REVIEW: The X-Files By Luke Buckmaster (bucky@alphalink.com.au)
Cast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Martin Landau, Blythe Danner, William B. Davis, Armin Mueller-Stahl, John Neville, Terry O'Quinn Director: Rob Bowman Producers: Chris Carter, Daniel Sackheim Screenplay: Chris Carter Cinematography: Ward Russell
Australian release date: July 23, 1998
>From 0 stars (bomb), to 5 stars (a masterpiece): 3 and a half stars
As a devoted X-Files viewer, I am (like millions of others) familiar with the adventures of FBI special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, government conspirators "The Cigarette Smoking Man" and "The Well Manicured Man," plus a host of other arcane characters. But the question everybody is asking is what separates the film from the television episodes? The answer, not surprisingly, is that our two favorite agents delve further than ever before into a worldwide conspiracy, discovering that a global Armageddon may not be far away.
In terms of budget, special effects and novelty, the movie is certainly far bigger than any episode aired on television. But strangely, it feels just a little too big - the full-scale plot, the menacing alien monsters and a semi-ridiculous climax all contribute to make this appear as simply a pumped up and over-bloated version of the TV show. But, like always, creator Chris Carter has taken some bold risks and, also like always, he manages to pull it off with the precision of a skilled writer and the subtlety of a bull in a China chop. After all, what would the X-Files be without its pumped up and over-bloated themes?
Capping off where the series left finds Mulder and Scully with no They investigate a terrorist bomb threat in Washington, but only after a building is blown to smithereens do they begin to realize that everything is not as simple as it seems. It appears as if two firemen and a young boy were intentionally killed in the blast, to cover up a deadly alien virus that has the potential to wipe the human race out of existence. Thus a new conspiracy is discovered, in which we find that The Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis), The Well-Manicured Man (John Neville) and a mysterious abettor (Armin Mueller-Stahl, whom you may remember from Shine) are cleverly orchestrating. Oh yeah, and The Truth is Out There.
I guess it goes without saying that watching The X-Files on the big screen is a dream come true for many devoted followers. But, it isn't just a flick made for fans - although the movie thankfully doesn't re-introduce the characters, anyone who hasn't seen an episode on TV can easily get the gist of what's been going on for the last few years. However, the more dedicated fan will probably be disappointed by the absence of some characters (in particular, the elusive Agent Alex Krycek), and, most of all, the lack of the show's "leave it to your own imagination" approach.
Rob Bowman (who has directed multiple episodes of the show, plus episodes from others series' including Star Trek: Next Generation and Macgyver) has taken the directors helm and guides the film smartly, if not instinctively. He follows the screenplay (written by Chris Carter and a couple of others) with a dark, twisted grace, much to the help of cinematographer Ward Russel (Lawnmower Man II, The Last Boy Scout) who supplies some all-too-real looking visuals. Along with Mike Oldfield and Mark Snow's eerie editing to the already eerie title music, The senses.
For a movie that isn't bolder, better or smarter than many of its previous episodes on TV (especially the cliff hanger season finale), it's a wonder it still works. Perhaps it is because the sexual tension between Mulder and Scully has stood the test of time, and the full truth is still not found, even when it is closest to them. Should there will be another X-Files movie in the future (and I very much hope there will be), I would prefer to see Chris Carter direct it. Maybe then we would not only have another very good film, but perhaps he could also make something that tops anything we've seen before - making sure that the show's pumped up and over-bloated themes are dealt with in exactly the right hands.
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