Post by manicmarc on Aug 10, 2008 21:01:22 GMT
Here are my thoughts (as posted in alt.tv.x-files also)
Admin feel free to move this to spoilers section, but since the films been out 2 weeks now I though more people would catch it if I posted here... ( so yes it does have SPOILERS if you havn't seen the film yet what are you doing/?>!£%$%^!)
The first time I watched “The X-Files – I Want to Believe” I must admit I came away underwhelmed. Seeing our two heroes back together again after what seemed like 20 years was kind of weird... kind of emotional. My mind wasn’t fully on the story as such; I was more amazed and dazed. I could see Mulder’s fish tank, his basketball, an empty carton of orange juice, the pencils on the ceiling and of course the sunflower seeds! So I went away confused. On the one hand I’d just seen a new X-files film and so was really happy, on the other I felt the film never seemed to climax and there wasn’t much paranormal. So I decided to go and watch it again...
On second viewing I could concentrate on the story more. And concentrate you must, because it is quiet complicated. Think “Redux” meets “Irresistible” meets “Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose” if you want a comparison to the TV show. Whereas the first time round I missed much of the humour, this time it shone through. One thing that struck me is how much Scully has changed as a person, while Mulder hasn’t changed much. As Skinner put it, “he’d always call and let you know he’s safe, not do anything crazy...”.
I didn’t notice the dog had two heads the first time, I wonder how many other people didn’t either? I think we could have seen a bit more gore. I’m not one who thinks that gore makes a good movie, but when the Agent fell to her death I kind I thought back to final destination (written and directed of course by our X-Files friends Morgan and Wong, originally to be an X-Files episode) and think the audience expect to see at least something, rather that it all be implied. The same went for in the operating theatre, when the head was being removed and the two headed dog, blink and you would have missed it.
All in all, I really enjoyed it the second time. I could get my head round the story and be less concerned with thinking “all look it’s a new x-files film!!”.
I can see why the critics might have given this a bad review, but Hollywood is not about good quality intelligent stories that challenge the audience, or characters that have depth. If a film doesn’t have some CGI fest and a fight between “Good” and “Evil” at some point then it’s not going to sell, unless it’s a comedy – in which case it’s just got to have Ben Affleck in it.
I went with a mate of mine, who usually comes away moaning and criticizing films, very hard to impress - but he saidit was really good, and he was a very occasional viewer of the show (he doesn’t even like Sci-Fi!). So if you went in expecting aliens falling from the sky, the cigarette smoking man in a bionic wheelchair and Mulder and Scully running around shooting guns you’ll be disappointed. The TV show was never that good when it did this. Kill Switch for example, one of the show’s most expensive episodes to make – and it’s not that good (some nice overhead “big brother” shots though I admit).
So top movie, I really like it. I really hope we get another, and I can’t wait to get it on DVD.
My favourite moments:
At the end when Skinner comforts Mulder... Mark Snow’s music makes it so emotional. You can’t help but think back to all those ticking offs Skinner gave Mulder, the times Skinner would doubt him and everything Skinner had to put up with in Avatar and SR 819. Skinner was such an underrated character in the show, so glad to see him again.
When we see Mulder for the first time at the beginning, His new office. Glad to see so many little references in there. The pencils are from Chinga (I think). ? Can anyone put an episode to the others?
After Mulder’s car crashes we get a scene in the hallway of Scully’s hospital, is that a cameo from Chris Carter? The first time I saw it I thought, hmm maybe, the second time I’m certain it is.
The camera’s pause on George Bush. Both times the audience laughed out loud. It’s kind of sad that the X-Files as a TV show wouldn’t work as well now because we know the government just wouldn't* be competent enough to have such elaborate conspiracies. Or maybe it’s a double bluff.... **queue x-files music**
The credits. Matt Beck and our Lone Gunman Mr Tom Braidwood were there, didn’t recognise anyone else except obviously the others we already know about. The shop that sold fertiliser was called Nutter’s, a reference to David Nutter, a producer of the show in its early days?
Mulder’s phone... I missed the names again. I read a review that said to look, I saw Scully and what looked like Gilligan, is that right?
Oh how I’d wish they'd bring back the TV show... maybe for a 10 episode season, that way the actors can go and do other stuff still :-)
Marc
*typo corrected
Admin feel free to move this to spoilers section, but since the films been out 2 weeks now I though more people would catch it if I posted here... ( so yes it does have SPOILERS if you havn't seen the film yet what are you doing/?>!£%$%^!)
The first time I watched “The X-Files – I Want to Believe” I must admit I came away underwhelmed. Seeing our two heroes back together again after what seemed like 20 years was kind of weird... kind of emotional. My mind wasn’t fully on the story as such; I was more amazed and dazed. I could see Mulder’s fish tank, his basketball, an empty carton of orange juice, the pencils on the ceiling and of course the sunflower seeds! So I went away confused. On the one hand I’d just seen a new X-files film and so was really happy, on the other I felt the film never seemed to climax and there wasn’t much paranormal. So I decided to go and watch it again...
On second viewing I could concentrate on the story more. And concentrate you must, because it is quiet complicated. Think “Redux” meets “Irresistible” meets “Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose” if you want a comparison to the TV show. Whereas the first time round I missed much of the humour, this time it shone through. One thing that struck me is how much Scully has changed as a person, while Mulder hasn’t changed much. As Skinner put it, “he’d always call and let you know he’s safe, not do anything crazy...”.
I didn’t notice the dog had two heads the first time, I wonder how many other people didn’t either? I think we could have seen a bit more gore. I’m not one who thinks that gore makes a good movie, but when the Agent fell to her death I kind I thought back to final destination (written and directed of course by our X-Files friends Morgan and Wong, originally to be an X-Files episode) and think the audience expect to see at least something, rather that it all be implied. The same went for in the operating theatre, when the head was being removed and the two headed dog, blink and you would have missed it.
All in all, I really enjoyed it the second time. I could get my head round the story and be less concerned with thinking “all look it’s a new x-files film!!”.
I can see why the critics might have given this a bad review, but Hollywood is not about good quality intelligent stories that challenge the audience, or characters that have depth. If a film doesn’t have some CGI fest and a fight between “Good” and “Evil” at some point then it’s not going to sell, unless it’s a comedy – in which case it’s just got to have Ben Affleck in it.
I went with a mate of mine, who usually comes away moaning and criticizing films, very hard to impress - but he saidit was really good, and he was a very occasional viewer of the show (he doesn’t even like Sci-Fi!). So if you went in expecting aliens falling from the sky, the cigarette smoking man in a bionic wheelchair and Mulder and Scully running around shooting guns you’ll be disappointed. The TV show was never that good when it did this. Kill Switch for example, one of the show’s most expensive episodes to make – and it’s not that good (some nice overhead “big brother” shots though I admit).
So top movie, I really like it. I really hope we get another, and I can’t wait to get it on DVD.
My favourite moments:
At the end when Skinner comforts Mulder... Mark Snow’s music makes it so emotional. You can’t help but think back to all those ticking offs Skinner gave Mulder, the times Skinner would doubt him and everything Skinner had to put up with in Avatar and SR 819. Skinner was such an underrated character in the show, so glad to see him again.
When we see Mulder for the first time at the beginning, His new office. Glad to see so many little references in there. The pencils are from Chinga (I think). ? Can anyone put an episode to the others?
After Mulder’s car crashes we get a scene in the hallway of Scully’s hospital, is that a cameo from Chris Carter? The first time I saw it I thought, hmm maybe, the second time I’m certain it is.
The camera’s pause on George Bush. Both times the audience laughed out loud. It’s kind of sad that the X-Files as a TV show wouldn’t work as well now because we know the government just wouldn't* be competent enough to have such elaborate conspiracies. Or maybe it’s a double bluff.... **queue x-files music**
The credits. Matt Beck and our Lone Gunman Mr Tom Braidwood were there, didn’t recognise anyone else except obviously the others we already know about. The shop that sold fertiliser was called Nutter’s, a reference to David Nutter, a producer of the show in its early days?
Mulder’s phone... I missed the names again. I read a review that said to look, I saw Scully and what looked like Gilligan, is that right?
Oh how I’d wish they'd bring back the TV show... maybe for a 10 episode season, that way the actors can go and do other stuff still :-)
Marc
*typo corrected