Date: Fri 26-Jun-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: DONNAM

Quick Words:

X-Files-Duchovny-Anderson

Full Text:

NOW PLAYING: Not For Newcomers, "X-Files" Takes The Conspiracy Further

By Trey Paul Alexander III

Since the successful 1979 release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture , and its

seven (and counting!) sequels, the floodgates have opened for a host of TV

shows seeking to become hot movie franchises. The latest is The X-Files ,

which made a fine big-screen debut last week by snatching the top spot at the

box-office away from The Truman Show . Yet the question on many lips is, "Do

you have to be a fan to enjoy this movie?

To answer that question, let's go back to the "Star Trek" series. I've always

found it amusing whenever "Trek" producers talk about their latest installment

being "accessible" to both fans and novices of the show; "X-Files" creator

Chris Carter has been singing that same tune regarding this show's foray into

multiplexes. Yet the very essence of what makes each movie popular to their

core following is also what makes them inherently inaccessible to the layman.

Both shows are cult favorites that hit the mainstream, meaning their

popularity stems not from the masses (though mass appeal may occur) but from a

nucleus of intensely loyal, faithful viewers who "get it." The essential

elements of genre shows like "Trek" and "X-Files," while appealing to some,

will always keep them at a distance from many. That's why neither was an

instant hit.

To put it another way, think of "er," the TV mega-hit from day one show that

continues to entice scores of viewers. Take someone who has never seen it and

you could arguably get them hooked after only one viewing. However, take that

same viewer and sit him/her in front of "The X-Files" and you might get a

glazed-over look and the response, "I don't think this is for me." It's not an

issue of quality but of sensibility, style and storytelling. "er" is a

fast-paced drama whose characters, situations and plot lines translate well to

a mainstream audience. "The X-Files" is an often dark, ominous series based on

two dour FBI agents immersed in densely-plotted conspiratorial tales. We're

not exactly talking "Matlock" here.

So, where does that leave us? Ultimately, The X-Files in movie form is no more

accessible for those who have seen little or none of the show. I can't in good

conscience recommend it for newcomers. However, for fans of the show, The

X-Files is an enjoyable and satisfying trip to the theatre and amounts to more

than just two episodes put together and flashed up on a bigger canvas.

As written by Chris Carter, The X-Files wisely avoids answering every question

posed by the series over the last five years but instead focuses on one main

area: the conspiracy headed by a shadowy group called The Syndicate, involving

a black, viscous oil-like substance that may or may not be extraterrestrial

(we find out for sure by the end of the movie).

Our intrepid heroes are once again FBI agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and

Scully (Gillian Anderson), who 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 other than the terrorist act to which it

is purported, and opens the door for Mulder and Scully to find out bigger and

better things about what The Syndicate is truly doing and why. It also ups the

ante on the threat to their lives and brings Mulder and Scully closer together

than ever before.

Admittedly, Duchovny and Anderson are not the most giftedly charismatic actors

working today, but they are underappreciated by those who don't follow "The

X-Files." Their chemistry is on target here and will likely be the favorite

aspect of the film for fans. (Could there even be a kiss?)

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