Welcome back Agents, welcome back. Review on The X Files: I Want to Believe Movie

Its time to put on the dark formals, holster the loaded Smith & Wesson standard issue FBI sidearm, tuck in that coveted ID and get set for the fearless hunt for truth. That's right. I’ve been waiting fsince1998 for FBI agents Mulder and Scully to return where they best belong to, And here it is--- "The X-Files- I want to believe” is the 2nd and much awaited sequel based on the 90s super hit TV serial “The X-Files” where the essence was mystery, & the plots evolved around government conspiracies about aliens, paranormal phenomena, and more precisely a duo of committed FBI agents’ quest for the truth.  When “X-Files- The movie”  hit the bigscreens in 1998, it harped around the same trademark theme of mystery and suspense. This time its a bit different though. Oh! You might have to wait a bit for it to hit the Indian screens as the US release was on 25th July. Lucky me, I got my first viewing, courtesy of a fellow X-filer buddy just back from foreign shores.....

In the cryptic, & foreboding vortex of X-Files, one 's gotta  know the fundamentals. Without any prior knowledge about its character profiles, motifs, a newbee can easily get zapped. When I saw the first few episodes in 93, I was  compelled to research  on the ‘unexplained’ phenomena'-- paranormal events, Extra Terrestrial Intelligence, Government conspiracies & secret scientific experiments. Gradually a controversial world opened up where terms like

“The Majestic 12”, Area-51, Project Rainbow, Roswell incident, Project Blue-book, Project Mogul exposed a whole new realm – All of which,  are the basic ingredients for any X-Files plot. Once I'd seen through all that,  could I relate better to the otherwise inexplicable X-File enigmas, and enjoy the spoils to the hilt. Well that was/is my way of getting involved.

Built along the lines of such strong controversial issues X-files always has had its own cult following. So if you are not a fan of the Franchise, nore care to delve deeper into mysteries like ETI, bigfoot, or Unified Force Field Theory; barely know what X-Files, its characters & central idea stands for, then you will always find room for a lot of skeptism. Still this time the movie is a stand-alone episode. Infact its more of a gripping thriller rather than falling back on the story’s trademark interwoven mysteries. That should make it appealing to even the none- X-File types. But it does come at a cost! We die hard X-Filers  were hoping to bag an alien, or atleast unmask the mysterious secret keepers. Now back to the Movie-----

The FBI’s X-Files investigation department has downed shutters.  Agents Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Mulder (David Duchovny) have kinda retired. Scully, serves as a Doctor in a missionary hospital tending mentally sick kids, while Mulder apparently mothballed and black listed by the agency– has retreated into lying low & pondering about the "Truth out there". Not to worry mates! the story does hint  He & Scully are living together otherwise. The mutual feelings simmering right under the hood (yeah)

Then movie actually fires off in its trademark dark menacing style -- The setup is perfectly foreboding- Somewhere in West Virginia: A dark night. Desolate snow laden landscapes stretching away to infinty, and a solitary woman  in her car. Before you can gasp, a gruesome ordeal befalls the woman, and hey presto! we're back in the intriguing world of The X-Files. The missing/dead (?) woman happens to be an FBI agent and soon the FBI presses into action agent Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet) & and Drummy (Alvin Joiner) to investigate the mysterious case. Figuring there's more than meets the eyes, Agent Whitney soon seeks the help of a defamed psychic priest Joseph Crissman (Billy Connolly) whose paranormal sense finally leads them to a severed arm buried in the snow.

Forced out of their depths with no plausible explanation, & the paranormal factor dangling dangerously close, the FBI agents  realize its time to call in the maestro of unexplained—Agent Fox Mulder &  Agent Dana Scully. For Mulder this is a chance for redemption, but more importantly to serve the very zeal that keeps him alive. Though on the other hand Scully is as skeptical, calculating and cynical as ever with good reasons. ( All we X-Filers know why, right?) As other women disappear under similar grotesque circumstance, the intrigue and mystery gradually piles up. Mulder and Scully along with Whitney and Drummy, end up on the footprints of a bizarre and horrendous conspiracy responsible for kidnapping certain people for a certain cause. That is the puzzle. The mystery thickens and fear becomes palpable. After all the agents are not alone. There are the shadowy undercover characters as well. Call them the baddies. And with baddies around, danger is just around the corner.Now hold on fellows ! Being a true X-File fan I  can’t just spill the beans here. Rest assured there is plenty of flannel footing, suspense, intrigue & creepiness to appease those of us who have been looking forward to a good dose of old-fashioned "X Files" drama.

Director Chris Carter, who co-wrote the script with series oldhand Frank Spotnitz, seems to have moved out a bit, away from  the series to focus more on the characters this time. So yes, the focus never seems to weave

away from the tantalizing relationship that glowers between Mulder and Scully. Duchovny is as intense, convincing & committed as he always is,  & does not give up. Gillian is her grand old self. A little matured. Else absolutely fab! Peet and Alvin don’t have much acting prowess to display. Though Amanda Peet does provide a breath of fresh air during her brief stint, her pretty face has nothing much to do and thats about. it Connolly’s acting is good. So on a whole, Duchovny and Anderson pulls it through nicely. But they both look aged for sure.. Sigh.. I was 14 years younger when I saw X-Files.

The storyline is up to the mark by X-File standards- tense, gripping with  questions & enigmas always lurking in the shadows.  Even towards the end you'll be wondering about the 'whys' or 'whos'!! Well no aliens this time. But hey, considering the fact we didn’t always bump into aliens and Government agents ruthlessly protecting the dark secrets of Area-51, its not so bad. Aftter all we've got Mulder and Scully back and in the old groove! This story  stands on its own and  so previous references are not required  to grasp the facts. Now that's a new! Criticism aside (hell, there's plenty), I’d say this is a fine X-File movie even if there are no aliens to boot or spaceships to watch or Area-51 guarding Intelligence agencies to scrap with.

This is one flick that I always recommend  viewing in a in the dark corner of your room, no lights save for the TV, some fellow X-Filers & some good grub.

Still wondering? X-Files mania aside, the movie makes a very good and suspenceful thriller.

Pity it harps on its old style of not answering the questions! But that's what X-Files is about. So no marks for missing this one.That is my opinion not just as an X-File fan but as a committed movie buff and critic as well. So get that disk or wait for it. Its worth the effort mates!