Movie Review: X-Files: I Want to Believe

Starring David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Billy Connelly, Amanda Peet, and Alvin 'Xzibit' Joiner. Directed by Chris Carter

It hurts me to write this review.

Can I say how much I really, really wanted this movie to be worth the 10 bucks? Can I say how big of an "X-Files" fan I am? Would any of it matter?

I digress.

It's been 6 years since "The X-Files" left FOX network. The movie picks up in the present. Scully (Anderson) is currently working at a Catholic Hospital, fighting to cure a child who has a practically incurable disease. Mulder lives with her in a house off the beaten path. With a giant beard and making newsclippings to post on the walls, he comes off more as the bad guys he hunted down on "X-Files" episodes than as a former "Mr. FBI." When Scully is approached by Agent Mosley Drummy (Xzibit) she is told to pass the info onto Fox: an FBI agent is missing and all "transgressions" will be forgiven if he'll help out on this case.

Why do they need him? ASAC Dakota Whitney (Peet) is consulting an ex-communicated priest (37 counts of child molestation) named Father Joe Crissman (Connelly). He's "drawn" to the victims, helping to find the occasional lost limb packed under ice. Whitney wants Mulder to debunk the guy; prove he's a fraud. Mulder instead finds instances where Father Joe really could be psychic, much to the dismay of Scully, Whitney, and Drummy.

What kills me about the movie is I liked it to a POINT. After that point, the rest of the film was inconsequential. If you know even a little bit about movies you know that most scenes are not shot in order. This is overly apparent because after the "twist" of the story occurs, I was entirely waiting for Mulder to look at Scully and say, "You know what, Scully? This was entirely f'd up."

Gillan Anderson and David Duchovny do work well together; that's never been a problem. They've created one of the greatest couples in television history. The only snag between them in this movie is that they don't work TOGETHER. Yes, they are both out of the FBI and Mulder pleads with Scully to help him out, but it never fully happens. That was part of what worked in the TV series. That aside, there was nothing in regards to acting that ANYBODY did wrong. 'Twas the story that killed the Beast.

And what else can I tell you about the story that turned me off from it? The "twist" of it all involves organ transplants, kidnapping, homosexuality, "Frankenstein," and all the rest of the above. I was enjoying the movie up until that PART. If you choose to watch this, you'll know what I mean.

Some other reviewers have said this is a "long" version of the TV show. I've watched several movies in my life and can't say that this did or didn't feel like an overly long episode. I can say that if it had been an episode, it would've been a forgettable one.

I can't recommend going to see this in a theatre. It's not that I wish I hadn't, it's more along the lines of I wouldn't pay to see it again. If you are an X-Phile (you know who you are) and you want to see it, go for it. It's probably the last chance to see Mulder and Scully on the silver screen. BTW, watch for a cameo appearance by another fave character.

My grade: C