'X-Files' uncovers faith, not aliens

[Guest guest]

So was I. Those made the most interesting episodes.

In a message dated 7/26/2008 2:17:03 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

Me too. I was hoping this one would also be about aliens.AdministratorGet fantasy football with free live scoring. Sign up for FanHouse Fantasy Football today.

[Guest guest]

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9995475

'X-Files' uncovers faith, not aliens

By Bob Strauss

MediaNews staff

Article Launched: 07/24/2008 12:05:08 AM PDT

The second " X-Files " movie's agenda is right there in its

subtitle: " I Want to Believe. " Still, the nature of this top-secret

project should come as a surprise to most everyone.

A dark, wintry meditation on faith and forgiveness, the new film all

but ignores the alien incursions and government conspiracy plot lines

that fueled the TV series from 1993 to 2002. This one, written

by " Files " creator (who also makes his feature directing

debut) and longtime co-producer Spotnitz, is as much a brainy

domestic drama as it is a stand-alone, just-slightly sci-fi thriller.

It takes some daring risks involving sexuality, religion and

medicine, which sometimes prove more shocking than the film's scarier

material. Despite the occasional bits of humor — there's a priceless

W. Bush gag — it takes that title wish, formerly just a tag

line on a poster in Fox Mulder's D.C. office, too seriously at times

for the story's good.

A hushed, reflective tone dominates after an FBI agent is jarringly

abducted from her snowbound West Virginia home. The task force in

charge of finding her approaches Dana Scully (Gillian ), now

a pediatric surgeon at a Catholic hospital, to get in contact with

her old partner Mulder ( Duchovny).

There's a supernatural wrinkle in the investigation: Seems a

pedophile ex-priest, ph Crissman ( Connolly), has

extrasensory visions relating to the case that aren't quite enough to

solve it. The Bureau could now use Mulder's expertise, even though

they booted him out six years ago for general weirdness and evidently

put a warrant or something on his head.

Why the feds don't know enough to go to the home Mulder has been

sharing with Scully all this time remains one of the plot's

mysteries. Why the couple still refer to one another by last names

after so many years together is, too.

The assignment revives Mulder's passion for pursuing the unknown.

Scully, repulsed by Father Joe's past, gets even more flustered over

his psychic gifts, since they also seem to address a controversial

procedure she wants to get past the priests at work. This all leads

to more strain than ever on the franchise's central relationship.

Oh, and more women get kidnapped. Then there's a two-headed dog " ...

As smart and obsessed as ever, Mulder and Scully generate a lot of

good will that helps " I Want to Believe " plow its way out of numerous

narrative snowbanks. Primarily concerned with the slippery nature of

faith in various contexts, the plot loses traction. Fortunately, we

care more about Mulder and Scully's souls than the rather

preposterous mystery's outcome.

Such a rich, intelligent pop-culture creation as " The X-Files " has

earned enough grace to mainly riff on what its troubled heroes are

all about. Just go into " Believe " aware that, rather than the other

series tagline " The Truth Is Out There, " this movie is more concerned

with finding truths that dwell within.

'THE

X-FILES:

I WANT TO BELIEVE'

C+

STARRING: Duchovny, Gillian , Connolly,

Peet, Alvin " Xzibit'' Joiner, Mitch Pileggi

DIRECTOR:

WHERE: Bay Area wide

RATING: PG-13 for violence, language

RUNNING TIME: 1 hour,

44 minutes

[Guest guest]

Me too. I was hoping this one would also be about aliens.

Administrator

I'll probably watch this when it comes out on DVD.