Jul
2
The Echh-Files
Filed Under Blockbusters, Movies, TV
David Duchovny wants to believe. He wants to believe that there’s still an “X-Files” audience out there, one that has forgiven — or forgotten — that the series went out with a whimper in 2002. In fact, he’s been trying to will a second “X-Files” movie into existence for years and years; the first film dropped in ‘98. Let’s not forget this is the same guy who had his presence on the show peeled back significantly in the later seasons.
I’ve never been a ginormous fan of “The X-Files.” The show seems like something that’d be up my alley — I’m quite a fan of aliens and chupacabras and redheads, after all — but I never got into it. Now, “M.A.N.T.I.S.” — there’s a Fox Network show I watched religiously. At any rate, I’ve probably seen a half-dozen episodes of the series. I caught the first movie in theaters and liked it okay.
That said, the upcoming sequel “X-Files: I Want to Believe” looks like ass. I saw a thoroughly underwhelming trailer for it before the moderately underwhelming “Incredible Hulk” a couple weeks ago. I’ve read that it’s a self-contained film, one that doesn’t rely on gobs of backstory from the series to drive the plot. It’s a wise approach. Even hardcore fans (”X”-philes?) probably don’t remember all the esoteric story points from a show that’s been off the air for more than a half-decade. But I’m not convinced the film has enough going for it — at least from what I saw in the snow-capped trailer — to lure in folks like me.
For one thing, where the hell are the aliens? I know that the show was about more than just UFO conspiracies. But, non-fans need more of a hook than Billy Connolly, Amanda Peet and Xzibit (man alive, I hate rappers with grotesquely misspelled names) as special guest stars. Early rumors about the plot suggested that it involved werewolves, not my favorite supernatural beasties, but maybe their alien werewolves. The trailer, however, does nothing to confirm this. Either the filmmakers are embarrassed by their creepy crawlies, or they’re more confident than I am in Xzibit’s box office appeal.
Call me a non-believer, but I’m unconvinced that the new “X-Files” movie is going to have a monster opening. It’s coming out in the long shadow of “The Dark Knight,” a film I predict will have an unusually strong second weekend, and opposite Will Ferrell’s “Step Brothers.” I think the only person who’s genuinely excited about the movie is David Duchovny, believe it or not.
-Brad Lohan
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[…] These gals clearly don’t read my blog. Here’s what they suggested we go see: “The X-Files: I Want to Believe,” “Mamma Mia” or “Wall-E.” Ugh. I bailed shortly thereafter, leaving […]