X-Files: I Want to Believe, The (UK - DVD R2)
Reviewer Leigh Riding looks at the long awaited re-opening of the X-Files...
Feature
In this spoiler-free synopsis section, six years after the X- Files are closed, agent Dana Scully persuades Fox Mulder to come back to duty with the FBI when a former priest claims to be receiving psychic visions linked to a kidnapped agent.

Although I enjoy the X-files as a franchise a great deal, I am what football supporters would call a 'fairweather fan'. Only now will I come out and confess that I was indeed one of those people who deserted the show during the Dogget years, never to return until I saw Duchovny's sizeable beak loom into view, and therefore hold the early years dear to my heart. I am also a fan of the first feature, X-Files: Fight the Future, which was admittedly a middle ground venture. Although unmistakably X-Files, there was a definite mainstream angle, with a far larger scale than the series and a stronger emphasis on action than we saw on the show (the opening bombing sequence is still one hell of an opener). Although highly successful theatrically, there is a sense that the true fanbase were slightly unhappy with the betrayal of the series' tone. The X-Files: I Want to Believe moves back to those early roots, but forgets to take the casual viewer with them.

Unlike the first feature, The X-Files: Want to Believe really feels as though it is a lost episode from the first or second series. Moving away from what the series eventually became, the story is not bogged down with the shadowy government conspiracies and alien abductions that eventually swallowed the franchise whole, instead it resembles one of those standalone episodes that dropped the continuity to tell a simple story and acts as more of a companion piece to the X-Files canon. The feature also runs with the belief versus science theme that made the series interesting in the first place. However, in a nice spin on the concept, this time it's Scully who is the one siding with faith and being ruled by the gut.

The problem with going back to basics is that the film lost a lot of its impact on the big screen. Having seen this in the cinema, the film felt too small and low key, and it's no wonder that the film never made it outside the fanbase and subsequently died at the box office. While the original film's director Rob Bowman gave the TV episodes he helmed a big look, he stepped his game up a notch for the big feature, showing a flair for cinematics (he went on to helm the hollow but slick Reign of Fire). However, series creator Chris Carter sticks a little too close to the TV feel. On DVD, the film works far better.
While the mystery is a little more grim than the usual series fare (being closer in tone to Carter's much-missed Millennium), it's still quite engrossing and befitting of the franchise, and Carter goes right to the fanbase by giving equal time to both plot and character. Although there is a Scully side-plot that is rather dull, the all-important relationship between Mulder and Scully is nicely played out, and well played by Duchovny and Anderson. In fact, there are some meaty roles in the film, and the cast play them strongly. Billy Connoly is particularly strong, and brings pathos to a character it would otherwise be impossible to like. A recurring character from the franchise makes a final reel return and is welcomed like an old friend, and even sketchpad characters are brought to life by Amanda Peet and a surprisingly good Xzibit.

Although fairly impenetrable to the casual viewer, there is solid entertainment to be gleaned from the film by the old school X-Philes. Stripped back to the original tone, The X-Files: Want to Believe resembles a big budget fan film, and feels more like a present to the dedicated.
As I sit between the two camps, I would say it's a strong fan pleaser, but would suggest a balance between the two films' approach for the next entry.

Video
The 2.35:1 image presented here is pretty strong. There is little grain and the black levels are strong in the night scenes, with those trademark torch beams piercing the darkness pleasingly. The daytime sequences are also well handled, although the picture is a little soft, with the night sequences coming across as a little sharper. Overall a nice transfer with no glaring deficiencies.
Audio
Fox offer a solid 5.1 track, that suits the muted tone well. The all important dialogue sits well in the mix, being nice and clear without swamping everything else. The score is well served too, swelling nicely as the scene payoffs approach. Ambient effects are well handled, and sell the crucial creep factor suitably. Although there are few action sequences, they are all well presented and jump out at the appropriate scare points. This is a very effective track.

Extras
As befits a film that appears to have been made purely for the initiated, the extras on this two disc set feel like such a gift to the long-time fans, I'm surprised Fox aren't selling each copy with its own little bow. While not as exhaustive a set as, say, Iron Man's comprehensive content, and truncated from the BD version of X-Files: Want to Believe, the extras are still welcoming to the long standing fans. The commentary from Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz is very dry and uninvolving, but plenty of production information is given. The main feature is the three part ‘Trust No One: Can The X-Files Remain A Secret?’ documentary, a ninety-minute feature split into three segments.
The doc is the antithesis of the EPK feaure, focusing on the cast and crew as opposed to the nuts and bolts of filmmaking. Apparently the majority of the crew is the same company that worked throughout the show's run. Quite a few of them talk about coming back as a family for this film, and the doc feels just that little bit warmer as a result. Any doc that spends quite a bit of time interviewing the film's gaffer is alright by me. There is little time spent explaining the mythology of the franchise, but then again anybody watching the film knows the information anyway.

‘Body Parts: Special Make-Up Effects’ is a solid little feature, which is quite detailed and, if nothing else, contains hundreds of dismembered body parts. ‘Chris Carter: Statements on Green Production’ is an odd little feature, with Carter banging on about the carbon footprint a film production leaves. Although a little preachy, there is also interesting stuff from Carter (who is obviously an avid environmentalist), who states that his disillusionment and subsequent absence from Hollywood was due to waste issues. Again, interesting stuff for the die hards, even here.
The deleted scenes are fine on their own merits, but add little of interest that hasn't already been reinserted into this Director's Cut. The nine minute gag reel is for once amusing, and there is also a music 'video' from Xzibit, which is simply played over production stills. A decent track, although I can't say I heard it in the film at all. Rounding everything off is a mammoth photo gallery with literally hundreds of stills, and both US and International trailers. Although not the largest set of features in the world, there is enough here to make the fans smile.

Overall
The X-Files: Want to Believe works far better on DVD than it did theatrically. Although the pace is fairly languid, the film still hits all the buttons one expects an X-Files story to hit. As faithful as it is to the tone of the source material, the film can seem uninvolving to a non-fan, and as such shall remain a film embraced mostly by the franchise's core audience. On that level the film works very well, and slots into the X-Files canon comfortably. Having said that, it would be nice if the next instalment was a slightly more aggressively paced production. Highly recommended to the fanbase, suggested viewing for the uninitiated.
Review by Leigh Riding
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Existing Posts
Bouncy X wrote: SnakePETER wrote: Releasing it one week after the "The Dark Hype" was definitely, one of the biggest boneheaded moves FOX has made in recent memory. This movie should've been saved for the Fall.
Honestly i think it would have done just as poorly, maybe slightly better but still poorly no matter when it was released. It barely had any advertising push behind it, i only saw a tv ad maybe once and that was just a few days before it was released. And i watch a lot of tv. I'm sure many people had no clue the movie was even out, i wouldnt be surprised if there are still people who dont know it exists. They'll see the dvd/blu-ray and think its some DTV movie or something.
Fox just didnt give a c**p and didnt get behind it. It doesnt help that the show had been off the air 6yrs and the first movie was 10yrs old but yeah...it just never had a chance. If you werent a fan and you never went on the internet, you had to be extremly lucky to even know this thing was coming.
Releasing it this fall might have given it a 15ish million dollar opening but it would have still tanked. As usual Fox ruined a property's chances.
Yes, I totally forgot the complete and utterly absent advertising. Here in NYC there were plenty of subway ads, but nothing as far as television or much else was concerned.
Honestly i think it would have done just as poorly, maybe slightly better but still poorly no matter when it was released. It barely had any advertising push behind it, i only saw a tv ad maybe once and that was just a few days before it was released. And i watch a lot of tv. I'm sure many people had no clue the movie was even out, i wouldnt be surprised if there are still people who dont know it exists. They'll see the dvd/blu-ray and think its some DTV movie or something.
Fox just didnt give a c**p and didnt get behind it. It doesnt help that the show had been off the air 6yrs and the first movie was 10yrs old but yeah...it just never had a chance. If you werent a fan and you never went on the internet, you had to be extremly lucky to even know this thing was coming.
Releasing it this fall might have given it a 15ish million dollar opening but it would have still tanked. As usual Fox ruined a property's chances.
Yes, I totally forgot the complete and utterly absent advertising. Here in NYC there were plenty of subway ads, but nothing as far as television or much else was concerned.
Very nice, level-headed review. I thought the film was a terrific low-key throwback to the early seasons as well. The quandaries regarding religion vs. science (a series staple) was handled really well here. I do understand some fans being disappointed that it wasn't more theatrical or original, though. It is definitely not 'big' or the usual summer-type fare, but I think some fans will warm up to it eventually and accept it for what it is instead of what it could have been.
As far as marketing goes, I live in Los Angeles and there were a million billboards and bus-stops for this film when it opened last summer. I even saw a few tv-spots and I hardly ever watch tv. I saw the theatrical trailer in the theater a couple of times as well. (I have to admit the trailer and tv-spots were all quite bad and uninteresting and provoked no interest in me to see the film even though I was going to see it regardless.) So Fox did spend some marketing money. They just screwed it all up by putting it out in the summer and one week after Batman. This franchise needed to rebuild its fanbase. So many fans stopped watching around season 6 right after the first film since the conspiracy angle started getting really stupid and convoluted at that point. A small Fall release would have been much smarter instead of trying to push this off as a big blockbuster type film. There aren't really that many mainstream fans of this franchise anymore. Even tons of diehards abandoned the show in its final years. It needed a small release to try to rebuild interest.
I seriously doubt there will be a third film unless they figure out a way to really jump-start it in a really unique way. Like maybe mix up two franchises - like the AVP movies. Mulder and Scully go after ALIEN. Sounds dumb, I know, but I don't see a third standalone X-FILES movie on its own. But you never know.
As far as marketing goes, I live in Los Angeles and there were a million billboards and bus-stops for this film when it opened last summer. I even saw a few tv-spots and I hardly ever watch tv. I saw the theatrical trailer in the theater a couple of times as well. (I have to admit the trailer and tv-spots were all quite bad and uninteresting and provoked no interest in me to see the film even though I was going to see it regardless.) So Fox did spend some marketing money. They just screwed it all up by putting it out in the summer and one week after Batman. This franchise needed to rebuild its fanbase. So many fans stopped watching around season 6 right after the first film since the conspiracy angle started getting really stupid and convoluted at that point. A small Fall release would have been much smarter instead of trying to push this off as a big blockbuster type film. There aren't really that many mainstream fans of this franchise anymore. Even tons of diehards abandoned the show in its final years. It needed a small release to try to rebuild interest.
I seriously doubt there will be a third film unless they figure out a way to really jump-start it in a really unique way. Like maybe mix up two franchises - like the AVP movies. Mulder and Scully go after ALIEN. Sounds dumb, I know, but I don't see a third standalone X-FILES movie on its own. But you never know.
What is the difference from the director's cut and Theatrical release?
jmcclane 88 wrote: I will be getting the Bluray for my collection, and I hope that Fight the Future will also be released on BD over here. I loved Mark snows score for the movie aswell. Xzibits song played over the end credits by the way. I made sure to stay for them 
There are alternative credits on the director's cut, imagine the credits for Lethal Weapon 4 and you get the idea. I have a funny feeling they changed the music, hence the Xzibit faux video. I'll have a look!

There are alternative credits on the director's cut, imagine the credits for Lethal Weapon 4 and you get the idea. I have a funny feeling they changed the music, hence the Xzibit faux video. I'll have a look!
Nice review Leigh. I really enjoyed IWTB, just seeing Mulder and Scully reunited again was a joy to watch. I hope we get another instalment. Please lets have another stand alone in two years time, then we can wrap things up with the 2012 invasion. I can but dream of such things
I will be getting the Bluray for my collection, and I hope that Fight the Future will also be released on BD over here. I loved Mark snows score for the movie aswell. Xzibits song played over the end credits by the way. I made sure to stay for them

I will be getting the Bluray for my collection, and I hope that Fight the Future will also be released on BD over here. I loved Mark snows score for the movie aswell. Xzibits song played over the end credits by the way. I made sure to stay for them

SnakePETER wrote: Releasing it one week after the "The Dark Hype" was definitely, one of the biggest boneheaded moves FOX has made in recent memory. This movie should've been saved for the Fall.
Honestly i think it would have done just as poorly, maybe slightly better but still poorly no matter when it was released. It barely had any advertising push behind it, i only saw a tv ad maybe once and that was just a few days before it was released. And i watch a lot of tv. I'm sure many people had no clue the movie was even out, i wouldnt be surprised if there are still people who dont know it exists. They'll see the dvd/blu-ray and think its some DTV movie or something.
Fox just didnt give a c**p and didnt get behind it. It doesnt help that the show had been off the air 6yrs and the first movie was 10yrs old but yeah...it just never had a chance. If you werent a fan and you never went on the internet, you had to be extremly lucky to even know this thing was coming.
Releasing it this fall might have given it a 15ish million dollar opening but it would have still tanked. As usual Fox ruined a property's chances.
Honestly i think it would have done just as poorly, maybe slightly better but still poorly no matter when it was released. It barely had any advertising push behind it, i only saw a tv ad maybe once and that was just a few days before it was released. And i watch a lot of tv. I'm sure many people had no clue the movie was even out, i wouldnt be surprised if there are still people who dont know it exists. They'll see the dvd/blu-ray and think its some DTV movie or something.
Fox just didnt give a c**p and didnt get behind it. It doesnt help that the show had been off the air 6yrs and the first movie was 10yrs old but yeah...it just never had a chance. If you werent a fan and you never went on the internet, you had to be extremly lucky to even know this thing was coming.
Releasing it this fall might have given it a 15ish million dollar opening but it would have still tanked. As usual Fox ruined a property's chances.
I thought it was dissapointing tbh, as a long time fan I was expecting more. It was just too ordinary, and giving Scully a poor sideplot was poor.
Still it was a lot better than Series 9 and reminded me that Fringe has a long way to go before it can match this series!
Still it was a lot better than Series 9 and reminded me that Fringe has a long way to go before it can match this series!
I too loved the film, not in the same way I loved, 'Fight the Future', but I still loved it none the less.
FOX screwed up this film's chances all by themselves... "David and Gillian finally together again in an all new storyline?!" Sorry, but with that alone, there was absolutely no reason at all for it to have tanked so hard in the 'BO'.
Obviously, it would never reach an "ALL TIME HIGHEST GROSSING" status, but it could've at least pulled in a cool 30 mill that opening weekend.
Releasing it one week after the "The Dark Hype" was definitely, one of the biggest boneheaded moves FOX has made in recent memory. This movie should've been saved for the Fall. Obviously, most (not all) "X-Philes" out there are 'sci-fi fans'..... 'sci-fi fans' also tend to be on most occasions 'comic book fans'.... Argh, it pisses me off just thinking about it.
Hell, had they played their cards right it might've even gained enough force to prompt a relaunch of the series with a 10th season, and there would've been no doubting the future possibility of a 3rd film.
I really hope Bowman returns to helm the 3rd film.... That is of course, if it ever happens.
FOX screwed up this film's chances all by themselves... "David and Gillian finally together again in an all new storyline?!" Sorry, but with that alone, there was absolutely no reason at all for it to have tanked so hard in the 'BO'.
Obviously, it would never reach an "ALL TIME HIGHEST GROSSING" status, but it could've at least pulled in a cool 30 mill that opening weekend.
Releasing it one week after the "The Dark Hype" was definitely, one of the biggest boneheaded moves FOX has made in recent memory. This movie should've been saved for the Fall. Obviously, most (not all) "X-Philes" out there are 'sci-fi fans'..... 'sci-fi fans' also tend to be on most occasions 'comic book fans'.... Argh, it pisses me off just thinking about it.
Hell, had they played their cards right it might've even gained enough force to prompt a relaunch of the series with a 10th season, and there would've been no doubting the future possibility of a 3rd film.
I really hope Bowman returns to helm the 3rd film.... That is of course, if it ever happens.
tylerdurden wrote: Great review! I liked this one both times I saw it in theaters and am very glad that you say it works even better when viewing it on the small screen. Here's to hoping that the duo can get together for atleast one more movie!
yes yes....one more would be nice. i realize this 2nd movie was pretty much a flop so it probably hurts the prospects but it be cool to finally deal with the 2012 colonization thing and have a cool invasion story. i realize that would bring back the problems the first movie had, where non fans were sorta lost but hey....its an invasion story, im sure non fans would still like it on a visual level.
yes yes....one more would be nice. i realize this 2nd movie was pretty much a flop so it probably hurts the prospects but it be cool to finally deal with the 2012 colonization thing and have a cool invasion story. i realize that would bring back the problems the first movie had, where non fans were sorta lost but hey....its an invasion story, im sure non fans would still like it on a visual level.

Great review! I liked this one both times I saw it in theaters and am very glad that you say it works even better when viewing it on the small screen. Here's to hoping that the duo can get together for atleast one more movie!
i enjoyed both "Fight the Future" and "I Want to Believe", they are both very different films but really capture the essence of The X-Files.
"Having seen this in the cinema, the film felt too small and low key, and it's no wonder that the film never made it outside the fanbase and subsequently died at the box office."
That was my exact problem with the movie too. And this is coming from a huge X-Phile. It would have made a decent episode but so wasnt theatrical. Its not bad or even terrible but i can honestly admit that if it wasnt X-Files and simply some original movie, i wouldnt have liked it much. When the news came that this would be a stand alone story, i expected some sorta monster story to fit the "big screen" mentality. They've had so many cool stand alones that would have made a great movie. Hell i'm not sure how they would have explained it but making a Eugene Victor Tooms movie would have been cool. Even if you'd never seen the two episodes with him, it would still work as a creepy thing.
Anyway i'm rambling....i liked the movie more because its X-Files and so i'm definately buying the blu-ray. It was great seeing Mulder and Scully again though.
Oh and i wish north america got that same cover art, its nice. But we got the theatrical poster and i'm thankful its that and not some terrible photoshop job like they usually do.
That was my exact problem with the movie too. And this is coming from a huge X-Phile. It would have made a decent episode but so wasnt theatrical. Its not bad or even terrible but i can honestly admit that if it wasnt X-Files and simply some original movie, i wouldnt have liked it much. When the news came that this would be a stand alone story, i expected some sorta monster story to fit the "big screen" mentality. They've had so many cool stand alones that would have made a great movie. Hell i'm not sure how they would have explained it but making a Eugene Victor Tooms movie would have been cool. Even if you'd never seen the two episodes with him, it would still work as a creepy thing.
Anyway i'm rambling....i liked the movie more because its X-Files and so i'm definately buying the blu-ray. It was great seeing Mulder and Scully again though.
Oh and i wish north america got that same cover art, its nice. But we got the theatrical poster and i'm thankful its that and not some terrible photoshop job like they usually do.
Dammit, I was hoping the features would be about the shows history rather than the lucklustre just about an X File this movie turned out to be. This has really turned me off of buying it now, despite the great review Leigh.
Guess I'll pick up the Blu-ray in a sale or something down the line just to keep the completist in me happy. This whole X-Files revival has really let me down.
Guess I'll pick up the Blu-ray in a sale or something down the line just to keep the completist in me happy. This whole X-Files revival has really let me down.
Thanks for the nice review - I really enjoyed IWTB and figured it would work even better on DVD and your thoughts seem to support that idea...


Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over
Disc Details
Release Date:
24th November 2008
Discs:
2
Disc Type:
Single side, dual layer
RCE:
No
Video:
PAL
Aspect:
2.35:1
Anamorphic:
Yes
Colour:
Yes
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 English, Audio Descriptive English
Subtitles:
English HoH
Extras:
Audio Commentary by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, Trust No One: Can The X-Files Remain A Secret? Documentary, Body Parts: Special Make-Up Effects Featurette, Chris Carter: Statements on Green Production Featurette, Deleted Scenes, Gag Reel, 'Dying 2 Live' by Xzbit, Photo Gallery, Digital Copy of the Film
Easter Egg:
No
Feature Details
Director:
Chris Carter
Cast:
David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Xzibit, Mitch Pileggi
Genre:
Sci-Fi
Length:
104 minutes
Ratings
Amazon.com
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