REVIEW: The X-Files: I want to Believe

Last summer the X-Files returned with a new film after 7 years and the general consensus from the critics was that the film was pretty much crap. I was so disappointed with the reviews that I skipped the movie and instead went to see the Dark Knight. Now a few months later I've picked up the film on DVD and finally got the chance to make my own judgment and my take isn't nearly as harsh.

The film picks up some time after the end of the series with Mulder pretty much living in exile, since he's wanted by the FBI, and Scully working for a catholic hospital. Scully, as any fan of the show should know, has always been wrestling with her faith over science and at times that made for thought provoking episodes and at its worse it put me to sleep. Here she still seems to be struggling with it while Mulder spends his days cutting out newspaper articles related to the paranormal and posting them all over his office.

Mulder however gets a chance to clear his name and start fresh when a FBI agent goes missing. The current "spooky" girl, agent Dakota (Amanda Peet) at the FBI calls him in for his perspective on the case and on the lone lead, a pedophile priest psychic named Father Joe played by the always great Billy Connelly. Dakota's partner played by a very straight Xzibit really seems like a tacked on character. He and Dakota really are never fully developed and never add much to the proceedings other than being the catalyst that gets Mulder and Scully into the case.

Father Joe leads the agents to body parts frozen in the snow and Mulder gets caught up in fully believing that this man is seeing these things in his head and has no connection to the crimes. Meanwhile everyone else is more than skeptical. Its basically the typical Mulder situation of he's the only one who wants to believe. Scully struggles with accepting Father Joe as a messenger of God when he's also hurt many children. There's a lot boiling under the surface here but it's nothing that we haven't seen explored in the series before.

The conclusion, while interesting, is never really explained well enough to make it have an impact so the mystery seems rushed and wrapped up before your sure of what really happened. Skinner shows up, apparently just to make fans happy, and helps Scully search for Mulder. While it was nice seeing them together again it really felt unnecessary in regards to the story.

Overall the X-files: I want to believe feels like an average episode of the series late in the run. It brings up some interesting ideas and really does a decent job of expanding on the relationship between Mulder and Scully a little but it never really delivers the goods. The film seem like it really is intended for fans and not new comers to the series.

I was never a fan of the episodes where Scully struggles with her faith and I think the same can be said for most watchers of the show. However devoted fans will find a lot here to like and get from the dynamic of both characters fighting with their beliefs.

Visually the film looks good but again nothing spectacular. Filmed during the winter in Vancouver, Director Chris Carter does take advantage of making the locations look good and giving it that gloom that the series had the first 5 seasons. I can see why this film didn't review well. It really does very little to expand on the series and the story is small and really not given the films focus. This feels like more of a stepping stone to a larger story. Almost like we're being set up for another movie and this was just the obligatory filler to explain what's been happening with our heroes since the series ended.

Unfortunately this film bombed at the box office so I'm not too hopeful that we'll see a proper sequel. However, Frank Spotnitz, co-writer of the film, has already said that there's talk of doing another that would address the big alien colonization thread from the series. I'd be very surprised if this actually happens considering the audience for these movies has shrunk considerably. I lost interest in the show when David Duchovny left and Robert Patrick came in. I didn't even watch seasons 8 & 9 until last year and then I pretty much hated them. The series really was run into the ground in the end and the fans were screwed. I'm not sure if it can be repaired by any film at this point. While I'd like to see an alien colonization movie I just don't see it happening. As sad as it is to say I think this film pretty much closes the book on the X-Files until we get the remake in 10 more years.

5.5 Out of 10