Movie Review: The X-Files: I Want to Believe

    

The X-Files: I Want to Believe
2008, 104mins, PG-13
Director: Chris Carter
Writer (s): Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz
Cast includes: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly, Xzibit
Release Date: 25th July 2008

I’ve never been a big fan of the X-Files, although having officially now been regarded as one of most successful television properties of all time I am in the minority. This The X-Files: I Want to Believe is the second feature based on the TV property which ended in 2002 and based on the films epic box-office and critical fail likely the last. On release during the summer past the film flopped in the shadow of The Dark Knight whilst reviewers and fans complained that the picture was nothing more than a mediocre episode stretched to feature length. I can relate to the latter complaint as one of the pictures biggest weaknesses is it’s oddly flat plot but that only really becomes apparent in the second half. The opening section of the film is superb and whilst the latter section struggles to hit even watchable levels of Sci-Fi on the whole the film is better than average.

I Want to Believe picks up six years after the TV series ended. Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are living together in a country house, where he has become isolated and remains paranormal obsessed whilst she is now a Doctor at a nearby hospital. Neither works for the FBI any more, and indeed Mulder has actually accumulated a criminal record since departing from his old job. But when a psychic pedophile priest, Father Joe (Billy Connelly), has visions associated with a missing FBI agent, the agency wants Mulder back on the job. Reluctantly at first, he agrees, and ends up working with agents Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet) and Mosley Drummy (Xzbit). Their target: use supernatural clues provided by Father Joe to locate the missing person. Scully, disillusioned about the FBI, chooses not to participate and goes back to trying to save the life of a young patient using controversial methods.

The performances in I want to Believe are largely effective. Even amongst haters most fans agreed that Duchovney and Anderson slipped brilliantly back into the roles of Mulder and Scully. Their shared chemistry remains captivating and they’re able to mould their characters with ease once more, into fully engaging 3-D leads. The relationship between the two is also well explored and developed in the screenplay, which is well captured by the two Sci-Fi legends. In support Billy Connolly provides a memorable and haunting performance as the tormented priest his scene toward the end with Anderson is one of the flicks high points. Amanda Peet is sassy and partakes in an interesting subplot involving a potential connection with herself and Mulder, however rapper Xzibit is given a pointless role and performs it in the most wooden and unimpressive of styles.

selection of subplots gel well together and keep the audience attentive with commendable ease. In this section the supernatural is a key theme and Connolly is offered plenty of screen time meaning that the true heart of the X-Files is captured and fans should be delighted with the results. The problem is that the story concludes in the most unspectacular and and unsatisfying of fashions, the big reveal is a bitter defeat and would seem minor and underdeveloped even within a bad episode of the show. This and occasional spurts of bad dialogue prevent the picture from developing into anything genuinely great, despite the clear and strong promise that the opening half displays.

he action isn’t explosive but it is more often than not entertaining and tense, Carter plays several basic ideas well for maximum enjoyment much like has been displayed in the Bourne franchise. In particular a scene where Duchovney and Peet chase a suspect through and abandoned building manages to achieve alot despite obviously limited resources. Visually the picture captures the eerie and intriguing nature that fans long came to associate with the TV series, whilst the cinematography shoots well above the average that Sci-Fi efforts usually provide. I also need to give a shout out to the music, I was very impressed by the beats that composer Mark Snow cooks up for the story.

Essentially I Want To Believe is a better than average thriller and had it maintained the standard of the opening half I maintain this could have been a really great Summer experience. However the screenplay cops out and offers up a sickeningly basic and forgettable twist that not to spoil anything, fails to incorporate any genuine supernatural themes. As a franchise this is probably the end, the Box-Office failing should ensure that Fox is unlikely to bring the characters back to the big screen anytime soon. So whilst it’s not as disastrous as it could have been or as bad as some have made it to be, I Want to Believe offers alot to like but also concludes this saga in a frustratingly poor way.