*Contains spoilers for the 1998 film and the show in general*
The main problem with this film, is simply that the creators stabbed themselves in the foot even before writing the script for "I Want To Believe" - by continuing the TV series as long as 3-4 seasons past its expiration date.
To me, the essence of "The X-files" has always been about two things:
1: The mythology surrounding extraterrestrial life, with a dark conspiracy involving the government. A mystery where each episode raises an equal amount of questions as it provides answers.
2: The chemistry between the main characters and their platonic relationship, the way you feel the tension between them but it never goes further.
After the 1998 film and particularly in the last two seasons of the show, the creators pretty much tied the knot around the show's mythology - to the point where it now feels like a closed chapter, unlike the earlier seasons where you were constantly left wondering.
The show's final seasons also finally gave in to a certain group of fans wishes to see Mulder & Scully get romantically involved - something that was yet to be seen around the time line of the 1998 film. The almost-kiss scene in that film created a tension so thick in the theater on that opening night, I have yet to experience anything like it, and I definitely won't in the X-files universe.
Combine these facts with the somewhat low budget of this film and the fact that Chris Carter is directing, and we are left with a decent episode of the show - only longer and wider. People not familiar with the TV series will most likely find this to be a decent thriller, with a seemingly unexplained relationship between the main characters. For fans of the show as myself, the experience is similar - with the exception that the relationship scenes make me acknowledge the theater ceiling like never before, with strong wishes that the last three seasons of the show never happened.
The main problem with this film, is simply that the creators stabbed themselves in the foot even before writing the script for "I Want To Believe" - by continuing the TV series as long as 3-4 seasons past its expiration date.
To me, the essence of "The X-files" has always been about two things:
1: The mythology surrounding extraterrestrial life, with a dark conspiracy involving the government. A mystery where each episode raises an equal amount of questions as it provides answers.
2: The chemistry between the main characters and their platonic relationship, the way you feel the tension between them but it never goes further.
After the 1998 film and particularly in the last two seasons of the show, the creators pretty much tied the knot around the show's mythology - to the point where it now feels like a closed chapter, unlike the earlier seasons where you were constantly left wondering.
The show's final seasons also finally gave in to a certain group of fans wishes to see Mulder & Scully get romantically involved - something that was yet to be seen around the time line of the 1998 film. The almost-kiss scene in that film created a tension so thick in the theater on that opening night, I have yet to experience anything like it, and I definitely won't in the X-files universe.
Combine these facts with the somewhat low budget of this film and the fact that Chris Carter is directing, and we are left with a decent episode of the show - only longer and wider. People not familiar with the TV series will most likely find this to be a decent thriller, with a seemingly unexplained relationship between the main characters. For fans of the show as myself, the experience is similar - with the exception that the relationship scenes make me acknowledge the theater ceiling like never before, with strong wishes that the last three seasons of the show never happened.
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