The X-Files: I Want to Believe

The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Rated PG-13

Running time: 1 hr 44 mins

Cast:

David Duchovny
Gillian Anderson

Critical consensus:

**1/2 out of *****

Matt's Take:

Coming Soon

Mikey @ The Movies Official Rating:

**** out of *****

The premise:

Based on the award winning dramatic TV show of the same name, and a sequel to a 1998 film. Mulder and Scully are asked to come out of hiding to assist in a case that needs their otherworldy expertise.

MY REVIEW

The Story and Screenplay: I'd like to point out to those who don't know: I am a die hard fan of the The X-Files TV show. I've seen every episode. However I am not an "X-Philer" as they say, meaning I'm not some comic-con nerd who lives and breathes the show. As a matter of fact it's misguided thought that The X-Files has some huge nerdy cult following like Star Trek. Whatever though, think what you want. On to the film.

Creator Chris Carter and regular X-File writer Frank Spotnitz have delivered a story that I thought completely stayed true to the heart of the show. No it has nothing to do with aliens. If they made a story about aliens, then you would lose the entire non-X-Files fan audience. The first film in 1998 focused on the alien conspiracy that made the show what it was, and did so in a way that even a person who never saw the show, could enjoy. The first film is excellent. It was hip, it was sleek, and it was appealing to everyone. They also couldn't do an alien story here because that mythology storyline concluded in the show. Not to mention its been 6 years since the show ended, an alien story would have been cheesy. So we get a stand-alone film.

Mulder and Scully are enlisted to help in a case involving a missing FBI agent. They are asked for help, because the FBI is currently using a psycic to help them, who claims he knows where the agent is being kept, or he can at least help find her. This story we have is a very basic story that we would have seen in an episode of the show. Except in this film, Scully has her own storyline that is a prominent part of the film but has no connection to Mulders story involving the missing agent. Of course they are helping eachother until Scully realizes Mulder is doing this for his dead sister. Look theres a lot I can get into here, but I won't for time reasons.

I cared more the Scully aspect of the story actually, about her patient that she so desperately wants to help. At what cost though? Same moral dilema goes for Mulders story. Which inevitablely hurts their personal relationship (which by the way they are a couple now living together). Scullys half of the movie was the more dramtic element to the film, and you really feel for her character (fan or not). She struggles with the higher authorities at the hospital, she struggles with Mulder, she struggles with her faith, etc.

With the investigative storyline, it does tend to drag on a tad bit, which was my main issue with this movie. The villians of the story really get no screentime, and when they do they are speaking russian and we have no subtitles. We don't really know exactly what their big diabolical plan is beyond the current issue (which I won't reveal as it could be major spoilers). So the story really doesn't create much tension, meaning we aren't scared of these baddies. So much occurs in the end with little explanation that it bothered me. The show was always very good at explaining to us everything that we needed to know, yet I think it faltered here in the second movie. However, the overstall story of the film was excellent at staying with the shows format.

The Story and Screenplay rating: **** out of *****

The Performances: Probably the film's strongest point was the performances. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have both been recognized by the Emmy's, Golden Globes and SAG Awards. They changed nothing about that for the film. Duchovny was his charming little self that us X-Files fan grew to love in the show. He plays his character so well. Mulder is kind of a selfish man and tries not to listen to people telling him what to do, and he does that well bouncing off Gillian Anderson. Anderson, i my opinion, steals the show. She was the only one to actually win an Emmy of the two, but she was always over shadowed by Duchovny in the spotlight. While he's a great actor, at least on the show and in these movies, Anderson gives us an array of emotions that make the audience feel for her struggle and simply love her! She doesn't go quietly into the night, and Scully isn't afraid to let people know what she thinks about them. Anderson was fantastic on the show, and she was great in the first movie, but here is where I think she truly shined. She turned up those acting chops and delivers an amazing performance. Not Oscar worthy by any means, but you catch my drift.

The rest of the cast is good, but all very much supporting. Billy Connolly plays the ex-catholic priest who molested alter boys turned psycic. He's a bit quirky and occasionaly over the top in his performance, but he is playing an eccentric old psycic man. He's no Peter Boyle (true X-Files fan will get that one). Then we have Amanda Peet who plays the FBI agent who originally asks for Mulder and Scullys help. She was better than I was expecting, but her character is so one dimensional and useless after a certain point in the movie that you just don't care. She was very good, but her character wasn't. Finally we have Xzibit playing Peet's partner. He plays kind of a jerk, and doesn't actually get a whole lot of screentime or speaking lines, but when he is on screen, he actually wasn't that bad at all. Kinda suprising actually. Oh and p.s. nice little limited performance from Mitch Pileggi. Glad to see him back.

The Performances rating: **** out of *****


The Direction and Filmaking: I liked the look of this movie. It was so very much nostalgic of the show. The show was always known for having a dark look, and this movie is no exception. The whole movie is so dimmly lit and morose, but does so to create a creepy mood. That worked for me. There were a lot of shots I thought were really cool too. The camera weeved around the line of agents in the snow beautifully. Chris Carter always did a wonderful job filming the show, and I'm glad he's getting a chance to direct his characters on the big screen (he didn't direct the first film). He showed his dark side in this film, where in the first one it was more "bright" so to speak.

The first film is better, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this movie!

CURRENT MIKEY @ THE MOVIES AWARD NOMINATIONS:

• Best Other Genre Motion Picture


• Best Dramatic Actress in a Leading Role (Gillian Anderson)


• Best Theatrical Trailer

To view this film's theatrical trailer, click this link: The X-Files: I Want to Believe

*This is the 71st new film I've seen and reviewed this year.