X-man and woman
July 26, 2008
say "conspiracy!"
The X-Files: I Want to Believe – *** is not what I was expecting. The first X-Files film (Fight the Future) took the idea of the big screen literally, by making everything larger than what was expected on the weekly tv series. The world of the show felt vast and the conspiracy more threatening in that first film.
With IWTB, creator Chris Carter does the opposite, and shrinks the lens, if you will, with a story that focuses on the relationship of Mulder and Scully; the “case” that they’re involved in is almost secondary, a reason for them to discuss their issues. The film is shot very simply and the performances from Duchovny and Anderson do not disappoint.
I enjoyed this one as a fan of the X-files, and consider it a solid film. It was nice to see the name-dropping agents back together again, and the film’s slower pace and understated style was a nice respite from the usual summer bombast. The overall theme of belief is explored throughout the film (as it was in the series), and controversial issues are raised. How far should we go to save a life?
