I wanted to believe the hype - in this case the ever-so strategically implemented reveal-NOTHING promotional campaign - that the return of the “X-Files” would be a cinematic event worth celebrating. For such a super-secret hush-hush summer film, it’s rather surprising that “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” turns out to merely be a modest, and unfortunately, inconsequential film. Like “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” earlier this summer, “X-Files” is an under-baked effort that clearly intends to coast on a loyal fan base that is hungry to see their favorite characters in action once again, regardless of overall quality. For those people, the film may be marginally more enjoyable than it will be to the so-so fan, or non-fan. I’d count myself in one of those latter categories – never a rabid fan, but someone who’s seen enough “X-Files” to know that the show was capable of soaring to great heights, albeit also aware of it’s ultimate, maddening implosion – and for me, this film never fulfilles the promise of the series. This should have been the ultimate stand-alone “X-Files” episode. All of this is particularly disappointing, considering that the creator and mastermind of the series, Chris Carter, is not only the film’s co-writer, but also its director.
This being Carter’s big screen directorial debut leaves a lot to be desired in terms of pure visual storytelling technique. Most of the time, this plays like a bigger-than-average season premiere episode. Gone are the exploding buildings, CG bee attacks, and flying saucer reveals of the previous “X-Files” film, 1998’s “Fight the Future”. While this outing gets points for being more coherent and general audience friendly than that far-flung effort, it painfully lacks its scope and charisma. “I Want to Believe” is about as languid and whispy as the perpetual falling snow that occurs throughout.
Yes, we get to learn what former FBI paranormal investigators Mulder and Scully have been up to, (David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, respectively, maintaining their classic chemistry, thankfully,) but like “Indiana Jones”, this revealed knowledge does little more than elicit curious smiles in the audience, while anemically greasing the plot’s singular set of wheels, which feed the true agenda of the film. Mulder has become a reclusive paranoid; still on the quest to one day recover his lost sister. Scully is a surgeon working with radical new treatments in a Catholic hospital. They are living together in isolation, and are no longer affiliated with the FBI. To say their relationship ever changes much beyond this throughout the running time of this film would be a major overstatement.
Early on, Scully is approached by a desperate FBI agent (Amanda Peet) to help bring in the disgraced Mulder from the cold, in the interest of cracking a case with supernatural permutations. It all falls in line, and before too long, Mulder and Scully are off chasing the usual leads, hunches, and semi-oddball clues. But the humor, the heart, and overall creative spark are in woefully short supply. In their stead, we get Billy Connelly as a former priest with a sick past who is hungry for redemption, and a hard-line advocacy of stem cell research. Go figure. Did I mention that the priest has psychic abilities? Don’t get too excited, that’s about the extent of the paranormal activity in this film. Even the true motives and intentions of the stories’ cruel villains never thaw out, as they should.
For fans that want to catch up with their favorite characters, this monster-of-the-week style outing will fit the bill in that sense. But “I Want to Believe” isn’t good for much else, even when it tries to probe deep issues such as faith, guilt, life and death. Promoting stem cell research seems to be Chris Carter’s primary interest in making this film, and for that, fans and causal filmgoers alike should have the right to be disappointed. “The X-Files” was such a strong series in its time, perhaps even THE single most definitive TV series of the nineties. The much-anticipated return of Mulder and Scully should never have to take a backseat to any kind of political or personal agenda, which is sadly exactly the case this time around. Dealing with relevant issues is one thing, but this is simply too much. And if promo campaigns are going to be so deliberately elusive, they better darn well have something to deliver when the time comes, right? If a third film is ever attempted, hopefully the long-elusive cinematic balance of “The X-Files” will finally be achieved. I want to believe that’s possible. Until then this film can be filed under “X”.
- Jim Tudor
I stopped watching the series when it "jumped the shark" long time ago. I remember watching the last episodes and seeing some alien-dude-something flying or doing some other extraterrestrial gimmick, quite lame.
Like the Simpson, another good show that didn't know when to finish properly.
I'm not really surprised this one didn't turn out so well. The trailer tried to make people running around in the snow seem exciting with all that dramatic music. Seemed like they were trying too hard. I guess I was right. I'm not too disappointed though. I like the show but I'm not a diehard fan. I might just go see Dark Knight a second time this weekend instead.
OH NOEZ! Stem Cell Research! Think of the children!
It all went in the toilet pretty quickly after they bailed on Vancouver.
I was an X-FILES geek. The first 4-5 seasons were great. I could watch the Darin Morgan-scripted episodes, like "War of the Coprophages" and "Jose Chung's From Outer Space", over and over again. But I didn't like the first movie, FIGHT THE FUTURE. And I agree that the show eventually fell apart. I skipped most of the last two seasons, and I tried watching the series finale but couldn't understand what was going on.
Thanks for the review, Jim. Think I'll wait for DVD. Or TV premiere.