The X-Files: Fight the Future

The X-Files: Fight The Future (1998)
Dir: Rob Bowman
Cast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, John Neville, Martin Landau, Mitch Pileggi, William B. Davis, Blythe Danner, Terry O' Quinn
Rated PG-13, Approx: 122 minutes.
A Twentieth Century Fox Release, available on VHS and DVD

Matt's Review: **** out of 5

Reviewed by Matt Serafini 10/30/04

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         In the summer of 1998, when the cultural phenomenon known as The X-Files made its jump to the silver screen, I was fairly ignorant of the show. I had watched only the first season and though several of my friends were loyalists to the series all the way through its five seasons leading up to the movie, I hadn't bothered to come back for its second season. As a result, I went to the movie somewhat reluctantly thinking that I would be lost throughout it. To my surprise however, it was immensely watchable, even without the knowledge of what had proceeded it, and though I wasn't necessarily blown away, it was as enjoyable a film as any released that summer. Now, all of these years later, I am an X-Files fan whose had the pleasure of discovering its entire run on DVD. With knowledge of its first five seasons behind me now, I approached the movie again only to find it an entirely different experience and it's in this light now, that I realize what a great job series creator and writer Chris Carter and director Rob Bowman (who helmed several episodes) have done in bringing an X-Files story to the screen which can be enjoyed by fans and non-fans alike.

          The story picks up a short time after season five's finish, with Mulder and Scully now fielding more routing jobs for the FBI after the disbandment of the x-files. When a terrorist bomb destroys a building in Dallas, Texas, the two agents discover the motivations behind the attack, leading to a conspiracy concerning the mysterious 'metamorphic' alien life form that Mulder has been pursuing for years. The search for the answers results in a globe spanning mystery from Texas to Antarctica involving a paranoid doctor (Martin Landau), the well-manicured man (John Neville) from the series, and of course, the cigarette-smoking man (William B. Davis), all of whom, play a part in helping Agent Mulder's quest for the truth.

          Having seen the film twice, once as a casual filmgoer and once as a fan, it's clear to me that this is best enjoyed by those who've been with the series from the beginning. People coming to Fight the Future completely uninitiated may not care too much for the exploits of its characters. For example, when Mulder finally learns the truth about his sister's abduction, it's hard to understand what this means to the character without watching it take a toll on him over the past five years. There are several similar nuances that will be lost on non-fans, though if you're not willing to commit to the series, the film competently functions on its own (fewer) merits as well. At its core, there's still an intriguing story of government conspiracy complimented by big, grandiose Hollywood FX that for once, actually serve the story rather than dictate it.

          With that said, the entire concept of this film is an ambitious one and I credit the filmmakers for even attempting it. To take a popular television series with a fully established mythology and produce a Hollywood adaptation while trying to cater not only to the hardcore fans, but also to a mass movie going public can't be terribly easy. Fight the Future deserves a lot of credit for trying and though its story is chock-full of neat plot twists and exposition, it does falter a little in the story department. Screenwriter Chris Carter packs his plot full of more than one amazing coincidence (perhaps in an effort to tell such a big story in a mere two hours) and at times, the usually astute detective work of Agents Mulder and Scully becomes little more than a case of "right place at the right time." That it happens more than once in this film makes it a tough pill to swallow, but in all honestly, I was having such a good time with this trumped up, big budget X-Files episode, that I didn't mind terribly.

          One of the strongest things about both the middle seasons of the series and the film is the ever-unfurling relationship between Mulder and Scully. It's a tremendous issue in the movie and thankfully it never deteriorates into that of a soap opera (keep in mind that I've only seen up to the sixth season). There's a lot of sexual tension between these two characters (and the actors for that matter) and it's so much more fun watching them, when at times, their feelings keep getting in the way of their job. I credit Gillian Anderson more so than David Duchovny here as I think she's an immensely talented actress who has a knack for saying a lot with just a simple facial expression. As Mulder, Duchovny is great to be sure, but he's an actor without much range and often is put to shame by Anderson's chops. Together, they're very appealing and it's their chemistry that makes the occasionally terrible episode watchable.

          In the end, this film amounts to little more than an extended episode of the television series, which is fine, what else would you, expect? It stands as a terrific piece of entertainment, even for non-fans. It's a little smarter than your average summer film and will leave fans of the series dying to see what happens next.