Rish Outfield's reviews
Usually, when the tyranist and I argue, we come to an agreement ("Is the Leprechaun a scary villain?" "Is the soil of a man's heart stonier?" "What are Jennifer Love Hewitt's two best qualities?" etc.), and the question of argument this week was "Is ‘The X-Files' Horror?" After a bit of deliberation and citing favourite episodes, we agreed that it was. Sure, there's a lot of Sci-Fi elements, plus Action, Crime Drama, Comedy, even a little Romance (hey, we can always hope), but face it, beneath all the medical talk and argument, is good old-fashioned Horror.
The 1998 motion picture is no exception: Intelligent, stylized, creepy, funny, and universally entertaining (to fans and newcomers alike), this film was high-quality, high-brow Scientific Horror, regardless of arguments to the contrary. I didn't like the title "X-Files: Fight the Future," and I'm still not convinced that was the title, but after seeing it, it seemed to fit. This was a well-written, well-executed film with some amazing set pieces. Scully & Mulder are great to watch, and Gillian Anderson & David Duchovny aren't half bad either. Also, would-be-stepfather of mine, Terry O'Quinn played a role, something only I appreciate. I don't think I'll review the film, except to say that it was a bit confusing, but it was a good movie that should convert non-fans to the other side. I wasn't a fan of the series when this was released, so I can speak from the other side of the fence when I say how much I enjoyed this film. It made me wish I were a fan of the series, and I'm certain creator Chris Carter would take that as a compliment.
Best Scare: In a scene reminiscent of Aliens (is that Horror?), several hideous extraterrestrial beasties ‘awaken' as Agent Mulder waits to crawl through his escape duct.
I'd Recommend It To: Fans of the TV show and those who want to be.

The tyranist's thoughts
I can probably count the number of television shows that have made the transition to the big screen successfully on two hands. Most of them are science fiction. This movie makes that transition really well, but I think that is the case simply because the series itself feels like half-movies anyway. That and it has enough sci-fi in it to help.
When I first saw this movie, I really wasn't very well acquainted with the series. I had actually seen maybe a dozen episodes from different seasons and really knew nothing of the mythos. Still, it didn't alienate me like it could have. Instead it drew me in. I have pretty much been a faithful fan ever since having religiously watched seasons 6 and 7. I'd probably be in heaven if my cable service included FX and I could watch them on a nightly basis. Minutes before writing this I received an emailed confirmation that my copy of the X-Files Season 1 DVDs have been shipped. I couldn't be more excited.
The core of the series that so fascinates me is simply the willing and willful exploration of the unknown. Every episode leads us down a path that is a little different from the last one. The movie carries this on and leads us down a path that wouldn't be possible with a small screen budget. The path here is alluring and strange.
As for the horror, we've reviewed so enough aliens invade earth horror movies that you shouldn't have to ask. There is some wonderful tension in the movie and some moments of pure panicky horror (the vending room at the beginning and the escape from the alien ship at the end come to mind immediately). As I sit here and think about the potential end of the TV series coming up, that scares me a little too. What will we do without Mulder and Scully out there protecting us? I honestly hope that this turns into the franchise that Fox wants it to be and we can enjoy a few more big screen adventures featuring my two favourite agents.