The X-Files: I Want to Believe | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

32% Tomatometer 169 Reviews 32% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings

Though FBI special agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and his partner Dr. Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) once chased things that go bump in the night, his tireless search for the truth out there has led to his professional exile. However, a missing-persons case leads to the agents' reunion, along with an encounter with a priest (Billy Connolly) who may or may not be experiencing psychic visions.

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The X-Files: I Want to Believe

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Critics Consensus

The chemistry between leads David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson do live up to The X-Files' televised legacy, but the roving plot and droning routines make it hard to identify just what we're meant to believe in.

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The X-Files: I Want to Believe | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Deborah Ross The Spectator The film's ambition may well be to "stand alone" but, alas, it doesn't even stand up. Aug 23, 2018 Full Review The X-Files: I Want to Believe | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Nell Minow Movie Mom Rated: B- Feb 18, 2012 Full Review The X-Files: I Want to Believe | Rotten Tomatoes (3) David Fear Time Out Rated: 3/5 Nov 18, 2011 Full Review The X-Files: I Want to Believe | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review I want to believe there are still quality X-Files stories to tell, even if this one wasn’t. I want to believe this, but like the protagonists in the movie, my beliefs are conflicted with doubt and reservation. Rated: 2/4 Jul 14, 2024 Full Review The X-Files: I Want to Believe | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Eddie Harrison film-authority.com …the story may be missing some beats, but there’s still an interesting chemistry between the leads, and the conflict between science and religion is an edgy seam to mine… Rated: 3/5 May 28, 2022 Full Review The X-Files: I Want to Believe | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Niall Browne Movies in Focus One of the major criticisms levelled at The X-Files: I Want To Believe is that it is like an episode of the television series - and a mediocre episode at that. I have to say that this is true. Rated: 3/5 Mar 17, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alex K If you're expecting any resolutions at all to almost anything that happened in the show you'll get none. It's basically an extended episode of the show with a crap x-file, one of the case adjacent ones. The case was pretty sci-fi-y too I suppose but the x-files qualities of the case aren't discussed. I have a lot of other issues with the film that I'm not gunna explore. Fun fact for those that expanded: They used a spitting image puppet of Zach Braff as stand in for David when he was too busy to shoot Rated 1.5/5 Stars • Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 09/16/24 Full Review Tam W Loved the X Files, but and it's nice to see the cast again after the series had ended but aside from that, this movie really sucked. Rated 1.5/5 Stars • Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 09/15/24 Full Review Liam D The second big screen venture for Fox Mulder and Dana Scully while ditching the science fiction for more supernatural thriller is an interesting move and the cast is great but it feels like an very disappointing episode of The X Files Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/08/24 Full Review John C `The X-files: I Want to Believe' was the second big screen tie-in to be spawned from the excellent TV series. However, if failed to set the box office alight and also was met with a lukewarm reaction from the fans (of which I am one). I loved all nine series of the sci-fi drama, tuning in each week to watch the two FBI agents, Mulder and Scully, as they tracked down one supernatural mystery after the next.As I mentioned, the X-files went on for a colossal nine series, covering everything from alien abduction, to pyrokinesis and artificial intelligence. Therefore, it was fair to say that it had a rich (supernatural) background from which to build on. Fans naturally expected it to somehow continue from the end of the ninth series (concentrating on the conspiracy between sinister alien forces and a splinter-cell of the American government to take over the world). However, it didn't.The second X-files movie is a very condensed little piece which, although uses the main characters, doesn't really feel much like part of the series. It's a stand-alone affair which, amazingly (and in some people's opinion - unforgivably), doesn't really have that much to do with the paranormal. Yes, there's a priest who has psychic powers, but that element feels pretty underutilised during the whole story.What you have here, rather than a film which is very much sci-fi/conspiracy (keeping in tone with the series), is one which is - almost - a standard FBI vs Serial killer movie. You could almost have removed the small psychic element and simply had Scully and Mulder hunt down someone harvesting body parts.I'm tempted to say that, if you like the series, you'll like this, but most people didn't. I didn't either the first time I watched it. I expected something big and loud and filled with aliens and double-crossing. What I got was something smaller and more subtle. Now I've seen it a second time, I like it a little more. But, as many said about Star Trek 9: Insurrection, it felt more like an extended TV episode rather than a cinematic vehicle to re-launch the X-files onto a new generation. So, if you like cops tracking down serial killer type movies then you'll probably like this. It's not bad, it's just not what I and many other die-hard X-files fans were expecting (I'd still be first in line if they ever announced an `X-files 3' movie though!). Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/14/24 Full Review Howard H Provides a mashup of all that made the series worthy. Visually confronting towards the end of film. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/15/24 Full Review Sebastian L Yet another non-movie by Carter and co. Why bother making a feature film when you don't know how to utilize the format? And it's not much of an x-file either. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/22/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Chris Carter Director David Duchovny Fox Mulder Gillian Anderson Dana Scully Billy Connolly Father Joseph Crissman Amanda Peet ASAC Dakota Whitney Xzibit Agent Mosely Drummy
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Synopsis Though FBI special agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and his partner Dr. Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) once chased things that go bump in the night, his tireless search for the truth out there has led to his professional exile. However, a missing-persons case leads to the agents' reunion, along with an encounter with a priest (Billy Connolly) who may or may not be experiencing psychic visions.

Director
Chris Carter

Producer
Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz

Screenwriter
Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz

Distributor
20th Century Fox

Production Co
Ten Thirteen Productions, 20th Century Fox

Rating
PG-13 (Violent and Disturbing Content|Thematic Material)

Genre
Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama, Horror

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 25, 2008, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 18, 2012

Box Office (Gross USA)
$21.0M

Runtime
1h 44m

Sound Mix
DTS, Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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