
subconscious or as his partner said, “To create a work of art which would arouse the emotions of
wonder, awe... and even if appropriate terror”. “2001” is about inspiring us to think beyond the
endlessness parting us in the Space with our own thoughts pondering. Looking into the film’s story
which is fragmented into 4 distinct sections as follows.

The first, called the “The Dawn of Man” title symbolizing marks the beginning of a new era - “the dawn
of civilization or evolution from a group to pre-historic apes to technologically advanced man.” At first
look, a group of Apes is seen struggling to survive- fighting over food and water with the rivals. One day,
they notice a tall, black, perfectly rectangular object- A Monolith, tentatively approach it until one dare
to touch it. The Monolith mysteriously poked into ape’s mind, engraving the path to thought process to
intelligence seen in modern humans as after its appearance only, apes get the idea (cognizance) of using
the broken bones as weapons to fight and kill with, conquering their hunger (eating meat) and rivals
thereby what we say- the Survival of the Fittest. In the moment of rejoice, the Chief-ape throws the
bone triumphantly up in the air and as it rotates, the film cuts to a shot of space shuttle flying, this point
is the magical match cut- greatest edit of all the times-longest fast forward leap in film history. That cut
carries us millions of years ahead from Primitive age to Space-tech age signifying space ship -next
generation tool for humans (as bone) to explore.

The second section Kubrick presented giant impressive specimens-possible probable way of Space
travel- Space shuttles docking sequences and Space stations spinning, denoting all scientific advances in
those years and cautious pace of all those activities in contrast to the chaos of ape-lives. Once Floyd
arrive at the moon base, he reminds his colleagues of need for secrecy-Nationalism aspect and travels to
hidden crater where they excavated another Monolith which was said as deliberately buried under lunar
surface hinting at the extra-terrestrial life. In a similar manner like apes, Floyd touches the Monolith- a
recurring pattern in the film and gathered around to take photograph just after which the slab emits
unbearable loud sound/ radio-signals may be to conceal its existence from human or to communicate
distant alien extra-terrestrial life (somewhere near Jupiter) of the human existence. In the beginning,
apes who found the monolith where not able to interpret it and second time till then with all our
advancements in technology, still we can’t infer it. Whether Monolith is there to take us to headway or
just to witness the human progression. Then we progress to the film’s third section titled “Jupiter
Mission” 18 months later.

The Discovery mission introduces us -HAL9000 series AI supercomputer film’s most erratic and complex
human character onboard. HAL -AI foreseeing today’s Virtual assistants -Alexa or Siri. The film can be
criticized for being overly interested in sophistication of technology rather than focusing on human
characters, since very little is known about the characters from Floyd’s videocall and bureaucratic
conversations on Moon mission, to Dave and Frank spoken words. The technological advancements dull
the interpersonal relationships as we see the emotionless face of Frank while receiving his birthday call.
When Dave and Frank suspects HAL for any treacherous glitch, they plan to shut him down. One of the
intellectual edits, the way Kubrick shot the human efforts to have a secret conversation in space pod,
while how HAL discover reading their lips. Just like Ape -killing its rival and Floyd politics with Russians,
we encounter now a chase between HAL and Dave to reach the monolith. HAL starts killing astronauts
onboard which is peculiar but Dave finally survives in destroying HAL to which HAL pleads him to stop
and ultimately reverts to more basic machine singing Daisy. Dave (the survivor) continue the mission on
his own and evolve to the next progression whatever maybe.

In the Finale, another Monolith appears orbiting Jupiter maybe acting as a doorway or star-gate for Dave
to his extravagant journey to other space. The lights, colors and bizarre landscapes flashes on the screen
and Dave’s face is shown vibrating excessively inside the spacesuit as he travels through the star-gate.
Kubrick shots more closeups of Dave’s eye- it’s changing colors portraying Dave’s experience from his
sight. Finally, Dave reached an ornamental room with glowing floors, decorative paintings, white
furniture and elaborate architecture resembling humanoid room. Again, from Dave’s perception, he
worries seeing himself aged in mirror and then see himself peacefully eating meal, who then strides over
to look for original Dave but found no-one. Again, he worries about the broken glass- may signify death
and then looks old Dave dying on bed and shifts to Monolith in front of him to which Dave try to reach
with his raised finger resembling to Adam’s enlightenment. And then camera shifts to Monolith’s point
of view, a glowing sphere with baby enclosed within on the bed signifying the rebirth-cycle of life-
transformation of Dave as star child can be considered the novum. In the film’s last shot, the star planet
is seen lurking to the Earth finding his destiny which amuses us how it has voyaged all the way without
any spaceship which illustrates technology is not only the way to develop, there’s somewhat more
intellectual apart from all of these advances which is yet to discover. The star child opens his eyes wider
and looks directly into the camera as it seems aware of us- the utmost Super-being. The film from the
beginning referred to birth of humans like Floyd’s video call wishing daughter, Frank’s home wishing
birthday, and also HAL converses its birth with Dave, and the Star baby in the planet in the identical way
as the fetus is embedded in the uterus thereby, exemplifying human birth.

The prominent themes in human history is explored in this film such as nature of existence, human
evolution in all tenses, how technology invoke changes, limits and repercussions of technology enslaving
humans. Kubrick intended the film to be more visual experience in every frame alluding to deep
meaningful queries. Also, Music uplifts the wholeness of the visual effect. The latter hours of the film
indulge only visuals leading to different individual interpretations and questions which is the
exquisiteness of the film. One can also observe symmetry in the Visuals- interiors of ship, diamond
shapes through star-gate representing the Symmetry of Universe. When 2001 was released, The New
Yorker’s P. Kael, called it “monumentally unimaginative” but now we see Kubrick’s masterwork and one
of the imperishable films of 20th century even afterwards encouraging the release of remarkable Sci-fi
movies like Contact (1997) to Arrival( 2016).