 When the world is ruled by apes, one particular group discovers a mysterious rectangular monolith near their home, which imparts upon them the knowledge of tool use, and enables them to evolve into men. A similar monolith is discovered on the moon, and is determined to have come from an area near Jupiter. Astronaut David Bowman, along with four companions, sets off for Jupiter on a spaceship controlled by HAL 9000, a revolutionary computer system that is every bit mankind s equal, and perhaps his superior. When HAL endangers the crew s lives for the sake of the mission, Bowman will have to first overcome the computer, then travel to the birthplace of the monolith.