‘X-Files’ takes its cue from good old days

Despite the high number of negative reviews “X-Files: I Want to Believe” received after it hit theaters this summer, I loved it.

I actually thought the movie’s plot and tone hewed refreshingly close to the first few seasons of the original series, before the show lost its low-budget feel, and the massive alien conspiracy conquered the story line.

Six years after the events of the final episode of season nine, Scully (Gillian Anderson) is working as a doctor at a Catholic hospital in an undisclosed snow-covered town. Mulder (David Duchovny) is living close by as an eccentric, long-bearded fugitive – until the FBI needs his expertise to solve a paranormal case, and then all the crimes he committed are magically forgiven. Soon, Mulder recruits Scully, and one of the best television duos of the ’90s is reunited.

Sure, “I Want to Believe” is not a continuation of the epic alien meta-arc that defined the latter part of the series, but the show always had an episodic, “monster-of-the-week” flavor, and this movie was a welcome continuation of that unburdened tradition.

Mulder’s exoneration by the FBI was a weak plot device, but it was a small blip between ideas like crises of faith and human trafficking, with a former-pedophilic priest who has crime-laced visions thrown in to shore up the X-file connection.

And besides having a professional partnership, Scully and Mulder are, thankfully, still a romantic couple, though their relationship has moved from dramatic hint-dropping and kiss-stealing to a much more mature one that allows them to wake up in bed together and share small intimacies and idle morning talk, including a tear-jerking conversation about their son William.

As far as special features go, I’m always disappointed that the actual stars never seem to have the time to sit down and do commentary for the DVDs. “I Want to Believe” is no different, though we do get veteran writer/producer Frank Spotnitz and creator Chris Carter to flesh out the film and give behind-the-scenes info.

There’s also a short feature where Carter talks about environmentally friendly moviemaking, something I haven’t seen before on a DVD commentary. 

Though it's six years late, “X-Files: I Want to Believe” is a great addition to the “X-Files” mythology.