After nine seasons, the hugely successful movie The X-Files: Fight The Future and countless other spin-offs and merchandise the worldwide, smash TV sci-fi series The X-Files came to an end in 2002. The department was closed down, and Mulder (David Duchovny) became a fugitive and went on the run from the FBI, leaving fans with a dark cliff-hanger. What was to come next? Twentieth Century Fox still wanted more and approached the creator of the show, Chris Carter, about perhaps doing another movie. Carter was interested, but wanted the film to be more akin to one of the stand-alone “monster of the week” episodes of the show and not deal with the “alien conspiracy” myth arc like  the 1998 film did. In 2008, a decade after Fight The Future, The X-Files: I Want To Believe was unleashed on movie going audiences – to a reaction of some confusion, even disappointment.

Whereas the first film was a big epic sci-fi blockbuster, this new movie was a much more character-driven supernatural thriller. Our story begins as Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is approached by two FBI agents asking her to team up with Mulder and assist on a case to find a missing FBI agent. In return, Mulder will receive an unconditional pardon and no longer have to live in hiding.

Reluctantly they accept the case and visit Father Joe Crissman (Billy Connolly), an ex-catholic priest with a history of child abuse. Crissman claims to be receiving psychic visions in relation to the crime – and against their better judgment, Scully and Mulder accept his assistance in the case. They are stunned when they witness him cry tears of blood. Eventually, in the course of the investigation, they face Dacyshyn (genre stalwart Callum Keith Rennie) a snowplough driver with a connection to the case.

Mulder and Scully face a harrowing ordeal involving two headed dogs and stolen body parts. An ordeal which will test Mulder and Scully’s relationship, and Scully’s faith.

I’ve tried to be as vague as I can on plot details, simply because if you don’t know much about this movie then it’s best to view it cold as it were. As I’ve stated, this is absolutely nothing like the other movie. Owing debts to films like The Silence Of The Lambs and Fargo, The X-Files: I Want To Believe is a slow burn psychological thriller.

And it really works. Mark Snow once again delivers a marvellous score, which is more subtle and less bombastic but still cinematic. Xzibit and Amanda Peet put in good performances as the other FBI agents. Billy Connolly is utterly despicable as Crissman, and Mitch Pillegi makes a welcome return as Assistant Director Walter Skinner, playing a pivotal role in events.

The best thing about this movie is the plot line isn’t the main thing driving the movie. Many were and still are disappointed that this isn’t a big budget sci-fi adventure in the vein of old. But the beauty is that it doesn’t need to be. Chris Carter (in his feature directing debut) wisely keeps the focus of the story directly on Mulder and Scully. This is about them. It’s about their relationship. And about how this case affects it. It’s medium budget, it’s gritty, realistic and refreshing. It’s about belief, it’s about faith – and it’s all the better for it.

Mulder and Scully are as sympathetic characters as they’ve always been, and once again we feel like we take this strange journey with them. That’s the key thing that makes these movies and TV episodes work.

This film was a disappointment at the box office and people are wondering what is next for The X-Files. One more movie is needed to finish off the story for good, and ideally, it should be set in 2012 with Mulder and Scully facing the long prophesied alien colonisation of Earth. It should be like the first movie, big and epic. But I hope The X-Files: I Want To Believe doesn’t get forgotten. It doesn’t deserve to be.

It’s a fine movie and deserves to gain more recognition as the years go by.

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