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The X Files: I Want To Believe (1 Disc Edition with Exclusive Free X Files Poster)


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

The feature film The X-Files: I Want to Believe is a satisfying if unspectacular installment in the X-Files series, taking place an unspecified time after the show's nine-year television run. Former agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is now a doctor, while Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) is being hunted by his former agency and living in seclusion. He and Scully are summoned back by a case involving a missing agent and a former priest (Billy Connolly) who claims to be able to see clues to the agent's whereabouts psychically, though his initial search turns up only a severed limb.

Don't expect the usual cast of characters; the FBI has completely turned over (except for the George W. Bush portrait), and the only reason Scully and Mulder are back is because agent Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet) remembers his success on similar cases involving the inexplicable. Don't expect the same rogues' gallery either; unlike the previous X-Files feature film, which was inextricably linked to the series' convoluted mythology arc (and served as a bridge between the fifth and sixth seasons), I Want to Believe is a stand-alone piece that makes use of the series' roots in horror/sci-fi and moody Vancouver, B.C., locales. Also unlike the previous film, which was almost self-consciously shot for the big screen, this film is on a smaller scale, like a double-length episode of the series. But it's still a good reminder of the creepy vibe that hooked fans for years. And the relationship between Mulder and Scully? It seems to have resumed pretty much where it left off, at least when you take into account the long period of separation. But stick around for the end-credit sequence to take in all the possibilities for the future. --David Horiuchi, Amazon.com

A believer and a sceptic
Review date: 2008-10-31 Rating: 8 out of 10

As my title suggests I'm in two minds about this film, if you consider the pacing, narrative, special effects and the overall purpose of the film, it isn't very good but I do appreciate its themes and the cinematography and the overall atmosphere that is created.

Carter never liked to do what was expected of him, he tended to follow his own intuitions and it worked for the series making them fresh, interesting and utterly compelling, allowing them to run for so long and have such a devoted fan base. I'm one of those fans, I love the series and appreciated where it was left in the last episode; the date was set, the invasion inevitable, the FBI was overrun with alien agents and our two heroes were on the run. The series was driven by more than just Scully's devoted faith in science and Mulder's desperate belief in the paranormal it was also about the escalation of unstoppable forces and unknowable entities, religion played a massive part in the complex mythology as well. What that last episode seemed to say quite poignantly was that you can seek the truth but you can't stop the inevitable though what you can do is put faith in the unknowable, in forces greater than yourself. With this in mind what's been done with the film is hard to justify. It carries along this sentiment, but it doesn't develop it. The film by turns stagnates and goes back on itself.

The film begins with Mulder in hiding and Scully working at a hospital, their living together, but when an agent goes missing rather strangely the FBI, that's populated as I've said by vicious alien agents decide they need Mulders help, the man that they so wanted destroyed.

This Mulder we're presented with seems to have reverted back three series, ignoring the closure he received in the aptly named `closure' he is looking for his sister again, Scully even accused him at one point that every thing he is doing is because of her, a line very similar to this was used in the first series, it has no place here, it's utterly irrelevant. Maybe Carter is trying to say something, or else he is hoping to give perspective viewers of the series a key motivation of Mulder's.

Also although Mulder and Scully's relationship is nicely developed in some senses; their actively together and they share some moving conversations about William (their son, which they were forced to give away) and in particular an end scene "I think it's the darkness that always finds us", in many ways this also goes back about three series, from the seventh series Mulder and Scully's beliefs had started to align this sees them sharing arguments similar to those in the first few series, with Scully refusing to acknowledge anything supernatural without scientific proof and Mulder being the unreasoning man we knew before he laid down the troubles he had accumulated over him sisters disappearance. But Duchovny and Anderson continue to have great chemistry.

The film takes the format of a supernatural thriller; it is successful in being tense. But it's in no way mysterious as the villains are clearly shown. The cinematography of the desolate snow filled spaces is compelling and the dank interiors are well shot. But the pacing is patchy at best. Scully's scenes concerning a difficult patient are disruptive to the narrative flow although they do lend support to the importance of faith.

This film doesn't feel as if it has been made for fans, but to entice a whole new generation to the series, this is probably why it doesn't develop the mythology. From a marketing point of view and looking at the script this doesn't make sense, the themes aren't easily unearthed especially if you haven't seen the series. In fact the whole narrative has the feel of an overly long weaker than average episode of the series, something that isn't going to garner much interest from cinema goers. Carter excelled at weaving action packed mythology episodes of the likes of `713' and `Patient X' with brilliantly entertaining stand alones like `Triangle' and `Fight Club' and this isn't a great way to end the saga, yes it does mix science, paranormal and religious aspects but the paranormal comes in the form of a tortured physic, played by an unexpectedly good Billy Connolly, this doesn't incite the magnitude I was hoping for, the subject has been covered many times in series with better scripts driving it. In this it's simply used to detect the movements of a crazy group of scientist's performing outrageous experiments with stem cell surgery. I just think if your not going to put the effort into creating a great script, that develops and enhances the series, don't bother. Though I was rather excited by the strange undulating inky patterns in the background of the credits, they seemed evocative of black oil and I thought maybe there was more to the film than meets the eye, that Carter had something else planned, but it's very likely that another film will be made and people have convinced me that it was just snow.

I'll be buying this DVD when it's out (if for no other reason than I missed this mysterious extra bit after the credits!) we'll see if any extras can shed light on Carters motivations and intentions. And I will watch it as part of a series that I love as it's a good if not entirely relevant film that fits well into the x-files saga.


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Reviews


A must buy!
Review date: 2008-10-05 Rating: 10 out of 10

Forget any bad reviews!

This film did exactly as it should have done with allowing us to see the lifes and relationship of TVs best SC-FI couple 6 years down the road from after the series ended.

Mulder and Scully are back! The story of the film some say wasn't the type of things you would see in the series. Well think again because certain episodes did deal with psychics and neutral paranormal acts such as the episode 'hell money'.

This is a brilliant film which really should satisfy any X-Files fan as well as people who want to see more then a little gore and violence. The film also makes full sense without having to see the whole series!

5/5!!!

Sadly lacking anything that made the X-Files so popular in the first place.
Review date: 2008-09-25 Rating: 2 out of 10

Trying to bring back the X-Files after such a long absence was always going to be tough. In order to satisfy the fans there are elements that need to in the new film. These include a large helping of sci-fi, some strong references to alien life forms, simmering sexual tension between Mulder and Scully, exciting action scenes and a dash of humour throughout. Easy. So all of this is in the second movie then..................err no, in fact hardly any of it is.

What we end up with is a slow and totally uninteresting plot about a priest (who is a convicted paedophile) who may, or may not be a clairvoyant. As far as a "traditional" X-file story this is about as much as we get. The rest involves a pointless sub-plot with Scully and a terminally ill child and a story involving someone stealing body parts. There is a slight twist at the end but it's so obvious you might not even notice it's happened.

One of the reasons this film is so bad is that David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson look bored and confused. Neither of their characters wants to be involved in the investigation involving the priest and are co-erced into doing so. Sadly this also appears to be the case with the actors as they simply read their lines without any emotion or conviction whatsoever. It's almost as if they signed on to do another movie without ever knowing what the story is, or seeing a finished script. (Also David Duchovny has the worst ever fake beard at the start of the film!!)

I was really looking forward to this but for someone who has seen every episode of the nine TV seasons it felt like I was watching something totally unrelated. There was none of the "feel" or atmosphere of the TV show and the budget was obviously spent entirely on the stars salaries. Considering it was written by Chris Crater, who created the X-Files, the disappointment is even greater.

I honestly can't find anything worth recommending about this film. Fans of the X-Files will likely feel cheated and people who are new to it will be lost. It doesn't work on any level. I was hoping that this would lead to some more X-Files movies, or maybe even season 10, but if this is the best on offer then I will stick with originals.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Amanda Peet
David Duchovny
Gillian Anderson
Billy Connolly

Creators:
David Duchovny (Primary Contributor)
Gillian Anderson (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
EAN: 5039036040099
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-11-24
Audience rating: To Be Announced
Region code: 2

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