The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

Director:

Chris Carter

Writers (WGA):

Frank Spotnitz (written by) and
Chris Carter (written by) ...

Release Date:

25 July 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Believe Again

Plot:

Mulder and Scully are called back to duty by the FBI when a former priest claims to be receiving psychic visions pertaining to a kidnapped agent.

Plot Keywords:

FBI | Priest | Psychic | Psychic Vision | Catholic

Cast

David Duchovny	...	Fox Mulder
Gillian Anderson	...	Dana Scully
Amanda Peet	...	ASAC Dakota Whitney
Billy Connolly	...	Father Joseph Crissman
Xzibit	...	Agent Mosley Drummy (as Alvin 'Xzibit' Joiner)
Mitch Pileggi	...	Walter Skinner
Callum Keith Rennie	...	2nd Abductor - Janke Dacyshyn
Adam Godley	...	Father Ybarra
Alex Diakun	...	Gaunt Man
Nicki Aycox	...	2nd Victim - Cheryl Cunningham
Fagin Woodcock	...	1st Abductor - Franz Tomczeszyn
Marco Niccoli	...	Christian Fearon
Carrie Ruscheinsky	...	Margaret Fearon
Spencer Maybee	...	Blair Fearon
Veronika Hadrava	...	Female Assistant

Also Known As:

The X Files 2 (USA) (working title)
The X Files: Done One (USA) (working title)
The X-Files (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
The X-Files Movie (USA) (promotional title)
The X-Files: I Want to Believe (USA) (alternative spelling)
Untitled X Files Sequel (USA) (working title)
X-Files: Je veux y croire (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violent and disturbing content and thematic material.

Runtime:

104 min | USA:108 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English | Russian | Czech

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS (uncredited)

Certification:

UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Ireland:15A | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Malaysia:U | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia) (Canadian Home Video rating) | Hong Kong:IIB | South Korea:15 | Germany:16 | USA:PG-13 (Approved No. 44443) | Netherlands:16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Sweden:15 | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | Italy:T | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | New Zealand:M | Peru:14 | Austria:14 | Denmark:15 | France:U (with warning) | Brazil:12

Filming Locations:

Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

When Mulder tries to call Scully from his cell phone, the display shows two names above hers and one name below. The two names above are Bowman and Gilligan, which can only be references to Rob Bowman (director of the first movie and several episodes) and Vince Gilligan (writer-producer of the show). The name below is Shiban, a reference to John Shiban (another writer-producer).

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Though the attacks occur in Somerset, West Virginia, in one scene shot from inside the victim's car, you can clearly see a Virginia State Police Inspection sticker.

Quotes:

Fox Mulder: What's up, Doc?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tropic Thunder (2008)

Soundtrack:

Movin' On Up

A welcome return for Mulder and Scully

"It's here! It's here!" shouts Billy Connolly's mysterious, questionable, and apparently psychic Father Joe Crissman in the film's opening scene, and although he is talking about something much more grotesque than the return of "The X-Files", the words clearly echo the thoughts of every last X-Phile awaiting the return of Mulder and Scully, of "The X-Files", and, as surely everyone hoped, something to make up for the many hours wasted on the show's astonishingly mediocre final season.

If you do not enjoy "The X-Files" you will not enjoy "I Want to Believe". That is a simple fact. Although this film was marketed as a standalone feature requiring no prior understanding of the series, the final product is quite far removed from one of the more straightforward standalone episodes, and is actually more about characters and themes than the plot itself, which is not on its own very good.

What it comes down to in the end is whether or not I was satisfied when the credits started rolling and UNKLE's excellent version of Mark Snow's theme started playing. The answer is yes. "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" is not entirely satisfying as a straightforward thriller. It is not entirely satisfying as a procedural or as a medical drama. It is, however, satisfying when the disparate elements come together to form the thematic core of Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz's solid screenplay, and although the journey to the ending is occasionally frustrating, preachy, and even downright annoying, the end result is worth it.

Nobody can rightfully accuse Carter and Spotnitz of writing a hurried screenplay. If anything, "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" is too preoccupied with including as much as possible on a thematic level. This film could have been a tight, thrilling 90-minute film if they had decided to go that way. What "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" is, is a combination of various sorts of episodes into one feature film. If you crave a straightforward, scary thriller you will inevitably be disappointed, because that simply is not what this film is about, regardless of what Carter himself might tell you. When the film comes together as a whole at the end, the X-File (or in this case, not so much) itself couldn't possibly matter less. The title, which seems frustratingly awkward on paper, is incredibly fitting once you have actually seen the film.

"The X-Files", also known as "Fight the Future", released in 1998, was a mythology-based story with plenty of action. It was "The X-Files" in blockbuster mode. Although it satisfied many fans I found it rushed, inconsequential, and severely lacking in substance. While "I Want to Believe" may feature a main plot that often feels like a sub-plot, and one that is quite far from being the most inventive or exciting Mulder and Scully have ever dealt with, it feels like a more complete film. What is lacking in thrills, scares, and action, is made up for with outstanding character moments and an effective thematic core.

Chris Carter's feature debut as director, "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" provides some solid visual moments in addition to some misguided decisions. All in all Carter keeps the film moving at the slow but involving pace of most episodes and the prelude to the film is a very well-executed scene.

The performances are uniformly outstanding except for Xzibit and Amanda Peet, who are both not given much to do. Billy Connolly's understated performance is a masterclass in acting that is quite possibly one of the best male performances of the year thus far, and Duchovny and Anderson slip back into the roles of Mulder and Scully (albeit an older, slightly different Mulder and Scully) with no problems whatsoever.

The film features several outstanding scenes, the final conversation between Mulder and Scully in the film, and Scully's late-night confrontation of Father Joe (a stunning scene, really), stand out as the finest. Carter provides the romantics much to swoon over but never allows the romantic plot to become cheesy or overpower the remainder of the film. The film is far from completely serious, as there is much humor here and a lot of treats for the fans including some very, very pleasant surprises and small references to the series (the latter taking place mostly in Mulder's office at the start of the film). Also look for a bizarre but funny gag involving J. Edgar Hoover, George W. Bush, and Mark Snow's "X-Files" theme.

"The X-Files: I Want to Believe" is an atmospheric thriller that while flawed and certainly not providing a definitive "X-Files" experience, is much better than 1998's "Fight the Future", and an enjoyable return for Mulder and Scully which encapsulates much of what made "The X-Files" so addictive- humor, drama, great characters, and an excellent musical score.

7.5/10