I Want to Believe

I reported earlier via a comment that the producers of the most excellent TV show 24 were using audience numbers from the X-Files movie I Want to Believe to see whether doing a 24 movie after going off-air would be successful. Hopefully, they don't lose hope. From what I understand, people flocked to the X-Files film, but not in overwhelming numbers. Fans liked it, but their audulation was drowned out by the critics.......who didn't.

Potential redeeming elements could be my thoughts that first, The Dark Knight edged Mulder and Scully's reunion out of the spotlight (or shoved it completely into the ground) and second, was it a coincidence that The X-Files: I Want to Believe aired on the weekend prior to the FBI's 100th anniversary?

You probably read that with a ho-hum reaction. Your reaction probably coincided with mine - for I highly doubt Dark Knight's airdate a mere few days prior to The X-Files was a conspiracy....nor do I seriously believe Chris Carter admired the Bureau that much - even despite Mulder and Scully's dedication to the organization.

This, therefore, is my reaction to the film, posted on the 24 Forum:

POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT! (I reference people and issues, not events, read if you want)

At first, I was not that impressed. It seemed a lot of the dialogue was slightly cliched and forced....with certain issues the movie brought up, such as the stem cells, pedophile priest, as well as the photo of Bush played in timing with certain music, it seemed there was a push for more liberal views. I admit, though, that I thought playing the X-Files theme while showing Bush's photo was hilarious! Loved it!

Some of the acting, especially by the secondary characters, didn't seem to work well.

I was almost afraid that I wouldn't like the movie. But as it progressed, it tightened, and the plot and all the issues came to intertwine....and as I left the theater, I realized I'd witnessed a fantastic homage to the series.

All the questions brought up by the series--the things that made the series so irresistable--were brought to a head and played out wonderfully through everything that Mulder and Scully faced. Faith vs. science....or both? What is the spiritual realm like? What make up light and darkness? What is truth, and how do we find it? Can horrible persons be forgiven? How does one obtain that forgiveness? I Want to Believe addressed all of these in a very unique way.

I've read critics complain that the movie was more like an episode. I would have to agree with that. It did not seem to have the grandiose, theatrical, movie-like awe and wonder of other films....or even like that of Fight the Future. Whatever the reason for that, though, the subject matter of the film--the issues it raised--worked wonderfully within the very specific one-small-FBI-case context. I don't know if it was intentional to examine how great, expansive issues can arise through something small......or whether this was just the storyline they wrote.....but it worked. And I loved it!

I know I will have to see it a second time so that I can look once more at how they deal with these issues again.

It was great seeing Mulder and Scully back. I was slightly thrown off by their relationship in the movie, because I had imagined it would be different (I'm leaving out specifics for those who haven't seen the movie yet). But their interaction was there, and their humor. I loved Mulder's comment "Well, we'll just have to crawl in bed with him and kiss his holy a**." Then the ASAC's response to that.......hilarious! :D

I equally enjoyed the end scene during the credits. The X-Files score that played during the credits.....loved it! Mark Snow did a fantastic job throughout the movie. I thought the imagery of the ice to the tropics was beautiful to watch, and....well.....the bit you see at the end was nice, too. :D

All in all, I Want to Believe may not generate new fans....it may not be in the same vein as many eps in the series were theatrically....but while it failed in some aspects (theatrics, "feel" of the series, etc) it succeeded marvellously in others. Best of all, I think it did The X-Files well by perpetuating the questions that made the series great. It is definitely one to buy and keep.