The X-Files Movie: Saying goodbye

Better late than never, right?

I had to wait a week to see it after opening, as my date was trying to cajole me into seeing some batshit-crazy dude with a penchant for purple suits instead, but I remained committed to seeing my old pals Smoulder and Scully.

Lordy, it's been a long time coming, so unless you were a hardcore X-Phile ten years ago (Guilty!), it gets a little difficult to muster up a lot of enthusiasm for what is, essentially, an extended M.O.W. (Monster of the Week) episode.

But, muster it up I did. Me and the other 25 people in the theatre. I had been dying to know what my fave spooky duo had been up to for the last decade, weren't you? Guess what - they haven't done ANYTHING.

Both agents have been off the FBI payroll for years. Scully works as a doctor for a Catholic hospital - her sense of faith is pretty tenuous even after all this time, and the symbolism for it was heavy and evident in all her hospital scenes. Her terminal young patient's name was Christian- could she save him? Come on, Carter, you didn't have to knock me so hard on the head with it.

Mulder's been out of commission, disrespected and dismissed by the FBI, isolated at home, clipping odd articles out of newspapers, eating sunflower seeds and throwing pencils into his ceiling, while growing an impressively scraggy beard fit for a New Zealander.

Once he is convinced by Scully to work on a new case for the Bureau, he picks up a razor and starts looking his Smoulder-y Fox-y Mulder best again. (apologies to my male readers, but girls, the man is sexy enough to make you choke on your Junior Mints - not that I did it.)

Back to the story so far - well I'm not going to give anything anyway, because it is a great episode, but "Fight The Future" it ain't! I knew going in that Carter & Co. weren't interested in continuing the conspiracy/alien arc (because seriously - who can remember it all?!) but I did expect an exciting, edge-of-my-seat kind of thrill which was more muted than we deserved after such a long wait.

I'm going to liken it to seeing an old friend after a very long time - you anticipate the fun you'll have, and are delighted to see them again, but after a few hours together you know that your relationship has changed and they aren't quite the same as you remember... and you know that this goodbye will be your very last. So you wave farewell fondly, and smile while your slightly saddened heart knows that the best things - and friends - are usually not meant to last a lifetime.

Goodbye Mulder and Scully - I loved you well and hope you live spookily ever after.