Kubrick's movie is praised for being almost dream-like and for the methods used by the director to create the sense that the viewer was actually present in the movie with the rest of the characters.
The actors are also praised for their acting but many don’t realize that their acting was the result of the way the director chose to film the scenes. The actors appear to be detached, with no feelings whatsoever, tired and close to exhaustion. While many believe that this was the result of the actors’ talent, some attribute this to the fact that the director insisted that some shots be redone over and over again, until they were perfect in his opinion. This actually made the actors feel exhausted and some argue that the tiredness they exhibit in the movie is not staged and that it was all very real for them.
The dialogue is also extremely slow, controlled and seems to have the same pace no matter the scene. The characters move in the film extremely slowly, with careful deliberate moves and this gives the movie a certain feel of dreaminess and almost drug-induced haziness. The main characters remain detached and impersonal and this forces the viewer to get involved and become immersed into the movie.
