MovieChat Forums > The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008) Discussion > Not as bad as it seemed when first relea...

Not as bad as it seemed when first released...

posted 10 years ago by StrontiumAE
43 replies | jump to latest

Actually its really good. Its just the story seems an odd choice for an X Files movie. The 90s movie and the entire last season was about the alien/government conspiracy mythology, but then after a 6 year wait they decide to release a movie which has no supernatural element to it? Its not even a monster of the week story. Its a straight up FBI detective thriller. Its still debatable if the priest was psychic (which I don't think), while the Frankenstien thing at the end, although important, only made up a small part of the overall story.

Anyway fans need to give it another chance. It is a very very good film, just not an X Files film.

http://www.1971-reviewae.com/2014/02/how-all-your-favorite-tv-shows-ar e.html

[–] granitodiaz 10 years ago

It is a very very good thriller, just not an X Files film.

that's the problem

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

What's still an X-File to me is how some can say there was no supernatural element to the movie, when taken at face value, the priest was OBVIOUSLY having psychic connections with some of the abduction victims because of his history and psychic connection with the male transplant patient.

And the Frankenstein doctor in the movie WAS the monster. At least I'm thinking that's what most people would likely consider him if THEY had been abducted and simply viewed as body parts the doctor needed for transplantation onto someone else. (A slightly different scenario than signing the back of your drivers' license to be an organ donor...don't you think?) []

So I agree, a very, very good film (IMO)...but ALSO an X-Files film.

I personally think the story choice was just a way for already existing X-Files fans to touch base with Mulder and Scully after so many years in hiding, and potential new fans to simply get a feel for what The X-Files, Mulder, and Scully were all about.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] BoxMissingno 10 years ago

@ WhoToTrust: Exactly. It's not perfect, but it was a bridge so fans could reconnect with the characters. It wouldn't have made sense (imo) to have thrown them into an alien invasion without seeing where they are in their lives first. Then they can go fight the big bads and get their son back in the next film.

[–] JerseyRulez 10 years ago

Yep, first I saw it I thought it was Ok just not an X File as we know an X File but I have seen it a bunch of times since that day and have grown to like it a whole lot. People say it is more like a Millennium ep and I agree but that isn't a bad thing.

[–] yusef-ghanima 10 years ago

no it's not really good. it didn't make sense when the x agent came out like an idiot to fight the gang. but of course i will always give agent skully another chance, she looked so cute in this one i almost didn't recognise her.

[–] wallacesawyer 10 years ago

I always enjoyed it. I can't remember if I saw it in theaters. I think I did. But still watch the DVD ever so often.

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[–] sploiter 10 years ago

It's a pretty good movie even if it wasn't the 'traditional' X File a lot of people were expecting.

[–] hannahp1 10 years ago

Then it should not have X files in its title.

Terrible film.

[–] erikaridpath 10 years ago

With the assistance of a possibly psychic former priest and convicted child molester, Mulder and Scully investigate the abduction and murder of several women. Honestly, how does that not sound like an X Files to you? Or does every thing have to be about aliens to be an X Files?

[–] fullhans1 10 years ago

I had two main problems with the movie:

It didn't really connect well with the finale of the series. What happened to the supersoldiers? Aren't they still looking for Mulder? It was just handwaved away to get Mulder back into the FBI.

The main strength of X Files to me was Mulder and Scully solving the cases together. In IWTB they barely do that. For long stretches, Scully does her own doctor thing and Mulder does his own Mulder stuff elsewhere. I think it's very disappointing that they did that in a movie that was supposed to breath fresh live into a franchise, whose flagship show ended six years ago (at that time).

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Ahoy there, fancy pants

[–] Dark_Sithlord 10 years ago

I agree with both points. I didn't really like the movie when it first came out for the reasons you cited. I watched it for the first time in 6 years, and actually enjoyed it more the second time around despite its faults.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

Even before the series ended though, a reason for the supersoldiers to fear Mulder had been introduced since he'd determined what could be used to kill them. For that reason it wouldn't have been surprising that any remaining supersoldiers would be hesitant to attack him (or even go near him) like they'd last done during the series. Speaking of remaining supersoldiers though, it had crossed my mind after watching IWTB that the female agent in the movie who was Agent Whitney's supervisor (who kept to the background and didn't say anything) could have easily been viewed as a supersoldier that was now working within the FBI. She certainly acted like the non-speaking jury panelist in the episode The Truth who Gibson Praise pointed out as an alien anyway.

And M&S hadn't actually worked on TXF for years at the the time the story in IWTB took place, and in the intervening years had developed their relationship more in the personal arena than the professional, so it wasn't really surprising that the way they worked together wouldn't necessarily be the same as when they were actually working TXF as FBI agents.

In those regards, the differences wouldn't necessarily fall into the category of "faults".

[–] clyons 10 years ago

They had no reason to fear him, unless he just miraculously could produce a huge quantity of magnetite--which btw, was one of the silliest weaknesses of any villain in the history of what I guess you could call science fiction, though there was damned little science in it.

The fact that he knew a weakness would make them MORE likely to dispose of him. It would take great resources that Mulder doesn't have to exploit that weakness (that, or incredible good luck).

Why can't you just accept that bad writing is bad writing? Would a GOOD writer have ever produced a banal piece of crap like The After? Take away all the great collaborators 20th surrounded him with, and Carter can't write his way out of a paper bag.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » ...Why can't you just accept that bad writing is bad writing? Would a GOOD writer have ever produced a banal piece of crap like The After? Take away all the great collaborators 20th surrounded him with, and Carter can't write his way out of a paper bag.

Why can't you accept that your obsession with Carter causes you to make the posts that you do?

[–] clyons 10 years ago

Really? Then what's sploiter's excuse? He hated The After so much, he's rooting for it to be canceled, so Carter can go back to pushing for another X-Files movie. I didn't start that thread. I haven't even watched The After yet. Not enough time. I'm a Prime subscriber. I could watch it free. Back in the day, I used to go to extraordinary lengths to get hold of his early work for TV--which was so bad even YOU couldn't justify it--and I figured him out. It was a fun bit of detective work. But it's all over now.

My opinion of Carter is just a much better informed version of the MAJORITY opinion. Everybody else thinks he was great once, and then started inexplicably doing nothing but horrible sucky scripts based on tiresome derivative concepts. They wonder what happened to him. I'll TELL you what happened to him--he ran out of talented underlings he could steal from. All he's got left now is Spotnitz, and at this point in time, even Spotnitz outranks him.

Name ONE major collaborator of his from The X-Files who isn't doing something bigger and better than the worst TV show on Amazon Prime.

How many years have to pass before you accept the truth? I'm not obsessed. I'm just honest. It's sad you can't tell the difference.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » Really? Then what's sploiter's excuse? He hated The After so much, he's rooting for it to be canceled, so Carter can go back to pushing for another X-Files movie. I didn't start that thread. I haven't even watched The After yet. Not enough time. I'm a Prime subscriber. I could watch it free. Back in the day, I used to go to extraordinary lengths to get hold of his early work for TV--which was so bad even YOU couldn't justify it--and I figured him out. It was a fun bit of detective work. But it's all over now.

My opinion of Carter is just a much better informed version of the MAJORITY opinion. Everybody else thinks he was great once, and then started inexplicably doing nothing but horrible sucky scripts based on tiresome derivative concepts. They wonder what happened to him. I'll TELL you what happened to him--he ran out of talented underlings he could steal from. All he's got left now is Spotnitz, and at this point in time, even Spotnitz outranks him.

Name ONE major collaborator of his from The X-Files who isn't doing something bigger and better than the worst TV show on Amazon Prime.

How many years have to pass before you accept the truth? I'm not obsessed. I'm just honest. It's sad you can't tell the difference.

All very interesting, but STILL not distraction enough to see that you didn't address your ongoing obsession with Carter.

If you like being honest so much...maybe you should try it with yourself for a change.

[–] clyons 10 years ago

Compare the number of times I've said anything about Carter on IMDb in the past year to the number of times you've ranted at people who don't believe in Bigfoot in the past--oh geez, your last post was two minutes ago. You crack me up, WTT.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » Compare the number of times I've said anything about Carter on IMDb in the past year to the number of times you've ranted at people who don't believe in Bigfoot in the past --oh geez, your last post was two minutes ago. You crack me up, WTT.

STILL trying to change the subject from your Chris Carter obsession I see... ...and trying to do so by purposely mischaracterizing my comments on the other message board to boot.

What a surprise.

[–] clyons 10 years ago

Gee, I asked you a bunch of questions you didn't answer.

You're obsessed with being a braindead *beep*

And in that regard only you are a complete success.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » You're obsessed with being a braindead *beep*

And in that regard only you are a complete success.

Pot...meet kettle.

And ALL that...and you STILL didn't distract anyone from your Chris Carter obsession.

[–] clyons 10 years ago

Distract WHOM? Nobody gives a *beep*

But for the record, here's how our exchange began--with me asking you two questions--

Name ONE major collaborator of his from The X-Files who isn't doing something bigger and better than the worst TV show on Amazon Prime.

How many years have to pass before you accept the truth?

And what's your response? Same as always--"YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!"

That's your answer to everything I say. It's YOUR way of trying--and failing--to distract these mainly nonexistent onlookers from the real truth--you can't admit you've been proven wrong. About anything. Even Bigfoot. And geez, you were proven wrong there before you even started.

You never EVER answer a question posed to you. I answered the question about Carter--I was interested in how somebody who had seemed so talented had turned out to be so untalented. I dug a bit, and I came up with what I felt was a satisfactory answer. That's my response. What's yours?

"YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!"

You are the pot AND the kettle. I'm the hot water that keeps scalding you, to amuse itself.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » ...You are the pot AND the kettle. I'm the hot water that keeps scalding you, to amuse itself.

You just keep telling yourself that. It seems to be the only way you can distract yourself from admitting to your Chris Carter obsession.

[–] clyons 10 years ago

And again, you refuse to answer any questions yourself. Even after I answered your question.

You won't even say if you believe Bigfoot exists, when you post on the Finding Bigfoot forum here about a hundred times for every post I've ever made about Chris Carter.

So you would know about obsession.

Let's see how many times you can refuse to answer.

And in refusing, of course, you are answering.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » And again, you refuse to answer any questions yourself. Even after I answered your question.

You won't even say if you believe Bigfoot exists, when you post on the Finding Bigfoot forum here about a hundred times for every post I've ever made about Chris Carter.

So you would know about obsession.

Let's see how many times you can refuse to answer.

And in refusing, of course, you are answering.

Equals clyons once again trying to divert attention away from his Chris Carter obsession...which of course was what brought him back and got this latest episode started in the first place.

[–] clyons 10 years ago

Q: Why won't you answer any of my questions, when I've answered all of yours?

A: YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!!

Q: Why are you still here, defending a movie nobody cares about, refusing to accept the majority opinion is and always will be that it's a piece of unwatchable garbage?

A: YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!!!

Q: What time is it?

A: YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!!

Q: What color is the sky?

A: YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!!

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons »
Q: Why won't you answer any of my questions, when I've answered all of yours?

A: YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!!

Q: Why are you still here, defending a movie nobody cares about, refusing to accept the majority opinion is and always will be that it's a piece of unwatchable garbage?

A: YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!!!

Q: What time is it?

A: YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!!

Q: What color is the sky?

A: YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!!

Why so defensive about your obsession with Chris Carter that you'll go to such lengths to try to divert attention away from your obsession with Chris Carter?

[–] clyons 10 years ago

Point proven, argument over.

Have you ever WON an argument?

I know, I know--"YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!"

I'm obsessed with flattening half-wit trolls.

But I'm not sure you even qualify as a half-wit.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » Point proven, argument over.

Have you ever WON an argument?

I know, I know--"YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER!!"

I'm obsessed with flattening half-wit trolls.

But I'm not sure you even qualify as a half-wit.

Point proven. Chris Carter obsession over? Hardly, merely perpetuated.

Funny you should mention half-wit trolls though, since I've simply been responding to you in the same manner as I do the half-wit bigfoot trolls you keep commenting like exactly who invariably ATTEMPT to divert attention away from their own attitudes/comments.

And why do we respond to you like that? Because there is no "discussing" anything with you...it's simply you ridiculing anyone who doesn't share your opinion...as you've been doing for years...because of your Chris Carter obsession.

[–] clyons 10 years ago

I'm sorry, are these the same half-wit bigot trolls who say Bigfoot isn't real?

Seriously, you've been sitting here in this dusty mainly unused forum since 2008, ridiculing anyone who doesn't think a movie with a 32% 'rotten' ranking on Rotten Tomatoes (30% among top critics) isn't a work of unparalleled genius. I see somebody come here saying "Wow, what a great movie" I don't say a damn thing.

You see somebody say "This movie sucked" and you're all over them like a cheap suit.

Obsessive, heal thyself.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » I'm sorry, are these the same half-wit bigot trolls who say Bigfoot isn't real? []

Seriously, you've been sitting here in this dusty mainly unused forum since 2008, ridiculing anyone who doesn't think a movie with a 32% 'rotten' ranking on Rotten Tomatoes (30% among top critics) isn't a work of unparalleled genius. I see somebody come here saying "Wow, what a great movie" I don't say a damn thing.

You see somebody say "This movie sucked" and you're all over them like a cheap suit.

Obsessive, heal thyself.

So....argument not over after all eh?

Obsessive heal thyself indeed.

[–] clyons 10 years ago

Indeed you will not.

Btw, while you were straining to give birth to that little gem of wit, I finished and published an entire online book review. Which had nothing whatsoever to do with Chris Carter. Or The X-Files. Or television. Or movies.

Um--you know what books are, right? Too dated a ref?

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » Indeed you will not.

Btw, while you were straining to give birth to that little gem of wit, I finished and published an entire online book review. Which had nothing whatsoever to do with Chris Carter. Or The X-Files. Or television. Or movies.

Um--you know what books are, right? Too dated a ref?

So....argument STILL not over eh?

Anyway, what do you want...a cookie?

Regarding your "entire book review" (wooow!), I'd simply be curious whether it was comprised of as many misinterpretations of content of what was ACTUALLY written as you illustrated yourself capable of when commenting about my interactions on the bigfoot message board.

It's been interesting that your attempts to call my character into question because I've challenged your comments have EXACTLY mirrored the attempts to do the same from the obvious trolls on that message board. Face it though, none of you are THAT clever.

[–] clyons 10 years ago

On your side, the argument never begins. You couldn't make an argument if you were debating a flat-earther on a space station.

It's interesting that your well-known persecution complex is now making you try to link people who think this movie sucks with people who think Bigfoot doesn't exist. But the fact is, almost everybody thinks this movie sucks, and almost everybody knows Bigfoot doesn't exist, so the overlap isn't really that surprising, Agent Sulky.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » On your side, the argument never begins. You couldn't make an argument if you were debating a flat-earther on a space station. []

It's interesting that your well-known persecution complex is now making you try to link people who think this movie sucks with people who think Bigfoot doesn't exist. But the fact is, almost everybody thinks this movie sucks, and almost everybody knows Bigfoot doesn't exist, so the overlap isn't really that surprising, Agent Sulky.

Speaking of overlap, thank you for providing yet another example of how your "argument" (your description of your own intent here, not mine) tactics exactly mirror those who have illustrated themselves clearly as trolls on other message boards by obviously having no interest in objective discussion...which you've illustrated here with your continued misrepresentations of my comments.

What you still don't seem to realize is that you've painted yourself into a corner and left others with only two possible viewpoints regarding your responses.

You're either incapable of understanding what is actually being said...or you're simply a troll who purposefully ignores the actual meaning of what is being said in favor of trying to twist it's meaning for your own trollish purposes...which isn't interesting in the least.

[–] clyons 10 years ago

'Objective discussion' would have been you saying why you disagreed with me about IWTB. What you DID was to say "YOU'RE OBSESSED WITH CHRIS CARTER" while never answering any of my questions, and accusing me of refusing to answer your questions that I had in fact answered.

All you do is run around in navel-gazing rhetorical circles, accusing anyone who disagrees with you of being a troll, while your own posts sometimes get deleted by the hands-off IMDb mods. You clearly have a wide-ranging reputation of being a troll, and not one of the better kind, and your defense to that is to accuse others of your own failings.

I understand exactly what you're saying, because you're as opaque as distilled water--and not nearly as flavorful.

Nobody cares whether I resemble all the people you don't like on the internet--you resemble lots of half-wits I've crushed here. The fact is, you don't want to justify the original opinion I responded to here, because you don't have any way of doing so. Response? I'd guess either "You're a troll!", "You're just like all the rest!" or "You're obsessed with Chris Carter!" Some combination of the three?

You could just make an actual argument based on actual facts. That would be new.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » 'Objective discussion' would have been you saying why you disagreed with me about IWTB...

Interesting that you once again try to lay all responsibility for a discussion about something X-Files related on someone else when your decade-long Chris Carter/X-Files-hating obsession...which long ago rendered any objective discussion with you regarding anything X-Files related impossible in the FIRST place...is pretty much common knowledge to the majority of X-Files message board fans.

As a result, everything else you bring up is easily attributed to an attempt at diversion on your part to distract from said decade-long Chris Carter-hating obsession.

So with that fact being an indisputable fact...is the "argument" over NOW???

[–] clyons 10 years ago

Ah, okay, so it was option one--obsessed with Chris Carter. Gotcha. And btw, it's interesting you keep using the word 'interesting', over and over and over and over and over......

So yeah, the argument's over--I won. Again.

You want the last word, right?

That's about your mental age level.

Take it, loser.

[–] WhoToTrust 10 years ago

by clyons » Ah, okay, so it was option one--obsessed with Chris Carter. Gotcha. And btw, it's interesting you keep using the word 'interesting', over and over and over and over and over......

So yeah, the argument's over--I won. Again.

You want the last word, right?

That's about your mental age level.

Take it, loser.

Interesting that you ALWAYS try to end your "arguments" that way, since with you there is ALWAYS only one option...Chris Carter obsession.