Review: ‘X-Files: I Want to Believe’ DVD & Blu-Ray

Ten years ago, everybody was in love with The X-Files. It took me until the first feature-length movie (X: Files – Fight the Future) but I fell in love too… and it was a dysfunctional relationship. First the show moved to L.A. then David Duchovny left. The series’ plot, constructed over nine years, went crashing to the ground. But I stayed, I stayed until that clip show of a final episode was broadcast. What can I say, I’m a loyalist.

So I wanted to see the reunion movie, I Want to Believe (available now on single-disc or three-disc DVD and Blu-Ray). I was able to speak with Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz at New York Comic Con last year and they seemed as excited about the new film as I was. Plus, the film’s initial trailer gave me hope.

Then it came out.

I Want to Believe was unceremoniously buried by the Titanic-sized The Dark Knight and even the few who saw it didn’t like it. I wasn’t about to spend ten bucks to see a bad movie in the theater, but I would spend $20 to own the Blu-Ray.

The film isn’t terrible. Maybe it was lowered expectations but I was expecting real damage to the franchise. It isn’t failure of Star Trek: Nemesis proportions. As it turns out, X-Files: I Want to Believe is only as bad as Star Trek: Insurrection, a padded episode of the television series. Had this story been done in, say season seven, I would have shrugged and waited for the teaser of next week’s episode. But coming six years after the end of the series, fans deserved more.

I won’t spoil the plot for you not only because Carter and Spotnitz went to such lengths to keep it hidden but, because once it was released, no one seemed to care. I will say that since the end of the series, Scully has become a doctor and Mulder a recluse. They get brought in as consultants by FBI agents Amanda Peet and Xzibit while also dealing with a psychic played by Billy Connolly. No aliens, no conspiracy and nothing really exciting for an hour and 45 minutes.

The biggest problem is there’s no arc for the characters. Mulder and Scully, while changed from the series, are essentially the same people going into this story as they are coming out. There’s no great change for them. They are presented with a case and they solve said case. Or at least, they solve the case in an X Files sort of way. They don’t even rejoin the FBI.

This is a low budget movie. Just compare it to Fight the Future (also out on Blu-Ray). The first film, while no Star Wars, had exploding buildings, a giant spaceship and bees. This movie knocks a car into a snowbank… that’s it. Either there was still animosity about Chris Carter’s lawsuit or FOX knew the fan base had moved on. Had Duchovny and Anderson created the careers they wanted, they would have likely passed on this film.

The Blu-Ray looks great. The stark snow-swept plains stand in high contrast to the darkness and blood that stains it. The menus are elegant and creepy, the right tone for the franchise. There’s an optional extended cut, which adds four minutes to the running time. It adds character moments and a dash of violence but not what fans really wanted – a more compelling story.

The extras are also exceptional. The standout being a three part documentary titled “Trust No One: Can the X-Files Remain a secret?” It covers the reunion, shooting and security of the project. Chris Carter comes off like the greatest boss in the world. He rehired as much of his old crew as possible and created an alternate credit sequence, with a slideshow of everyone who worked on the film. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson also looked pleased to be back and the late arrival of Mitch Pileggi lifted spirits even higher.

The commentary is more animated than what is normally expected from Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz. They were truly excited to restart the franchise and you can hear it as they discuss the film. There are three deleted scenes not added to the extended version. They don’t add any new information and would have slowed down the action. Detailed looks at the gory makeup process are here. There’s even a documentary showing how the production remained eco-friendly.

Blu-Ray owners can also access some features not available on DVD. BD Live viewers can access Dakota Whitney’s files. Players with Bonus View can launch a picture-in-picture commentary. There’s a complete interactive timeline with video clips, tying the new film into the overall continuity. And there’s a digital copy in case you want to watch it on your iPod.

But through all the extras, there is one clear message; Carter and Spotnitz wanted to keep the plot a secret. In my opinion, they went too far by keeping the movie itself a secret. Only loyalists like myself even knew it was coming out. If you’re a die-hard X-Files fan, search out I Want to Believe. There’s still one more truth out there.