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- First reviewJuly 26, 2008
- Last reviewJuly 26, 2008
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xorpsbane's Reviews
Overall rating
4
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5
A Quiet, Thoughtful Movie
PostedJuly 26, 2008
xorpsbane
from Alexandria, VA
I should start by admitting that I'm a huge X-Phile, so that definitely colors this review. I love Mulder and Scully, and the appeal of this movie to me has all along been just having the two of them on the screen again regardless of whatever case they might be investigating.
The Mulder/Scully interactions in this movie do not disappoint. The chemistry has grown and deepened, and every time Duchovny opened his mouth, I realized just how much I'd missed Mulder in particular. Spending time with these characters again and discovering how their lives had changed over the years was a joy. Not to mention the unexpected pleasure of seeing another familiar face from the show! And a few subtle shout-outs to various writers/producers from days gone by - clever.
However, the case itself felt like merely a placeholder - something to stitch together the fantastic Mulder and Scully scenes rather than standing on its own merits. The character of Father Joe provided an opportunity to examine some fascinating and serious issues of faith and forgiveness, but other aspects of the movie seemed less thought out and a bit more vague. The other characters were not as fleshed out and were therefore not as dynamic as Father Joe. Having said that, I never felt bored, though; I was just left with a few questions that I wish had been addressed a little more thoroughly. Additionally, visually, the film is gorgeous - the darkness and the snow added an eerie air to almost every scene.
I think there are a couple of issues here. I really believe that the marketing push behind this film is doing it a great injustice. This is a great, quiet, thoughtful film. You'll still be thinking about some of the themes as you walk out. The problem arises from the fact that those involved with the film are marketing it as a)cross-over friendly (you don't have to be an X-Files fan to enjoy this); b) a scary/thriller type movie.
While I don't think you absolutely *have* to be an X-Files fan to understand the film, I'm just not sure how much enjoyment a non-fan would get out of it. The interaction between Mulder and Scully draws on that wealth of history between them; I can't imagine watching the movie without the benefit of that knowledge and still relating to it on as emotional a level. When Scully and Mulder are onscreen together again for the first time in the movie, I'll confess to getting choked up. There were echoes of their very first meeting in his basement FBI office that made the scene resonate, but again, someone without that familiarity of the series wouldn't "get" that scene. I would think ultimately that would detract from the overall experience, but it's incredibly hard for me to try to discern what my own reaction would be if I were stripped of all that show history.
As for the scary aspect - there are a few moments that are somewhat scary, but this does not have even remotely the level of intensity of say, The Dark Knight. There was a level of menace throughout that entire movie that kept me on edge. Anyone going into this expecting something similarly heart-poundingly intense or with car crashes and explosions and noise and fire or whatever is going to be greatly disappointed. That is not this movie, and I think giving people the wrong idea of what sort of a film this is will do this movie a disservice.
Chris Carter has said before that the X-Files was ultimately a search for God, and in some ways, this movie continues that theme. You're left pondering the darkness in men's hearts, the ripple effects of that darkness, and the possibility of God's forgiveness.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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