The X-Files: Fight the Future
starring David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson
The X-Files is a fantastic television show, probably one of the best of all time. In my mind, it seems to have been inspired by another all-time favorite of mine, Twin Peaks. The two shows share many things, including an obsessive and socially stunted FBI agent, a devotion to the bizarre, David Duchovny, and now, an attempt to make a successful jump to the big screen. The two shows are worldwide phenomena, especially in Japan where they are popular to the point of hysteria. The X-Files has become far more popular due to the relationship of Mulder and Scully. The platonic relationship of the two FBI agents and partners has been the biggest ongoing tease since the series Moonlighting. One of the most anticipated moments in the X-Files film is whether or not they will kiss. All I will say about that is that the writers are well aware of all their fans’ expectations.
The X-Files: Fight the Future has been hyped as the answer to all your questions about the TV show. It was made to be bigger, better and more exciting. The TV show was already good enough. The film starts in North Texas, 35,000 BC. Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) are called to that locale in the present day. The X-Files have been closed, so they are working on a routine bomb scare. The bomb scare turns into a ghastly scene reminiscent of Oklahoma City and into evidence of alien contact. To say that the plot involves alien colonization is pretty much a given, since the series has been leading up to the film with endless clues and plot points. To get into the plot beyond that would be pointless and unfair to the rabid fans.
The real problem for the fans and creators of the X-files movie is not whether the movie is good. It is. Will it live up to the expectations built up for a long period of time? The story is really not surprising or original enough to be better than the TV show. In fact, the story has a lot of similarities to a pretty good Charlie Sheen flick, The Arrival. I think we all expected something we couldn’t compare to anything. It may be bigger than the TV show, but it’s not better. But again, that’s good enough.
