The X-Files: I Want To Believe

FBI Agents use a psychic priest to try and find a missing agent.

Desolate locations, minimal fantasy, cerebral storytelling, strong characterisations and no action are the offerings of this little movie. It bombed at the Box Office. And no wonder! What genius decided to release this intimate little thing during the season of Blockbusters?

It looks and feels like a typical episode of the show. And, as such, it's a middle-of-the-road episode. Not going to make anyone's Top Ten list (or even into the the top third of all episodes) but still a bloody good story nonetheless. And, as a movie, it's not like any movie out there right now. Maybe the intimate nature of the tale will work better in the home and it will be a huge hit on DVD. I hope so. It deserves to be seen/appreciated.

It has flaws. Mostly in the staging/directing of some scenes: the Amanda Peet character frequently yells obvious things at the priest ("we need to find her!") for no logical reason other than to create false tension (that's lazy writing, guys), and there is a scene between Scully and the Priest that comes off as staged and false (lots of striking poses in different parts of a room). But - for the most part - this is a very good movie. And it has a great, very tense, climax.

Overall, I give it an "A-".

Here's John Kenneth Muir's review.