X-Files Movie Info and Review - "I Want To Believe"

"The X-Files: I Want To Believe" is the second film based on the TV series X-Files. This movie comes out 6 years after the finale of the TV series, and 10 years after the first X-Files movie. It was co-written, co-directed, and produced by creator of the X-Files Chris Carter. Frank Spotnitz helped with the writing and directing of this movie. Lead roles are played by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson - would it be an X-Files movie without these two? Supporting roles were played by Amanda Peet and Bill Connolly.

The movie was written to focus on the mythology of the X-Files series. Instead, it is more of a standalone thriller movie that has certain tie-ins with the TV show.

Without spoiling the movie for you, here is a quick plot outline. X-Files: I Want To Believe starts approximately 6 years after Mulder and Scully finish with the X-Files. Scully is back working as a medical doctor at a reputable hospital. She is approached by an FBI special agent who asks for the whereabouts of Fox Mulder. The FBI needs Mulder's help to save the life of a missing agent.

In rural West Virginia, a special agent has gone missing. There are very few clues available, but a psychic (and excommunicated Catholic priest) starts having visions about the kidnapping of the agent.

Agent Whitney (Amanda Peet) calls in Fox Mulder to help verify the authenticity of the psychic. Though she has a special patient to take care of, she is drawn to the case and helps her old partner when/however she can.

As dead women and men are found in ice along the roads of rural Virginia, the case becomes more complex than initially imagined.

There were many aspects of the movie that I enjoyed. The interplay between a somewhat jaded Scully and tired Mulder lived up to what I remembered from the story. The same can be said for references to the TV series. Enough of these were present to evoke some nostalgia, but they certainly did not interfere with the plot. I don't want to ruin any of the movie for you, but I will say that the movie progressed in a fashion compatible with the X-Files series. There were a few cheesy scenes, but any X-Files fan will definitely enjoy the movie.

Well, I think September is a good time to start commenting about the box office results for this X-files movie. According to boxofficemojo.com, the movie had a production budget of approximately $30 million. Here are some box office stats:

-Opening Weekend: $10,021,753
-Total Domestic: $20,909,448
-Foreign Total: $ 8,935,103

For a grand worldwide total (as of Sept 11, 2008) of $29,844,551. This is a far cry from the $189,198,313 that the first movie made worldwide in 1998.

I really think that part of this can be attributed to the huge draw that The Dark Night movie had on The X-Files opening weekend. It is unfortunate that it did not do so well at the box office. I really enjoyed the movie.