X Files, The Review

All X Files fans will be queueing at cinemas from tomorrow to get a dose of their favourite television series translated to the big screen. And I don`t think they`ll be disappointed. All the ingredients are there - a government conspiracy, a vile agent attempting to colonise earthlings and FBI agents Mulder - David Duchovny - and Scully - Gillian Anderson - out there on the front line, brave, clever and sort of normal. The plot is wild - something about original inhabitants of the planet lying dormant deep underground until now. They`re invading humans through a virus that digests us and then transmutes into a creature...at least I think that`s the plot. Of course the Federal Emergency Management Agency is conducting secret experiments on these things and doesn`t want anyone to know, so whole buildings are devastated and people eliminated. But not Mulder and Scully. Not even when they get wise to the plot courtesy of gynaecologist Dr. Kurtzweil - Martin Landau - whose motivations are extremely dubious. Having been an admirer of the television series - particularly some of the early episodes - I was quite comfortable delving into big screen paranormal activity with my two trusted agents. Chris Carter who conceived the series and co-wrote and produced the film has thankfully not been tempted to spoof it up at all. And although the plot is ludicrously convoluted and downright unbelievable at least it has a plot which is more than you can say for most action films these days. Rob Bowman directed, he`s had plenty of experience with the series on television having directed 25 episodes. He`s lightened the film up quite a bit, there are fewer green shadows lurking. I saw this on a huge screen with great sound, sitting up close and personal and I had a really good time with The X Files movie. It`s not to be taken seriously, it`s just sheer entertainment...