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The X-Files: I Want to Believe Movie Review

The X-Files: I Want to Believe is a 2008 supernatural thriller film directed by Chris Carter and starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. It’s a solid, underrated flick.

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“Scratchy beard“

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Two former FBI detectives are called upon to work together on a case concerning a priest who claims that he experiences psychic visions. The first movie was released in 1998 and it was pretty much a science fiction epic that was meant to be seen on the big screen. This one, however, is a return to the more intimate storylines in the series’ canon, being in effect a Monster of the Week story.

This is why the movie succeeded for me. Yes, it’s not as memorable as its predecessor, but it’s more emotionally and character-driven. This made it not really fit for the feature movie medium for sure, but it was also refreshing seeing the franchise go back to its roots. The film was released at a time between the show’s end and its revival, so it exists in this odd limbo, which is why most were unkind and unfair toward it.

Undeniably, the plot crumbles toward the end. The ending was unsatisfactory, though that moment where the characters broke the fourth wall was quite sweet and fun. It needed a better conclusion, but at least the first half is pretty strong and intriguing in its horror thriller overtones.

The highlight of I Want to Believe is easily its emphasis on characterization. Seeing Mulder and Scully both developed so well and both getting moving arcs was wonderful. David Duchovny is quite good while Gillian Anderson is just as amazing as she always is. It was very endearing seeing the two kiss and cuddle so much throughout this movie. It meant that their story could lead nowhere anymore, but it was also just nice seeing them content. It was as if they were in their happily ever after fairy tale. The entire movie felt like that for me – it was like an epilogue to a long story that just ended, which kind of worked even though it lacked momentum that way.

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