The X-Files 2: I Want to Believe Review
by Homer Yen (homeryen88 AT gmail DOT com)July 27th, 2008
"X-Files 2" - Believe It, This Is a Good Film
by Homer Yen
(c) 2008
It's been six years since the popular television show went off the air. And, it's been 10 years since their inaugural feature film when X-Files popularity was riding high. So, do we need this feature-length installment? Not really. However, I'm glad that they made it. It's like asking: "does Pecan Pie actually need some whipped cream on top?" No, but I'm glad that it's there.
Happily, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) haven't missed a beat, and they easily slip on their roles like a comfortable pair of fuzzy slippers. He still has that boyish charm and killer curiosity. Meanwhile, she is gracefully edging towards Julianne Moore territory. Mulder is now out of the FBI and keeping a low profile. Yet, he still possesses a wicked intelligence, keen observational skills, and a belief in things that others would find unbelievable. Most of all, he is still troubled by the government's lack of transparency (hey, aren't we all?). Meanwhile, Scully has moved on from being a brilliant forensics expert to a brilliant surgeon. It's this counterbalance that makes them well-suited for each other. And, it is this dichotomy that keeps them romantically apart. Their feelings and opinions for one another are challenged when this pair becomes embroiled in a deep mystery. Mulder wants to believe that the truth is out there. Scully wants to get away from the darkness that inevitably comes when Mulder wants to believe.
An FBI agent has gone missing. The case is at first handled by two seasoned agents (Amanda Peete and Xzibit). And in a virtuoso opening scene, a large search party forms a huge line as they walk in cadence, prodding the snowy field beneath them. The trail is quickly growing cold. And the only leads come from a disturbed priest, Father Joe (Billy Connolly). He may be psychic, which intrigues Mulder. He is also a convicted pedophile, which infuriates Scully.
"X-Files 2", with its more-intelligent-than-you-might-expect screenplay, is part medical drama and part police thriller. This installment foregoes its mythology of government cover-ups and deadly viruses and aliens. Here, the film is like one of those finer, one-off, standout episodes. Yet, those who have never seen the television show need not worry. You do not have to be the least bit familiar with its lore to follow along and enjoy the evolving storyline. Well, "follow along" might actually be the wrong choice of words. Nothing is normal in this world. Like peeling an onion, the film slowly introduces new clues and crimes. The plot becomes much more sinister than a simple missing person's case.
One of the things that I admired was the refreshingly organic feel of the film. It focuses on the human drama and limits the special effects. The story is purposefully paced. And, with real lives at stake, the suspense level goes up. In addition, the film's cinematography excellently captures the bleak and uninviting atmosphere that our agents work in. The landscape is desolate and what they're up against is eerie. "I Want to Believe" is everything that we would expect from a really good X-Files episode. But it is also a confident and well-constructed standalone film. The tone is somewhat chilling, the story is taut, and the way in which it develops is intriguing. Mulder and Scully continue to fight the good fight.
Grade: B+
S: 1 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 2 out of 3
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