‎2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) directed by Stanley Kubrick • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

2001: A Space Odyssey

1968 Directed by Stanley Kubrick

The ultimate trip

Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.

Keir Dullea Gary Lockwood William Sylvester Douglas Rain Daniel Richter Leonard Rossiter Margaret Tyzack Robert Beatty Sean Sullivan Frank Miller Ed Bishop Edwina Carroll Heather Downham Penny Brahms Maggie d'Abo Chela Matthison Judy Kiern Alan Gifford Ann Gillis Vivian Kubrick Kenneth Kendall Kevin Scott Martin Amor Bill Weston Glenn Beck Mike Lovell John Ashley Jimmy Bell David Charkham Show All…

149 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by dㅌㄴ 97

8 A.M. Sunday, 12th of January, 2014. HAL'S birthday. I'm tired as fuck.

HAL.

IBM.

HAL/IBM. HAL=IBM. IBM=HAL.

H+1 = I
A+1 = B
L+1 = M

So HAL is indisputably IBM. Just go one letter on in the alphabet from H, A and L and you get I, B and M.

But what is IBM? A computer company Kubrick had a grudge against? Or are we just missing a "T" in the greatest riddle known to mankind? Confused? Allow me to demonstrate.

IBM
I= 9th letter of the alphabet.
B= 2nd letter of the alphabet.
M= 13th letter of the alphabet.

9+2+13= 24.

X= 24th letter of the alphabet.

X= 10 in Roman numerals, so IBM= 10.

HAL
H=…
Review by Matt Singer ★★★★★ 20

Dear College-Age Matt Singer, who thinks this movie is long, boring, and pretentious:

You’re a fucking idiot.

Love,
Your Older, Smarter Self.
Review by ScreeningNotes ★★★★★ 44

Ever since I joined Letterboxd, nothing has scared me more than the idea of trying to write about 2001: A Space Odyssey. The fact that everything has "already been said" about this masterpiece has itself already been said so many times that there's not even an original means of expressing my lack of originality left at my disposal. So with the knowledge that I will probably never be able to fully encapsulate what makes this my favorite movie of all time—let alone say something truly unique about it—here is a small list of a few things I love about it.

I love that the monolith has remained an enigmatic symbol capable of being read in any number of different ways…
Review by Mary Conti ½ 242

2001:A Space Odyssey is quite simply the worst thing to happen to cinema ever. Its forced profundity has caused millions of people all over the world to force themselves to like what is quite simply nothing more than an exercise in style.

Kubrick has no idea what he is doing here. His film jumps around with little to no sense of unity. The great film makers of the world create a series of events that contain clarity of information, something Kubrick couldn't bet his life on.

What is the purpose of what is going on here? Is there any coherent message? I have heard suggestions that it is Kubrick's message about the future of humanity, but what future is that? Does Kubrick even know?

This is Transformers for the art house crowd. Pure style over substance. Nobody actually likes this film, they just like to be seen liking it.
Review by Demi Adejuyigbe ★★★★½ 23

I've had this movie on Blu-Ray for maybe 4 years now and I've always been worried to watch it because it seemed like something I had to be in "the right mood" for. When a friend told me it was playing at the Arclight in 70mm, I said "fuck the mood" and bought myself a ticket, presuming that a 70mm theater screening is the best way to see this thing.

Honestly? I still don't know if that's true. It felt like a huge experience. But this is the second time I've seen a 70mm movie in theaters (the first time being The Hateful Eight) and both times I came away thinking: it doesn't really look better to me. And with…
Review by Aaron ★★★★★ 59

“I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.”

In the beginning was the Monolith, and the Monolith was with God, and the Monolith was God.

From where had the Monolith derived? It scarcely mattered. If it had always been there, then it had come from nowhere. It simply was. The nothing from which everything sprang. The animating stimulus that drove the amoeba to split in two. The force of nature that extinguished the great lizards not inclined toward avian salvation. The spark of ingenuity that made the ape stand upright and realize its potential for violent innovation.

The Monolith was not “natural” in any traditional…

Recent reviews

Review by Jannik ★★★★★

Finally I had the opportunity to watch my favorite (and maybe the best ever made) film in the theatre. After my fourth time watching this piece of art I am still overwhelmed by its sheer brilliance in literally every aspect. Without a doubt it was ahead of its time - But even after 50 years it still is.
Review by sabresemrau ★★★★½

gorgeous and timeless; a cinematic marvel. an aura of dread hangs around this movie like a specter. however, hal from malcolm in the middle outsold.
Review by _Jack_ ★★★★★

The Creation of Adam
Review by Michael Baker ★★★

The visuals are really amazing, especially considering this was made in 1968. That being said, those special effects are what keeps this movie from getting two stars or less from me. The movie is fucken long and it feels even longer. Most of it is forgettable, sometimes almost unwatchable. Like i swear to god you could cut this down to a really nice 90 minute film and it would whip ass. But until then....... three stars
Review by shanerscott ★★★★★

I’m confused and in love
Review by belen ★★★★★

I watched this film when I was a kid and I didn't understand that much but something always kept my attention. I re-watched it now that I am old enough and damn. Brilliant. These kind of films are my absolute favourites in the world.
Review by MeisterHeister ★★★★★

Watched at IMAX Melbourne, the largest screen in the world. Brilliant viewing experience of an amazing film.
Review by Bekem G ★★★★

Ich weiß echt nicht was ich sagen soll (sowohl positiv als auch negativ)
Der Film ist -für seine Zeit- visuelle umwerfend, die Musik ist fantastish und an manchen Stellen sehr spannungsgeladen. Der Konflikt zwischen Computer und Mensch und die dazugehörigen Dialoge sind einfach genial.
Jedoch, wie üblich für alte Filme, zieht sich dieser extrem und mit extrem meine ich extrem. Es gibt außerdem ca. 5 Minuten einfach nur Schwarzbild und manchen Stellen sind echt verwirrend.

Ich weiß nicht warum, ob aus Prinzip oder aus Begeisterung, die meisten Leute dem Film 5 Sterne geben, aber ich würde dies nicht tun, da er einfach wie gesagt sich zu sehr zieht und teilweise echt langweilig ist.

Daher gebe ich „nur“ 3,5 von 5 erreichbaren Punkten, dennoch mag ich den Film
Review by Dániel Korchmaros ★★★★★

Brain: You should pause the film and study.

Me: I'm sorry brain, I'm afraid I can't do that