When the TV series The X-Files premiered on US TV screens in September 1993 it soon became a worldwide phenomenon. Each week, audiences feverishly tuned in, wanting to know what the next adventure of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) would entail. Working on an FBI project, the intrepid agents were assigned to exclusively investigate cases with a paranormal flavour. Each week they faced the likes of genetic mutants, supernatural creatures, ghosts and UFO sightings, the latter of which made up the show’s main story arc. Mulder’s sister Samantha was abducted when he was a child- and his determination to uncover the truth behind her disappearance found him constantly at odds with “The Syndicate”. A group of ex government agents, aware of a conspiracy involving extra terrestrials, led by the sinister “Cigarette Smoking Man“ (William B. Davis). Mulder was the believer, and Scully the sceptic -  a trained medical doctor initially assigned to the division to debunk Mulder’s work.

Series creator Chris Carter, as a love letter to fans of the show – decided he wanted to make a movie of The X-Files. And with director Rob Bowman (who was responsible for many of the show’s best episodes), and the enthusiastic approval of Twentieth Century Fox, made The X-Files: Fight The Future a big budget sci-fi spectacular – released in cinemas in the summer of 1998.

The movie begins with a prologue set in the ice age, when cavemen encounter a strange black oil in a cave. The oil seems to have a consciousness of it’s own, and covers one of these prehistoric humans – eventually working it’s way under his skin and possessing him, terrifying his kin.

Tens of thousands years later, a boy, playing with his friends, falls into an abandoned shaft. We quickly realise it’s the same cave we saw before – the oil in there lying dormant, waiting for a new human host for it to possess. The boy is it’s next victim and we watch his eyes turn black as this sickly substance subdues him. Hours later, government trucks show up to cover up the incident, and the poor boy is taken away in an incubator – never to be seen again.

Set in between seasons 5 and 6, (and continuing in a way from the 5th season finale), we find Mulder and Scully investigating a bomb threat in a Dallas building. The X-Files project has been closed down and the two agents are bored with the humdrum assignments they are now being given. Quickly, Mulder realised the wrong building is being investigated when he finds the bomb in the bottom of the building he’s in. With minutes to spare, he and Scully manage to evacuate almost everyone inside – but their immediate superior allows the bomb to explode, and it to kill him in the process.

Mulder and Scully find themselves the subject of an internal investigation – when it’s revealed that four bodies were found in the rubble. Mulder is contacted by Alvin Kurtzweil (Martin Landau) who suggests the explosion was allowed to happen – as the bodies were already dead and that something needed to be covered up. Someone, somewhere doesn’t want it to be revealed how these poor souls died. He implores Mulder to investigate.

Mulder and Scully begin to conduct an unofficial investigation, which takes them across a good portion of America as they try to reveal the truth in order to clear their names. Their investigation leads them to uncover a giant lab where bees are kept. Bees designed to carry a virus – to infect mankind. Mulder, horrified after more revelations from Kurtzweil realises that the government is working with extra-terrestrial invaders to prepare Earth for future colonisation.

When Scully is stung by one of these bees, she loses consciousness and is taken away. Assisted by “The Well Manicured Man” (John Neville) a member of the syndicate who cannot in good conscience allow the invasion to take place – Mulder goes on a harrowing journey to rescue his partner, a journey in which the truth behind the strange black oil will be revealed.

And what a great movie it is! Duchovny and Anderson successfully transfer their signature characters onto the big screen in an adventure that is suitably big and epic. When TV shows are spun off into movies, there is a danger of the resulting movie feeling like an extended episode of the show. Thankfully, The X-Files: Fight The Future does not fall into this trap. Big, epic, brilliantly acted with great special effects – this isn’t just a great spin off, but a fine sci-fi movie in it’s own right. The story is intriguing (with some nice homages to Ridley Scott’s Alien) , and the supporting cast is very impressive, with supporting roles essayed by the likes of Martin Landau, Blythe Danner, and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

Mark Snow also successfully translates his music from the TV show – making familiar themes sound sweeping and cinematic. The film then ends with Noel Gallagher’s instrumental track Teotihaucan, a soulful, melancholic melody – giving the movie a heart and making the audience really care. All in all, the film is a satisfying experience, ending on a note that is surprisingly touching -leaving us the audience, feeling in a way that we have shared the journey with the two very sympathetic leads.

Mulder and Scully are two very likeable characters, brilliantly played by Duchovny and Anderson. It’s their performances that allow us to emotionally invest in what is going on… an all too rare experience in big budget hollywood blockbusters. They both provide the movie with a heart and soul – helping make this a rich, fulfilling and satifsfying viewing experience. Plus, they’re pretty easy on the eye too, which is always a bonus!

Also, another one of this movie’s many strengths, is that is does things that couldn’t be done in the show. Therefore Mulder and Scully’s language is a bit more colourful, the scary bits a little bit scarier – and some of the gore surprisingly strong.

Sadly, however this movie’s promise wasn’t really exploited to it’s full potential, and soon enough the show was back on television. Personally, I wanted to see the show finish on TV, and continue as a series of theatrical movies – which at the time would’ve been the best thing for it. This movie would’ve been a brilliant starting point for that. Alas the show eventually went downhill, with David Duchovny leaving at the end of the 7th season, only to return for a handful of guest appearances – which included the series finale at the end of season 9.

In 2008, a number of years after the show ended for good, a second film The X-Files: I Want To Believe was released in cinemas. Sadly, it was a box office disappointment.

The failure of this second  film has cast an uncertain shadow over the cinematic future of The X-Files.

However, after all is said and done – The X-Files: Fight The Future is a brilliant cinematic incarnation of this franchise, and a great reminder of how great The X-Files used to be.

And whatever you do, don’t watch it on your own. It’s as scary as hell!

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