The X-Files : Régénération

This is the second X-FILES movie, made a decade after the first and a good six years after the series finally ended on television. In many respects, it feels like nothing more than extended episode; gone is the government conspiracy stuff, to be replaced with a stand-alone storyline involving psychics and FRANKENSTEIN-style experiments that recalls the good old days of the early seasons. Many fans were disappointed that the underlying alien stuff was dismissed for this film, but I didn't mind it at all. If they made films like this every couple of years, I'd be happy.

As a piece of entertainment, it isn't entirely satisfying, although I found it watchable enough. The plot is meandering in places – especially during the mid section – and the low budget readily apparent in some cheesy effects scenes (such as where we see someone falling). However, the relationship between Mulder and Scully is spot on, and the script allows for plenty of soul-searching between the two leads. Duchovny effortlessly slides back into his character, although Anderson fails to convince in some of her dialogue sequences (although her emotional stuff with a child patient is spot on).

Kudos, too, for eliciting a good performance from Billy Connolly, who bags a fantastic role as a priest-turned-paedophile-turned-psychic. I never thought I'd see somebody like Connolly give a quiet, mannered, understated turn, but he does that here. Amanda Peet is fine as another investigator, and even Xzibit convinces as a 'real' actor. It's great to see Mitch Pileggi make a cameo, too.

It's not an amazing film, and much of it is familiar stuff done numerous times in more successful episodes, but I enjoyed THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE on nostalgic terms alone. It recalls the glory days of when the show was unmissable entertainment, the best thing on the box, and that's some achievement

Honestly, I thought this was a good film. I'll even go so far as to say a great film. I really think that Chris Carter, David Duchovny, and Gillian Anderson delivered what they had promised to. All along, throughout the post-production and press campaign we've been told that this is a creepy story with Mulder and Scully's relationship at its core. Well, that's what it is ... plain and simple. I really think that all the negativity and people's harsh reviews are from false and hyped up expectations of what this movie is supposed to be. If anything, you should just try to walk into the theatre with an open mind.

But I almost think some people who reviewed this film, saw a different film than I did ...

1. I read a review in which the person said Gillian Anderson's acting was awful. That is false. It is quite the contrary. Gillian Anderson is probably one of the strongest aspects of this movie. Every time she's in a scene, you're captivated.

2. I had read that Mulder and Scully don't show up in the film until 45 minutes into it. False. Scully appears in the 3rd scene - so what? no more than 7 minutes? - and Mulder directly follows.

3. Someone complained about an irrelevant and torturously long scene where Mulder fills up his gas tank. This doesn't happen. He goes to a gas station, gets out of his car, and goes into a store.

4. Lastly, it was rumored that the actors where flubbing up their lines all the time. Okay, even if they did, that wouldn't end up in the final film. Obviously they do multiple takes for a reason. The lines are solid.

This movie is not boring. The surprises are there. It may not be scary in a 'horror film' sort of way where things are jumping out at you every 2 seconds, but it is scary. The acting is amazing. Gillian Anderson on her own is a joy to watch, but when you put her in a scene with David it's either going to break your heart or melt it. The supporting cast won't let you down, and neither will the storyline. It's not paranormal in the sense of freaks and monsters, but religion and God. It's very much in the fashion of "All Things"; seeing the signs and following them. Finally, it is just excellently put together. Whoever edited this film did a phenomenal job! The inter-cutting and juxtaposition was out of this world.

GIVE IT A CHANCE, FOLKS.

In the last shot of the theatrical preview for this movie, we see Mulder and Scully turn around to stare at something we assume is very significant. Turns out it's merely a pedestrian reaction shot. And as such, it represents I Want To Believe very well.

This movie gets pretty much everything wrong. First off, it assumes that people watching it have not only seen, but also remember the weak last few seasons of the show. {WHAT FOLLOWS WOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED A SPOILER BY THE FILM'S DIRECTOR, SINCE HE SEEMS TO ASSUME WE ALREADY KNOW THIS} I had no recollection of the two leads ending up romantically involved, which is an incredibly wrong-headed development. Mulder and Scully's platonic partnership was the show's strongest building block. Seeing them in bed together came as a "what the f--k?" moment and felt as wrong as incest. {END MILD, INSIGNIFICANT SPOILER} Then there's the impression that series creator Chris Carter (who wrote and directed this movie), Gillian Anderson, and David Duchovny have all forgotten not only who these characters are, but what the show was about.

The actors call each other by their characters' names, but it feels like a bad impersonation. The biggest problem might be the story, though, which needed to feel like more than just an afterthought, a contrivance to get our duo to investigate spooky goings-on. Speaking of which, the supernatural plays a surprisingly tiny part; apparently, Carter even forgot the genre of his TV show. The main plot feels too mundane (at least until its secrets are revealed at the end, which does provide a few welcome horror thrills). There is an entire pointless subplot devoted to a dilemma faced by Scully at the hospital where she works. The film's subtitle is repeated to eye-rolling effect every time. A recurring character from the show makes an appearance but is given nothing to do. Then Duchovny spouts a few pseudo-profundities, and the whole mess mercifully ends.

There is a difference in reviewing bad film-making as opposed to personal taste. Frankly, I argue this movie more from personal taste, although X-Files - I Want to Believe is certainly not bad film-making. In all honesty, I was very nervous about X-Files I Want to Believe. Ever since Star Wars the Phantom Menace, I have learned to lower my expectations when venturing into Hollywood movies (although lowering your expectations to nothing could not save the Star Wars Prequels). Nothing is worse than a huge let-down. Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull comes to mind the quickest. With X-Files, I Want to Believe, I went in with no expectations whatsoever and was thoroughly entertained. It made me pine for the old television series I loved to watch in the 1990's (at least until Seasons 8 and 9). Dr. Dana Scully is working at a Catholic Hospital, fighting for a young boy who has little to no chance of surviving. She pushes herself hard, not giving up hope in the wake of despair. She fights for Alexander (the son she lost in the television series). The FBI comes to her, asking for help in tracking down Fox Mulder. They want his help in a baffling case. An FBI agent has disappeared. The only link is an unusual psychic. Not only does he have scant visions, he also is pedophile priest under house arrest. Of course, Mulder wants to believe this man. Scully, however, does not. This not only stems from her usual scientific mind, but also her moral outrage at his crimes. As this psychic leads them to various clues, a case slowly uncovers. Some strange, bizarre, twisted scheme of harvesting organs for nefarious purposes arises. Mulder of course ventures closer, putting himself in peril. Scully, balks, wondering if she can continue in Mulder's dark world. Believe it or not, this one works. In fact, I liked it better than Fight the Future. While Fight the Future was inserted in the ongoing mythology of government conspiracies and alien extra-terrestrials, this one works more as a stand-alone movie, much like the episodes of the same flavor. I admit I liked the latter episodes better. So for the X-Philes who liked the conspiracy episodes better, you may want to stick to Fight the Future. That gets me to wonder if this movie will find new fans for the 15-year-old franchise, or only appeal to X-Philes. Only time can tell on that one. What makes this work for me, though, is that it is in the spirit of the original television series. It does not rely on paranoid delusions, government conspiracies, and alien extra-terrestrials. Instead, it relies more on a potentially dangerous and real situation with surrealism in the background. Just like some of the stand-alone episodes of X-Files, the outcome is not predictable. Also, by the end, the surrealism takes a back-seat to the suspense of catching the antagonists. It also unfolds slowly, not giving us a full glimpse into the nefarious plot finally revealed in the end. Just like the series, the antagonists goal is evil and eerie--pushing the envelope of imagination and fear. Just like the series, the plot is also based on real fringe scientific experiments. Both the movie, and the reality sent a shiver up my spine (by the way, leave the kids at home on this one. Kids younger than 11 or 10 might get some nightmares.) This paves the way for one thing X-Files television series did well: lacing messages of philosophy, religious allegory, and faith. Some of the best stuff comes when Fox and Dana converse with each other. Scully fears being with Mulder because his world brings around so much darkness, and she fears that. She also doubts her own faith. Mulder must ask himself questions in regards to his relentless search of the "truth." Another warning must go out that this movie is not an action movie. It works more like a thriller and a suspense movie instead of lacing itself with shootouts,car chases, and outlandish stunts. It also is not scary, but rather suspenseful. I think if Cris Carter were a better director, it might have found a little more suspense, and possibly a little more fright. That being said, I still think this movie works--at least for me.

Just as FIGHT THE FUTURE was the perfect bridge between seasons 5 and 6 of the TV series, I WANT TO BELIEVE sits at the center of the fourteen year gap between seasons 9 and 10. Having moved on -apart- for several years, Mulder and Scully (David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) must reunite in order to solve a particularly grisly new case.

Director and X-FILES guru extraordinaire, Chris Carter pays homage to everything from SILENCE OF THE LAMBS / SEVEN to HOSTEL and even FRANKENSTEIN! Toss in Billy Connolly as a psychic, pedophile priest, and we're off to the paranormal races! Amanda Peet is quite good in her role as lead FBI agent, Dakota Whitney. Don't blink, or you might miss Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) in his extended cameo appearance!

Highly recommended for both fans and casual viewers of the show...