“X-Files: I Want to Blieve”

STARRING: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet. Bill Connolly, Xzibit

RATING: 4/10

The Plot: Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) team up once again, this time to help save the life of a kidnapped FBI agent. A former priest with a disturbing past has visions that they will hope to use in order to save the day.

The Good: It certainly was great to see the on-screen chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson is still present, as the screen lit up every time they shared it. Mulder’s sharp wit was still present, and while it could be a complaint in some circles, the movie watched like an extended episode from the series. Also, the prophetic visions of the priest were classic X-Files, and it brings the viewer back at times to what made them like the show originally.

The Bad: While it did seem like a regular episode of the show, one thing was noticeably absent: ALIENS! We watched the show for aliens, we watched the first X-Files movie for aliens, and we paid $10 to sit through a movie with no aliens? Also, the movie lacked a sort of “epic” feel that the previous film featured. There were no cover-ups, no superstitions, and overall it just felt limp. This reviewer would have also liked to see more story on Xzibit’s character, if only because he might be the worst rapper-turned actor since DMX (seriously, have you seen “Never Die Alone”? Terrible.).

The Lowdown: This movie is a must watch for die-hards, it can wait until DVD for the casual fan, and will not turn anybody on to the series that was not into it before. For a long episode, it was not exactly what fans would have wanted to see. This is not to say that it was bad, but they could have sent the show off on a higher note. “I Want to Believe” that this movie was better than it actually was, “I Want to Believe” that they are not going to waste any more time with any more movies, and most of all, “I Want to Believe” that the $10 I paid to get in are still in my pocket.