10 Most Iconic Sci-Fi Movie Characters Of All Time
4. Hal 9000 - 2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick broke sci-fi grounds with his visually impressive and meditative 2001: A Space Odyssey. Amongst the visual effects, triumphant score, and perfectly composed cinematography, the simple red-emitting eye of Hal 9000, was the most impressive of all.
The Discovery One’s imposing AI only takes up a small amount of 2001’s runtime, yet the all-seeing antagonist became as iconic as the millennia skipping time jump in the film’s intro. He started his story with us as “the most reliable computer ever made” and was primarily used for status reports and unbeatable games of chess. Yet as Hal’s reliability is questioned things take a turn for the worst, as the crew inch their way closer to Jupiter.
With his calm and lifeless voice, Hal 9000 sent a chill down the spines of its audience, as the crew gradually become aware of the threatening AI’s true ability, with its complete devotion to the mission and unflinching callousness towards human life. As HAL is deactivated, with the life slowly being pulled out of him, the monotonous pleading for his mercy and ominous singing was the creepy cherry on top to an already magnificent, interstellar villain.