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Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Movie Review: The X-Files: I Want to Believe
'I Want to Believe' worthy of X-Files name
By Brett Troxler
btroxler@wbrz.com
Web Producer
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PLAY OFFICIAL TRAILER
out of 4 stars.
But can you really ever escape your past? In the midst of a snowy West Virginia winter, a federal agent has gone missing. The clues are sketchy, and the only real lead comes in the form of a psychic pedophile priest (Bill Connolly) with visions involving the missing woman. With the case taking a turn for the peculiar, FBI agent Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet) goes against the will of the department and contacts Mulder, seeking his expertise on matters of the extraordinary.
The pull of the bureau puts the pair of former special agents in a tight spot and leads to some nice spots of internal and external conflict as the plot — equally creepy and bizarre — advances. Scully has put the past behind her, focusing on her work at the hospital after having grown tired of “chasing monsters in the dark.” But despite getting away from her FBI days, Scully is still seeing things — like a young patient with a terminal brain disease — that challenge her faith.
Mulder hasn’t really ever stopped searching, still haunted and driven by the abduction of his sister as a child, resorting to cutting out newspaper clippings of all things weird and conspiracy-oriented and pinning them to his wall. So it comes as no surprise when this case sucks him right back in, finding his passion for the unexplained once again and above all, wanting to believe.
“I Want to Believe” won’t blow you away in terms of revelations, at least when it comes to our favorite pair of agents. With Chris Carter back in the writer/director role, the second film installment feels more like a double-sized, commercial-free episode similar to those made during its nine season run from 1993-2002.
The lead duo hasn’t forgotten how to play their roles, either. Duchovny still has that dry delivery needed for his character’s wit and the passion to show Mulder’s enthusiasm for all things supernatural. On the other side, Anderson still gets behind her character’s practical view to every situation, and her frustrations when things take a turn for the unrealistic. Best of all, the chemistry between the pair is still strong.
With the exception of a moment or two — I’m looking at you, W — “I Want to Believe” carries with it that X-Files feel we’re all familiar with. Fans of series should be satisfied, and the story here is open-ended enough that one can be hopeful for another feature film installment in the future. Besides, it’ll be nice to hear that eerie theme song one more time.
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