The X Files Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Fight the Future
Take Your Greatest Fear And Multiply It By X
Fight
Future
Discover the past, live the present, fight the future.
Cherish the past. Enjoy the present. Because the truth is coming. Fight the future.
The Truth Is Revealed
Take your greatest fear... your most paranoid suspicion... and your darkest nightmare... and multiply it-by X!
Trust in no one Mr Mulder.
One man alone can not Fight the Future.
The Truth is something you're never guess, never have predicted.
Two people from two worlds. FBI Agent Fox Mulder, a believer. FBI Agent Dana Scully, a Skeptic. Together they must solve the mysteries such as who, or what destroyed a Federal Building in Dallas, what killed 4 firemen and a child supposedly killed in the blast and more, but these mysteries were not placed by some insane terrorist, these were placed by our very own Government.
| John Neville | The Well-Manicured Man |
| Jeffrey De Munn | Ben Bronschweig, M.D. |
| Blythe Danner | Jana Cassidy |
| Armin Mueller-Stahl | Conrad Strughold |
| Martin Landau | Alvin Kurtzweil, MD |
| Terry O'Quinn | Darius Michaud |
| Gillian Anderson | Special Agent Dana Scully |
| Mitch Pileggi | Assistant Director Walter Skinner |
| David Duchovny | Special Agent Fox Mulder |
| William B. Davis | The Cigarette-Smoking Man |
| Lucas Black | Stevie |
| Christopher Fennell | Boy #2 |
| Cody Newton | Boy #3 |
| Blake Stokes | Boy #4 |
| Dean Haglund | Richard 'Ringo' Langly |
| Rob Bowman |
6.70 out of 10 (24072 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Lives up to its own standards
posted on 13 Aug 2009The X-Files is a pretty good fan movie. If you like the series, you will probably like this film. Although I consider the TV show to be somewhat ridiculous, I enjoyed its plot-orientation, classy production, often sophisticated writing, and the relationship between the protagonists - Mulder and Scully. The film gives its audience more of the same, but elaborates nicely on Scully and Mulder, and amplifies the production values by an order of magnitude.Despite the somewhat convoluted mode of presentation, the story is pretty simple. Mulder and Scully have uncovered a cover-up involving a deadly extra-terrestrial virus, which is a precursor to a much bigger problem presided over by the mysterious secret uber-government the show so often hints at. A lot of questions are answered less ambiguously than the series normally offered, and a few new ones surface before the lengthy, action-oriented climax. Duchovny plays Mulder exactly as he did on TV, but Gillian Anderson adds impressive depth to Scully. Martin Landau gives a nice supporting performance as Mulder's questionable informant. The directing is a touch above the TV show's standards, as is the cinematography. And the special effects are much better than what XF fans are used to. Too bad they didn't have Angelo Badalamenti for the soundtrack. The story does one difficult thing very well - it fits within a long story-arc from the TV show quite nicely and yet manages to operate decently as a stand-alone story as well. Despite this the film is even more absurd and paranoiac than the TV show. Major suspension of disbelief required, but worth the effort if you like the show, or enjoy wholly fictional conspiracy theory. Had it not followed the standard S-Files TV show formula, X-Files - The Movie, might have earned a 7 instead of a 5 from me.
If viewed over 9 seasons,it plays out as a novel
posted on 29 Jul 2009In my view, the movie serves as the centerpiece of a 200 episode novel. The team of David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson deserve to be listed among the great screen duos of all time. They made characters come to life as people. For seven years they were the centerpiece of what is likely to be remembered as the show of the 90's. Drama, comedy, they did it all well and different. Season 8 and 9 are not in that league due to the reduced presence of Duchovny and Anderson and a burned out core writing staff, but it was still better than most of its rivals. The movie essentially can serve as a cliffnote to the first five years, although I highly recommend buying the season box sets and start from the beginning. For the film itself, keep in mind that the X-Files in the end was about the journey of Mulder and Scully to each other and not really about conspiracies or aliens. In the end, that was the truth they were always searching for.
Et tu Brute?
posted on 17 Jul 2009How amazed I was to read comments by X Philes expressing their contempt and disappointment for this film! I can't imagine how any devoted and loyal X Files fan could not like (albeit love) this movie! Despite the fact you get to see your favourite characters on the big screen with cinema sound, you recommend the series and bag the film! The plot was fantastic, as was the cast and their performances, and it could hold it's own against any action/thriller released last year. I was so caught up in it, I did not want this film to end!So, all you backstabbers out there, I don't understand your way of thinking. This movie is a fantastic step forward to what the future will hold for us X Philes. Once the series ends, we will only have the new films to look forward to. The X Files Movie will soon be in my video collection, next to all the excellent TV episodes released so far.
A bigger, badder Sunday-night episode
posted on 08 Jul 2009A satisfying installment in the ongoing saga of Mulder, Scully, and their attempts to thwart an invasion of the earth by ill-tempered aliens, aided and abetted by representatives of our own government (or are they?) who have sold out humankind for their own obscure motives. The movie's story falls squarely between the series' fifth and sixth seasons, which is, coincidentally enough, precisely when the film was released. It plays like a bigger, badder version of a regular Sunday-night episode, one with a bigger, badder budget. Part of the reason for the series' popularity lies in its rich cinematic feel and atmosphere, and this is brought with great success to the big screen. Another part lies with the series' real accomplishment: the striking of an amazing balance between dramatic closure and actual plot resolution. The ability to leave the audience feeling satisfied while still leaving many unanswered questions, and often posing new ones, is creator Chris Carter's great miracle, one which he has accomplished only with lesser success in his second series, "Millennium." Don't expect this movie to stand alone, independent from the series--like, for the most part, the "Star Trek" movies do--or to get around to answering all the questions it asks. If you follow the series, you already know that the sixth season opener picks up the movie's story-line and runs forward with it, screaming like a banshee.
A True Ten! One of the years best films.
posted on 08 Jun 2009It often amazes me how the better movies never get nominated for a serious
Academy Award (Best Screenplay; Best Picture; Best Director). For me, last
year, The Game should have been nominated for both (Best Screenplay, Best
Original Screenplay, Best Picture and Best Director), it was a truly
awesome and unforgettable film. And the situation will hold true again
this year. For me, since I am an X-Phile, seeing Fight the Future on the
big screen, during its first opening week, with a large crowd, is an
experience I will not forget. It was a great movie. Rob Bowman worked his
ass off and so did the writers and actors. Five stars. The problem is,
that it will probably only be nominated for a Best Cyn.; Best Stage Design;
or Best Special Effects; Best Sound Effects. But it deserves Best Picture.
At least a nomination.
X Files is entertaining, but extremely confusing
posted on 21 May 2009I sincerely enjoyed the movie. I thought it was great, even though I'm not a big series fan. The plot, however, was more than confusing. Even after watching the movie for three times, I still did not understand all the intricate details about the ongoing conspiracy. Overall, however, I recommend this movie.
May be OK for fanboys, but for non-fans, it's a monumental bore
posted on 09 May 2009I have never followed the X-files TV show, I saw a couple and it just never hooked me. But the hype around it was so excruciating at the time this film came out that I thought, "What the hell, I'll have to give it another go". And I thought the best place to start would be the film, which was being released amid much hoopla. I thought that it would be better than any episode; that, given the stretched budget and running time of a movie, the makers would be able to come up with a more developed and intriguing plot than the contrived, formulaic ones often found in TV shows; and if I liked it, I could take it from there.Well, the result was bitter disappointment. The movie demanded an extensive knowledge of previous data, places, characters and events, in order to be fully understood, and, even with the blanks filled in, no amount of spectacular visuals could make up for the paper-thin plot. I suppose that some of the most notorious scenes of the film (no need to mention, you know which ones) were big payoffs for fans, but the sad truth was that this was just an extended episode, i.e. it did not stand alone on its own two feet as a film and it should have never reached the big screen, just aired as a special. I believe that, even if a film is based on previous material, it should always be a self contained story that can be enjoyed, at least for the most part, also by the uninitiated, but this is clearly not the case here.So, I can't really judge the significance of this film for those who love the show (and I know there's a lot "out there", so fair enough if they're satisfied, this movie was clearly just for them). But if you don't follow it, quite simply: Don't bother.
Ho, hum
posted on 09 Apr 2009As a big fan of the tv show (which I fear is coming down with "TwinPeaksitis", a propensity to progressive inexplicable weirdness and self-importance), I looked forward to the movie. My disappointment lies in what appears to me to be a rather cynical attempt to provide a bridge between seasons. I'll be curious to see how the new season begins; specifically, will it require one to be familiar with the movie to carry over logically (if such term can be used). Several problems:1. Much of the movie (characters, plot, etc) follows the series; so how come the "black oil", having been part of the series for several seasons, is shown as a new element?2. Personally, I'm getting a little bored by the "sexual tension" between Mulder & Scully. Either get it on or move on. But maybe they realize resolving a fabricated sexual tension is what helped kill "Moonlighting" (Bruce Willis/Cybil Shepard).3. Why spend big bucks on special effects, then make them so murky you have little idea of what's happening?4. Mulder's snow tractor in Antartica runs out of gas, all the others evacuate, Mulder & Scully are last seen wet, exhausted and apparently stranded in the freezing temperature: So how do they get back to D.C. by Monday?5. Is William B. Davis (Cigarette Man) paid by the line, or by the cigarette? For his sake, I hope the latter.6. If this Super-Conspiracy is so efficient, how come they can't hire gunmen who can shoot Mulder in the head at point-blank range?I don't expect rational explanations from The X-Files; but when one builds a mythology, you should really stay within that mythology rather than side-stepping it when cinematically convenient.
Wishlist
posted on 09 Apr 2009This movie was horrible! I really wanted it to be good. I am a phile and it ruined any love I had left for the series. I had expected a thinking mans sci-fi story-The best I got was Landau and the end of WMM-who died for no reason at all but to be a sacrificial lamb.As for the jist of the plot I have been around this bend before with the main characters for free enough times. When (later in the series) Scully claimed she hadn't remembered what happened so she couldn't back up what Mulder said about her abduction I just laughed-was there any point to the movie?I lasted about 4 shows after the movie before giving up entirely. The show has become the movie.
True to Television Series
posted on 03 Apr 2009The X-Files: Fight the Future was the best treat true X-philes had this summer. A two hour frolic into the lives of heroes Agt. Mulder and Scully turned out to be a spectacular event that took moviegoers from Antarctica to Tunisia, and London to D.C. Some long-standing questions were answered that the series raised. Some sexual tension between the two leads ALMOST came to a crux. And some of our best friends and enemies from the series found their way to the big screen without missing a beat. Great story, great adventure, great romance. Chris Carter has long beat Gene Roddenberry for dedicated leadership in his series. Kudos for Rob Bowman for taking a big leap from directing the TV series to a $60 million picture. Superb acting from Duchovny, Anderson, Landau, Davis, Neville, and Mueller-Stahl.
total pig
posted on 28 Mar 2009I watched this on cable, thank God! To actually pay to see this drivel would have made me very cranky indeed. Not having actually watched an episode of the TV series, I really did not know what to expect, Friends had told me what a sophisticated SF series it was.It was DREADFUL!!!The plot was full of holes you could drive a Mack truck through. The FX were ham-fisted, the acting.. well should I call it acting.I don't mind bad SF if it is high camp and a bit of fun, but this flick took itself seriously and failed miserably.Avoid at all costs.
good, but not outstanding
posted on 10 Mar 2009I used to watch the X-files in the days before it became popular. Then I saw
the movie. It was good, but it was pretty much a long version of a typical
episode. Scully's quitting... or is she? They're gonna kiss... or are they?
There's a scientific explanation... or is there? These are the same
questions asked weekly during the tv show and the movie just took it to a
bigger and more expensive level. These kind of "government conspiracy
movies" hang on the balance between a scarry possibility and pure paranoia
from those with way too much free time on their hands. See it in the dollar
theater.
Mulder and Scully almost kiss.
posted on 10 Mar 2009Nah. The X-Files is/was an excellent show, but this... well. I loved it when it first came out on VHS, watched it over and over again. Now, though, it doesn't seem quite as good. Not bad either. Well. It has its moments; the almost-kiss, the fleeing-from-the-evil-bees, and oh, it has David Duchovny! The mytharc too. Yes. See this movie. If you are an X-Phile. If not... you'd better go for an actual episode, like, Ice, The Pilot, Redux. Just do it. Yes.
"The impossible scenario we never come up with a plan for? Well, we'd better come up with a plan."
posted on 06 Jan 2009The X Files starts in 'North Texas 35,000 B.C.' which at that point in time looks more like the Artic. Two primitive cavemen (Craig Davis & Carrick O'Quinn) find shelter from the harsh elements inside a cave. They also find an alien creature that kills one of them before the other caveman stabs it to death, however the aliens spilt blood seems to be alive... Jump forward to 'North Texas Present Day' where a young boy named Stevie (Lucas Black) falls into the cave that has lied undisturbed for 1000's of years, it's not long before he is infected with the alien blood. Soon after a group of sinister men in suits arrive to clean up... The X Files are now closed & both FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) & Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are assigned to more mundane tasks like dealing with terrorist threats in Dallas where Mulder discovers a bomb which ends up detonating & destroying a building, causing $45,000,000 in damage & killing five people. Someone has to take the blame & Mulder & Scully are it, however a Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil (Martin Landau) contacts Mulder & says that the explosion was in fact planned by his own people to dispose of three bodies infected with the alien virus. Mulder decides to investigate Kurtzweil's claims & discovers aliens, conspiracy's, cover ups, shadowy figures & a sinister plan that could wipe out the entire human race...Directed by Rob Bowman the only, thus far, big screen outing for Mulder & Scully is a pretty good film, I have seen most of the TV series although not since they were first aired here in the UK probably over 10 years ago now so it is hard for me to compare the two. The script by Chris Carter works well, the basic story is good although I have to say any fan of the series may find it somewhat linear & predictable. The film also has a big climax in which it starts to resemble Aliens (1986). I think I'm right in saying that the alien blood featured in this film is also present in some of the TV episodes so I guess it doesn't really take things in any new direction. I also thought that it went on for too long, I personally like short films as my interest begins to wain easily & I must admit I did start to look at the clock to see how long was left. I would have preferred if the story had more of a mystery element, we the viewer know what's happening & we have to wait for Mulder to catch up, as it were.Director Bowman, a veteran of the series, does nothing spectacular. There are a few nice wide aerial shots of deserts, snow covered landscapes but for the most part it looks like the TV series. There are a few aliens in it, a fairly tame autopsy & a few splashes of blood but nothing too graphic.With a budget of about $66,000,000 all I have to say is where did the money go? That's a hell of a lot of money for a mostly character driven film with two big CGI effects (a building blowing up & a huge spacecraft at the end) & no major stars. It's well made & has that Hollywood polish to it but that is a lot of money considering what ended up on screen, to my eyes anyway. The acting is OK but it's not like Duchovny or Anderson haven't had practise in the roles, is it?The X Files is a good film with a entertaining sci-fi type plot, fans would probably be disappointed as I don't think it's a radical departure form the TV series but, as I said, I think it's a solid film. Definitely worth a watch especially for sci-fi fans.
Why pay to watch an episode of a TV show on the big screen?
posted on 03 Jan 2009Not being an avid fan of the show & only having a rough knowledge of the characters I did not find this too difficult to follow. The plot itself is one which is contained within the movie however it is laughably old-fashioned & derivative. To me this felt like an episode of a TV show, or a TV movie rather than a big screen treatment. The production values seemed quite low & as for the special effects? I can't understand how people can marvel over them. Men in rubber suits, a couple of explosions? A wasted opportunity when you compare it to other TV show to movie adaptations, the original Star Trek for example. I liked the ending - they won the battle but not the war - but overall this is a poor lazy effort to transform a TV show to the big screen.
A thrilling installment in the X Files series.
posted on 03 Jan 2009Fight the Future is perhaps the best adaptation of a TV series onto the big screen ever made. While many believe that the movie was not worth the time or money to view it, I suggest otherwise. The movie is like an extra long show, which is one of the reasons the movie was torn apart by critics and regular viewers alike. But why ruin a perfect formula just because the media is different? The film has all the elements of the series with a bigger budget, so the effects are a lot better. Full of action, adventure, and all of the mystique the so-called "X-philes" love, Fight the Future is a staple in any sci-fi fan's collection.
makes no sense if you did not see the television series
posted on 03 Jan 2009I don't understand why other reviewers gave this film such high ratings. If seen stand-alone, i.e., without the assumptions carried by having seen the television series, the story is pretty bland and doesn't have much "body". It was quite disappointing.
Wah?
posted on 10 Dec 2008I don't watch X-Files on a regular basis but the reviews here and elsewhere say that it's not a problem. Sorry, but it is. Both my girlfriend and I are reasonably intelligent and cinema literate, but we both came out of the cinema, gave each other blank looks and shouted "What the Hell was THAT all about?"Everything was going smoothly until the meeting of obviously very important and powerful people in London. After that, poof! Even the 'explanation' given to Mulder in the car didn't help and we were hanging on every word. Utterly baffling.The final scenes in Antartica also challenged my ability to suspend disbelief. Aliens etc I can handle but Mulder being shot in the head and then apparently going without sleep for 4 days I can not. And how DID Mulder get an unconcious Scully dressed (with clothes obtained from I know not where) and up a 60ft ice cute whilst being chased by aliens?Mysterious indeed
Just like an episode
posted on 25 Aug 2009I am quite a fan of the television show 'The X-Files', and the movie 'The X-Files' was just like an episode, except about 3 times as long (not counting the advertisements in the series) and a bigger budget. But it was made to be like an episode, it continued where the series left off, and the next series will continue where the movie left off. It is about as good as an average episode, but this one lags a little, gets a bit boring, but at times, it livens up a lot. The movie is about the alien black stuff that takes over people's bodies. A lot of the questions of the series are answered, yet some more are made. The blowing-up building at the beginning was terrific, with great special-effects. I will give it a 7 out of 10.