2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the greatest science fiction films ever made. Perhaps its most striking aspect is the depth of the entire work. To the untrained eye 2001 might seem to be standard hard sci-fi fare; however, beneath the scientific surface lies layers and layers of complexity unmatched throughout the movie industry. It is an epic tale of the evolution of Man; it starts in a pristine world with the beginning of Man's ingenuity and terminates among the dazzling stars.
The prominent theme of 2001 is evolution; specifically, Man's path to Godhood. This theme is expressed through numerous outlets. First, there are the prehistoric humans that haunt the movie's prologue, given intellect and reason by the mysterious, unfathomable monolith. Fast forward a few millennia and Man has developed space travel and artificial intelligence systems. The HAL-9000 unit is himself a parallel of Man's creation; from HAL's perspective, Man is God. And from Man's perspective, the incomprehensible monolith-constructing aliens are Godlike. It's a cycle of creation...a stark contrast to the cycles of destruction that plague other sci-fi universes. 2001 is as utopian and optimistic as they come.
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I didn't think that 2001 was utopian, but you bring up some good points. This movie does have a surprisingly powerful connection to religion, which I didn't think was as present in some of the other films we watched.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mike that 2001 isn't optimistic due it showing could happen if we give technology too much power with a combination of human emotions which is extremely deadly.
ReplyDeleteThe unifying thread that connects the movie's three acts is evolution. The first act - the Dawn of Man- shows Man being created by God/super-advanced aliens. The second act shows the next phase of Man's evolution; the ability to create new life. The third act gives a glimpse of Man's ultimate destiny: Godlike beings that wander through space and time on a whim.
ReplyDeleteAll three acts represent different stages on the timeline of Man. The message of the movie seems to be that there's no way to go but up.