THE X-FILES: FIGHT THE FUTURE
The TV series has followed more or less a long, intricate storyline,
with countless guest writers, directors, and producers along the way. But
this film, written by Carter and Frank Spotnitz and directed by Rob Bowman,
is supposed to explain a lot of long-sought mysteries and tie up a lot of
loose ends. Well. Maybe if you're a disciple. But for us regular schmoes,
an X-Files encyclopedia would come in handy.
An event in northern Texas brings the area to the attention of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, who snap quickly into action to seal off the
location and bar anyone from entering. A little boy and some rescue workers
have been infected with a mysterious virus. In what seems an unrelated occurrence,
a bomb explodes in the Dallas federal building, apparently killing five
people. But Mulder learns from a man named Kurtzweil (Martin Landau) that
these two events are very much related.
Though Scully has begun considering hanging up the ol' magnifying glass,
Mulder cannot resist trying to investigate the situation. When he breaks
into the morgue and finds the bombing victims' bodies swimming in Karo syrup,
he gets confused. But when Scully disappears, he's really ticked.
So now, like it or not, they're involved, and he's got to locate Scully
before she falls victim and gets oil slicks in her eyeballs. There are a
few people who try to help, but they always stop living right after talking
to him. Confusing? You got that right.
These days, good special effects are a dime a dozen; a remake of Old
Yeller would probably include a few huge explosions and a tidal wave.
But what sets The X-Files apart is that Carter has always insisted
on good writing and directing, too. This is a smart movie; perhaps too smart.
The supporting cast is excellent without exception, especially Landau. And
Duchovny and Anderson are excellent, too, considering what their characters
have evolved into over the years. But that evolution has left them dry and
flat; non-human, if you will. The kind of mental jumps they make are unrealistic,
and the first few scenes have them spouting so much scientific mumbo-jumbo,
it's annoying. Real people don't talk like this. I mean, I know they're
smart, but I would like to see them really laugh just once.
This two-dimensionality seems to be inherent now, though — it would
be a letdown to their fans if they strayed from it. They do have a great
connection with each other; they are best friends who owe each other their
lives many times over. And occasionally, there's even a bit more there.
This movie is thrilling and delightfully complex, even though I spent a lot of time saying, "Huh?" But I won't be surprised if, in the final series finale, we discover that Mulder and Scully are really Vulcans. ****