Like every other X-phile out there, I was excited to learn that Chris Carter & co. were going to bring us another X-Files story in the form of a big-screen movie. After the cliff-hanging series finale 6 years earlier, I was anxious to see what had become of my two favorite FBI agents and their associates.
The opening teaser, if you will, gets the movie off to a good start. It's dark and creepy, while apparently simultaneously the FBI is doing a search of a large snow field. An FBI agent is kidnapped and unrelated body parts are being found.
So, the FBI is investigating this case and a priest with psychic powers comes forward with his visions about the case. Are Doggett and Reyes investigating this case? No. Are they brought in to help because of their X-Files experience? No. Is a sentence even mentioned on their whereabouts? No. Where is Skinner or Kersh? Nope. No mention of them either. Agent Dakota Whitney, played by Amanda Peet, feels the best move is to bring in Agent Fox Mulder, who has been an FBI murder fugitive for the last 6 years. She somehow convinces the FBI to drop the murder charges in exchange for Mulder's services and insight. All is forgiven. I don't buy it. Scully is now back working as a doctor and the FBI apparently isn't concerned about her being an accomplice to Mulder either.
Moving on, Chris Carter gives us blatant nods to Mulder's character with a pan up to pencils in the ceiling and a close-up shot of him eating sunflower seeds. It's like the camera has its own personality and it's saying, "Hey, look! Mulder still likes sunflower seeds and throwing pencils in the ceiling!" A few minutes later, there is a close-up shot of George W. Bush while the X-Files theme plays. It's cheesy and a bit puzzling.
Although Gillian Anderson's and David Duchovny's acting is top-notch as always, Scully does a couple of things out of character. First, she scoffs at Father Joe for asking forgiveness for his sins. She's a woman of strong faith but she doesn't believe in forgiveness? I don't think so. And then, when they are becoming frustrated about the case, Scully brings up Mulder's sister again. She says he is still searching for her. Mulder came to peace with his sister's death in season 7's 'Closure'. Scully should know better than that.
Scully being a doctor and struggling with her faith adds a different angle to the show, since she's not full-time with Mulder. It kind of gives a season 9 feel to it. I'd like to say that the side story of the boy with cancer was compelling and drew me in, but I can't. I want the meat and potatoes, Mulder and Scully investigating a case together.
The movie is filled with several inconsistencies; Agent Whitney saying Mulder several times then saying "Fox" at the very end; the Russian guys all of a sudden speaking English at the end when they have been speaking in Russian up to that point; the ground is covered with snow during the entire movie, then Mulder's house has green grass; and finally, Skinner shows up in the final 15 minutes? I think he would've seen Mulder a lot sooner if Mulder was supposedly in hiding the last 6 years.
A special nod goes to Mark Snow for once again doing superb music for this movie. He sets the mood perfectly. Amanda Peet and Xzibit give decent, non-memorable stock performances as the investigating agents.
Overall, as a suspenseful, murder mystery this is a decent movie. However, as an X-Files story it disappoints. I left the theater with an empty feeling. "This is it?" I felt. Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz had all this time to come up with a good "monster of a week" story and we get some body parts stealing with a pedophile priest with visions. After a 6 year hiatus, the X-Files deserved a better story that was more carefully written. Important issues were either ignored or poorly explained.
I want to believe that Chris Carter will get one more chance to bring some closure to this saga that is more befitting Mulder and Scully and the X-Files universe.
The opening teaser, if you will, gets the movie off to a good start. It's dark and creepy, while apparently simultaneously the FBI is doing a search of a large snow field. An FBI agent is kidnapped and unrelated body parts are being found.
So, the FBI is investigating this case and a priest with psychic powers comes forward with his visions about the case. Are Doggett and Reyes investigating this case? No. Are they brought in to help because of their X-Files experience? No. Is a sentence even mentioned on their whereabouts? No. Where is Skinner or Kersh? Nope. No mention of them either. Agent Dakota Whitney, played by Amanda Peet, feels the best move is to bring in Agent Fox Mulder, who has been an FBI murder fugitive for the last 6 years. She somehow convinces the FBI to drop the murder charges in exchange for Mulder's services and insight. All is forgiven. I don't buy it. Scully is now back working as a doctor and the FBI apparently isn't concerned about her being an accomplice to Mulder either.
Moving on, Chris Carter gives us blatant nods to Mulder's character with a pan up to pencils in the ceiling and a close-up shot of him eating sunflower seeds. It's like the camera has its own personality and it's saying, "Hey, look! Mulder still likes sunflower seeds and throwing pencils in the ceiling!" A few minutes later, there is a close-up shot of George W. Bush while the X-Files theme plays. It's cheesy and a bit puzzling.
Although Gillian Anderson's and David Duchovny's acting is top-notch as always, Scully does a couple of things out of character. First, she scoffs at Father Joe for asking forgiveness for his sins. She's a woman of strong faith but she doesn't believe in forgiveness? I don't think so. And then, when they are becoming frustrated about the case, Scully brings up Mulder's sister again. She says he is still searching for her. Mulder came to peace with his sister's death in season 7's 'Closure'. Scully should know better than that.
Scully being a doctor and struggling with her faith adds a different angle to the show, since she's not full-time with Mulder. It kind of gives a season 9 feel to it. I'd like to say that the side story of the boy with cancer was compelling and drew me in, but I can't. I want the meat and potatoes, Mulder and Scully investigating a case together.
The movie is filled with several inconsistencies; Agent Whitney saying Mulder several times then saying "Fox" at the very end; the Russian guys all of a sudden speaking English at the end when they have been speaking in Russian up to that point; the ground is covered with snow during the entire movie, then Mulder's house has green grass; and finally, Skinner shows up in the final 15 minutes? I think he would've seen Mulder a lot sooner if Mulder was supposedly in hiding the last 6 years.
A special nod goes to Mark Snow for once again doing superb music for this movie. He sets the mood perfectly. Amanda Peet and Xzibit give decent, non-memorable stock performances as the investigating agents.
Overall, as a suspenseful, murder mystery this is a decent movie. However, as an X-Files story it disappoints. I left the theater with an empty feeling. "This is it?" I felt. Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz had all this time to come up with a good "monster of a week" story and we get some body parts stealing with a pedophile priest with visions. After a 6 year hiatus, the X-Files deserved a better story that was more carefully written. Important issues were either ignored or poorly explained.
I want to believe that Chris Carter will get one more chance to bring some closure to this saga that is more befitting Mulder and Scully and the X-Files universe.