Date: Fri 06-Nov-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: SHIRLE

Quick Words:

Playing-Duchovny-Anderson-X

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NOW PLAYING: X-Philes, This Column's For You!

When "The X-Files" jumped to the big screen over the summer, of main concern

was whether the two-hour feature could be rewarding to fans, yet accessible to

those uninitiated in all things "X." When I reviewed it in June, I doubted the

movie would win new fans, though it had valuable, satisfying moments for its

loyal following. My position remains the same and, now that the video is out,

it would seem 20th Century Fox agrees: the video release especially appeals to

loyal viewers by providing additional footage that explains one of the show's

key mysteries among its abundance of questions (the "abduction" of Mulder's

sister, Samantha). "X-Philes," this column's for you!

The video of The X-Files movie, currently among the top ten rentals in the

country, was released in time to get fans primed and ready for the show's

season premiere this weekend (a coincidence? I think not). When the show

returns, it will address the events of the film, which pits FBI agents Fox

Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) against their usual

foes -- dark, ominous and conspiracy-minded individuals seeking some sinister

agenda. These villains and their shady schemes have become a bit less murky:

the movie focuses on the enigmatic group, The Syndicate, and their designs to

use a viscous, oil-like substance that is extraterrestrial in nature.

Mulder and Scully, who ended last season watching the X-Files literally go up

in flames, begin the film on terrorist detail in a very effective sequence

involving explosives planted within a Dallas government building. The bombing

turns out to be something more than the terrorist act to which it is

purported, and Mulder and Scully are blamed for the loss of lives and damage

caused by the blast. It also cracks open the door for the duo to find out

bigger and better things about what The Syndicate is truly doing and why, as

Mulder is told, the individuals allegedly killed in the explosion were already

dead.

Over the years, Mulder has gained inside info from secretive individuals (Deep

Throat, X, and Maria Covarrubias, among them) who may or may not have been

using him for their own gain. Here, he meets a man named Kurtzweil (Martin

Landau), who claims to have known his father and have knowledge of The

Syndicate's plans to use FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) to

gain control of the government and aid in the colonization of earth by

extraterrestrials. Mulder hardly trusts his new source, but when he and Scully

find the bodies and discover evidence of death by an unknown virus -- and not

the explosion -- it ups their determination to get at the truth.

It also ups the ante on the threat to their lives as The Syndicate, under

pressure to contain the secrets of the "black oil" and conceive a strategy for

an unforeseen occurrence in their tests with the alien contaminant, looks to

silence Mulder and Scully and bring an end to their increasing closeness to

the answers they so desperately seek. With their lives and their work at a

crossroads, the two agents need one another now more than ever, leading to an

intimate scene that had fans on the edge of their seats.

The ramifications of this sequence, and of the film as a whole, should prove

interesting as the season picks up this fall with the X-Files re-opened and

the dynamic duo of Mulder and Scully closer and more determined than ever.

Things to watch for as the season progresses: Will the intimacy of Mulder and

Scully continue to heighten? Will the show, now filming in L.A. after years of

production in versatile Vancouver, continue to sport its trademark noir look

and feel? After answering some key questions, will the show continue to so

intently pique our interest? Only time will tell, but fans can rest assured

that it will be fun to see it all unfold.

The X-Files is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.