Rating: 
Summary: An enjoyable move to the "big screen"
Review: The X-Files "Fight the Future" takes place after the end of season five when the X-Files have been shut down. FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully ( Gillian Anderson) are assigned to a Federal building in Dallas to locate a bomb. Unfortunately, the bomb goes off before it can be defused, and an FBI agent as well as three fireman and a boy are killed in the explosion. The FBI needs someone to blame for what happened and look to Mulder and Scully. Wanting to find out what really happened to save their careers, Mulder starts searching for clues. He soon encounters a paranoid doctor ( Martin Landau) who reveals to Mulder a conspiracy dealing with a deadly virus that could be alien in origin - and capable of destroying all life on earth. Mulder and Scully are soon forced to put their careers and lives on the line, when they are pitted against a powerful group of men known as the Syndicate, who are somehow connected with the virus and willing to kill to keep their secrets safe.The X-Files film "Fight the Future" offers a very enjoyable transition from the television series to the big screen. I first saw the film, back when it was released in theaters. I had never seen a single episode from the show, and even though there were some things I did not understand, like who the Lone Gunmen were, the Syndicate's role in the overall conspiracy, etc., the film managed to entertain me. Now that the prices on the DVD sets for the show have been reduced, I was able to go back and finally watch the first five seasons. I recently watched the film again, and I really enjoyed it because I was finally able to understand all the smaller details that eluded me the first time around. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are in fine form once again as Mulder and Scully. Martin Landau was very good as well. Fans of the show will be happy with the film, because it does a very good job expanding on the overall mythology, as well as bringing in characters from the show like Assitant Director Skinner played by Mitch Pillegi, the Lone Gunmen, and the Cigarette Smoking Man played by William Davis. The special effects, action sequences, and suspense this film brings will entertain people who have never seen the show. In my opinion, "Fight the Future" can be enjoyed by hardcore fans of the show, as well as a person who has never seen the show. I know this from experience because I was able to watch the film from both points of view. In fact, it was seeing the film the first time around that made me want to watch the show in the first place. The DVD itself offers top notch picture and sound quality, as well as commentary from Chris Carter, and an in-depth featurette on the making of the movie and the transition from the show to the big screen. A solid 5 stars...
Rating: 
Summary: Good series, bad movie
Review: On the commentary track of this movie, someone says that this movie tried to appeal to both the die hard fans of the movie and to potential new fans. Unfortunately, doing an extended 'myth arc' episode as a movie ends up short for both groups. The X Files movie came along at a time where the series's mythology was already, overly complicated and convoluted, so it was hard for newbies to follow the story without having to do extended research about the back story. Die hard fans, on the other hand, would find the story progresses too slowly, compared to the series.
Rating:
Summary: Solid X-Files adventure
Review: "The X-Files: Fight the Future" doesn't answer a lot of the questions that fans were waiting for from the movie. The only difference between this movie and, say, a two or three part X-Files story arc is the size of the budget, effects and the guest stars. The writing, unfortunately, doesn't measure up to the best the series offered. Nevertheless, it's a fine theatrical episode of the series. Thousands of years ago an alien species ruled this planet. Humanity was just an afterthought. It's clear that these aliens want to regain control of the planet and members of the government have made a pact with the devil; humanity will become a slave race to these aliens (and other things you don't want to know about if you haven't seen the movie otherwise it'll spoil plot points). Somehow all of this is tied into two little boys that discover an ancient underground cavern. One of the boys is infected with some sort of virus as are several rescue workers. In another part of the US, Mulder and Scully are checking out terrorist threat against the US. The building that Mulder and Scully and the rest of the team believe to be the target is a decoy. Mulder and Scully accidently discover the real target. The mystery at the heart of the film is why the terrorist targeted a building that had the agency FEMA in it when there were more vital government agencies they could have hit. Also, the building was evacuated. So how come there were two victims discovered in the rubble? All of this remains at the heart of the mystery and it does, indeed, play into the alien conspiracy story arc than began to be undcovered in season one of the series. If you're interested in "The X-Files" but haven't seen the entire series, this movie is still comprehensible to the average moviegoer. The ramifications of the plot, however, will be much more important if you've seen the bulk of seasons 2-6 first (season 1 just sets up the conspiracy angle and is important but not a central part of the conspiracy arc). The picture quality is pretty good considering this came out close to the beginning of the DVD craze. It could be improved with an anamorphic widescreen transfer (higher picture quality)and with a separate disc of extras. The extras aren't bad here they're just not as indepth as they should be. My guess is that Fox plans on re-releasing this on DVD when the new X-Files movie comes out in 2006 and/or within the next year or two because they've finally got the entire series on DVD. Well worth picking up for fans but for casual new viewers, I'd suggest starting with seasons 2-6 to fully understand the consequences of this film's plot line. Carter's script isn't his best but there are enough gems in the script to make it worthwhile for fans of the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Letdown in Theaters, but a treat at home
Review: Being a HUGE fan, I couldn't wait to see this when it came out. The TV series was so well produced, and for the mostpart well-written, that I felt it's "theatrical" quality would surely prove to be fantastic on the big screen. Unfortunately, my expectations were met with a letdown, and I left the film feeling jipped. Sure there was still the great characters of Skully and Mulder (the most likeable in recent TV history), but the story was less than inventive and in my mind proved that all Fox wanted to do was pull more non-viewers into the fold. Last week though, I broke down and purchased the DVD in DTS and went home to watch it. WOW, not only did I enjoy the movie more, but the DVD was of an extremely high quality. The picture was beautiful (better than the Theater), and the sound...absolutely perfect. I have to say that Chris Carter and his talented team of producers certainly inject great care and attention to detail in their DVDs. I also have the first season set on DVD and the transfers from film are crisp and the audio clear. Definitely worth the money, and one of those series that you can pop-in on rainy day and enjoy it no matter how many times you've seen it. The movie is cut from the same cloth, high watchable and infinitely enjoyable. Now if they would just get Mulder back everything would be perfect.;-)
Rating:
Summary: Aliens and bees and corn fields, oh my!
Review: "The X-Files: Fight the Future" is an endlessly fascinating and complicated movie that ties together all the mythology pieces from the popular series upon which it's based. Although I think that people who never watch the show can enjoy this movie, I doubt they can understand it very well. Heck, I watch the show religiously and I still don't think I understand everything. However, it succeeds in introducing the audience to the characters of Agents Mulder and Scully, without rehashing the things that are familiar to the fans of the show. When we are first introduced to our favorite duo, their conversation on their cell phones is enjoyable to both old audiences and new ones alike. The film also makes clear the deep affection and love Mulder and Scully feel for each other--something regular viewers already know--which comes to a head in the famous hallway scene outside of Mulder's apartment. The film is top quality, as we've come to expect no less from "The X-Files," with an intelligent story-line, great action sequences and special effects, and plenty of aliens to satisfy the sci-fi junkie in all of us. But don't get me wrong--you don't have to be a sci-fi junkie to enjoy this film. You have to like a good suspense/thriller, with some action, intelligent story-telling, and yes, a little bit of hinted-at romance. I mean, for "The X-Files," any 'Shipper will tell you that this is a pretty romantic movie. As one of those so-called 'Shippers, I was very angry at that darn bee, which was my biggest disappointment. The DVD itself is nicely presented, with all the theatrical trailers, an informative commentary track by Rob Bowman and Chris Carter, and an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film. Best of all, it has added footage not originally in the theatrical version. This DVD is sure to please all forms of movie-goers. =)
Rating:
Summary: AND THE POINT IS...
Review: Not having been a fan of the t.v. series (in fact, I never saw it), I didn't know what to expect from the film version, but I was more than willing to go in with an open mind and see what all the hoopla was about. Ooops. As many reviewers have so adroitly noted, if you're not a fan of the series, you probably won't get a lot out of this film. While expertly done, FIGHT THE FUTURE has a lot of elements that one cannot fully appreciate if one wasn't involved in the series. And that makes me wonder, what was the point of making a movie if only fans of the series could truly appreciate it? Why didn't they just make a two hour t.v. movie? Obviously, they were hoping to expand their market with this big screen version, but as box office receipts proved, the film did not make the beaucoups of money the producers had hoped to. Nor did it make movie stars out of David Duchovny or Gillian Anderson. I will admit however that the movie is not the least bit boring, just confusing. The performances are professional and noteworthy, the music is neat, and it moves at a very intense pace. However, for the simple movie goer and those who did not follow the series after this movie was released, it left a lot of open territory to explore. A well made, interesting movie, but not enough to make me run out and buy the DVDs of the series.
Rating:
Summary: Views better now as part of the series as a whole
Review: At the time, THE X-FILES: FACE THE FUTURE was widely regarded as a disappointment. For one thing, it was not a film that had the potential to appeal strongly to nonfans of the series. It absolutely did not stand alone or provide a narrative that was unconnected with the series as a whole. In fact, it was essentially a transition piece from Season Five to Season Six of the series. As a film, it was limited in what it was able to achieve. But today if we view it primarily as a pivot from Season Five to Season Six (which is probably the only way that it can be seen today), it is a very satisfying expanded episode.
Season Five memorably ended with the demise of the X-Files, not merely with their being closed, but with the actual physical files being demolished in an office fire set by the Cigarette Smoking Man. Mulder and Scully had also failed to protect Gibson, a young boy who had the capacity to read minds (and who had more or less told Mulder and Scully, ever repressed in matters of the heart, that they were in love with one another). The movie picks up the narrative at precisely this point, with Mulder and Scully working in Texas as part of a large team working on a bomb case. Likewise, Season Six of the series would pick up immediately following the end of the action of the movie, with Mulder and Scully being debriefed at a meeting, basically recounting the major events covered in the film. In other words, the film is completely embedded in Seasons Five and Six of the television show.
Obviously, everyone who was part of the series had to be fitted into the film somehow. So we get brief appearances by everyone from Skinner to the Lone Gunmen to The Well-Manicured Man (who memorably departs the series in the film) to the Cigarette Smoking Man. But luckily despite the need and/or urge to put as much in the film as possible, the film features a lot of time with classic Mulder/Scully interaction. They come within centimeters of logging their first kiss ever (a long, slow, deliberate almost-kiss--though their joint ability to forget such a moment becomes more than a little trying afterwards). There are hordes of aliens that Mulder has to save Scully from, but which she conveniently misses when she passes out at key moments. There is even a huge spaceship that rises from the Artic icebed that Scully again manages to miss at key moments (and which provides a nice comic moment in Season Eight, when a worshipping FBI agent asks them how Mulder was able to get Scully back to civilization after he had run out of gas).
After the end of THE X-FILES series, it is rumored that Chris Carter declined to make additional films so near the end of the show. Today, however, there have been multiple rumors that all of the key figures are more amenable to reprising THE X-FILES on the silver screen. Because the series is no longer running, and there is no story line to tie into, I actually have higher hopes for additional films than I did for the original. David Duchovny says that the screenplay Chris Carter is working on focuses less on aliens and more on the supernatural. It is fascinating to speculate on how a new film would go, since Mulder and Scully were not actually on the X-Files any longer at the end of the show. On the other hand, they apparently poised to finally have that full blown romance that seemed to be percolating for seasons. Will Mulder be back in the FBI? Will Mulder and Scully be a couple? Will the Cigarette Smoking Man appear (yeah, he got killed--again--but don't tell me that that is any impediment to his return)? Have the X-Files been reopened? Have Mulder and Scully become paranormal free agent investigators? The series ended in such a way that the virtually anything is possible. Regardless, I think it will be crucial for people to ignore the first film in assessing where the next one will go. This one, while satisfying now as part of a larger story arc, was too embedded in the series to be judged apart from its role in promoting the story of the series.
Rating:
Summary: better for fans of the series
Review: A film by Rob Bowman
Set shortly after Season 5 of the "X-Files" television program, "X-Files: Fight the Future" is the first film (and to date, only) dealing with the "X-Files" characters and storylines. This film is steeped in the mythology of the series, which means that it deals with the government conspiracy and the cover ups of aliens, and all of the deep mythology which drives the show. The X-Files are closed and FBI Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) have been reassigned and are currently working on a called in bomb threat in a government building. The case has the feel of the Oklahoma City bombing of the Murrah building, and when the bomb goes off the wreckage looks like just that. But this is only the beginning as things quickly do not add up and Mulder is off on another chase for "The Truth" while Scully has to try to scientifically back up (or disprove, which she never can) Mulder's wild theories.
While the series can explore grand conspiracies and big stories on each episode, these stories tend to be revealed slowly over the course of multiple episodes and multiple seasons. Giving the viewer an "X-Files" movie means that we are likely to be given a grander story all at one time, and this is exactly what we get. This movie works on two levels. A viewer with no experience with the "X-Files" can enjoy the movie on its own merits. This is the way that I first experienced the film when it was released in the theatres in 1998. It wasn't until years later I started watching the show on DVD and worked my way up to the movie and had a completely different experience. For longtime fans of the show, this movie works as an extended episode (or one of the two episode story arcs). It just operates on a larger scale than is possible on episodic television.
Viewers with no "X-Files" experience can watch a movie involving a government conspiracy and something do with extra-terrestrials. Fans of the series will get explanations for the origins of the black oil, the bees, a greater look at the extent of the conspiracy (difficult to explain without spoiling it), and a very good long episode of the show. There are explosions and danger and a trip to Antarctica with a reveal that has to be seen to be believed. This movie rewards fan of the show, but leaves as many questions as it answers. This particular storyline will not be resolved until midway through Season 6.
While enjoyable, I would not recommend this movie for those who are not fans of the "X-Files". It works on its own, but truly rewards viewers of the series. I would highly recommend this movie to those who already enjoy the show or are just discovering it. But for those viewers, I would make sure that you have seen the episodes through Season 5 as this is where it fits into the chronology. For fans of the show, this movie should just be considered a two hours episode of "The X-Files", and it is a good one.
-Joe Sherry
Rating:
Summary: An Extended, Four-Star Episode for Fans
Review: For The X-Files aficionados, this movie is a must-see, not because of any wonderful cinematic magic but because of the coherence it adds to the complicated, spread out conspiracy theories that abound in the television series. The feature length film acts like a bridge between season 5 and 6, with information contained in the movie used later in the series. Although fans don't need to see the movie to understand later episodes, it adds to the enjoyment of them.
Naturally, the plot is too complicated to fully describe without giving away spoilers, so let it suffice to say that a mysterious underground discovery in North Texas and a Oklahoma City style bombing in Dallas are linked in ways that shock even Mulder (David Duchovny). Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Mulder are once again the FBI scapegoats who must prove their integrity to a panel of grim-faced investigators who are intent on closing down the X-files. Many favorites make appearances - Cigarette Smoking Man, the secret society of old white men, the Lone Gunmen, Skinner - with the addition of a new conspiracy informant played by Martin Landau. Plot lines of alien viruses, Samantha Mulder's abduction, mysterious midnight shipments via trains, and government cover-ups dovetail in this convoluted yet strangely logical screenplay. The worst part from a The X-Files fan is the rapid-fire exposition coming out of Scully and Mulder for those who have no background in the series. For the uninitiated, the words come out too fast to grasp. By far the coolest scene occurs near the end in a collapsing, snow covered terrain.
Don't waste your time or money if you have only a marginal interest in The X-Files, as the film's interest comes from its relationship to the television episodes. If you are a fan, you should see this since, even though it's not great cinema, it adds another dimension to what you've already seen. Four stars for The X-Files fans, two stars for the average viewer.
Rating:
Summary: Solid X-Files adventure
Review: "The X-Files: Fight the Future" doesn't answer a lot of the questions that fans were waiting for from the movie. The only difference between this movie and, say, a two or three part X-Files story arc is the size of the budget, effects and the guest stars. The writing, unfortunately, doesn't measure up to the best the series offered. Nevertheless, it's a fine theatrical episode of the series. Thousands of years ago an alien species ruled this planet. Humanity was just an afterthought. It's clear that these aliens want to regain control of the planet and members of the government have made a pact with the devil; humanity will become a slave race to these aliens (and other things you don't want to know about if you haven't seen the movie otherwise it'll spoil plot points). Somehow all of this is tied into two little boys that discover an ancient underground cavern. One of the boys is infected with some sort of virus as are several rescue workers. In another part of the US, Mulder and Scully are checking out terrorist threat against the US. The building that Mulder and Scully and the rest of the team believe to be the target is a decoy. Mulder and Scully accidently discover the real target. The mystery at the heart of the film is why the terrorist targeted a building that had the agency FEMA in it when there were more vital government agencies they could have hit. Also, the building was evacuated. So how come there were two victims discovered in the rubble? All of this remains at the heart of the mystery and it does, indeed, play into the alien conspiracy story arc than began to be undcovered in season one of the series. If you're interested in "The X-Files" but haven't seen the entire series, this movie is still comprehensible to the average moviegoer. The ramifications of the plot, however, will be much more important if you've seen the bulk of seasons 2-6 first (season 1 just sets up the conspiracy angle and is important but not a central part of the conspiracy arc). The picture quality is pretty good considering this came out close to the beginning of the DVD craze. It could be improved with an anamorphic widescreen transfer (higher picture quality)and with a separate disc of extras. The extras aren't bad here they're just not as indepth as they should be. My guess is that Fox plans on re-releasing this on DVD when the new X-Files movie comes out in 2006 and/or within the next year or two because they've finally got the entire series on DVD. Well worth picking up for fans but for casual new viewers, I'd suggest starting with seasons 2-6 to fully understand the consequences of this film's plot line. Carter's script isn't his best but there are enough gems in the script to make it worthwhile for fans of the series.
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