The X Files: I Want to Believe main backdrop
The X Files: I Want to Believe main poster

The X Files: I Want to Believe

Visit website

5.8/10 • 1.6K

2008-07-241h 44m

MysteryScience FictionThriller

To find the truth, you must believe.

Mulder and Scully are called back to duty by the FBI when a former priest claims to be receiving psychic visions pertaining to a kidnapped agent.

Directors
Chris Carter
Writters
Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz
Editors
Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz, Richard A. Harris

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. David Duchovny

    David Duchovny

    Fox Mulder

  2. Gillian Anderson

    Gillian Anderson

    Dana Scully

  3. Amanda Peet

    Amanda Peet

    ASAC Dakota Whitney

  4. Billy Connolly

    Billy Connolly

    Father Joseph Crissman

  5. Xzibit

    Xzibit

    Agent Mosley Drummy

  6. Mitch Pileggi

    Mitch Pileggi

    Walter Skinner

  7. Callum Keith Rennie

    Callum Keith Rennie

    2nd Abductor - Janke Dacyshyn

  8. Adam Godley

    Adam Godley

    Father Ybarra

  9. Nicki Aycox

    Nicki Aycox

    2nd Victim - Cheryl Cunningham

Reviews1

View Reviews
Wuchak Avatar

Wuchak

Sep 3, 2025

7/10

Scully and Mulder search wintry landscapes for a modern-day Mengele operation When an FBI agent goes missing in the Greater DC area, Scully and Mulder reunite to help the agency by enlisting the help of a defrocked priest with psychic abilities (Billy Connolly), which leads to grisly revelations. Meanwhile Scully is a practicing doctor intent on saving the life of a boy with a terminal disease. "The X Files: I Want to Believe" (2008) came out a decade after the first movie and six years after the final season of the original run of the TV series. Unlike “Fight the Future,” it doesn’t focus on the alien conspiracy but opts for a monster-of-the-week story. For those not in the know, the series walked the balance beam between these two. Speaking as a very casual viewer, I preferred the MOTW segments because of their uniqueness and increased human interest. The alien conspiracy episodes struck me as boringly redundant even though fans of these segments understandably argue that the fate of humanity and its possible extinction is far greater than all the serial killers and monsters put together. The fact that this second movie focuses on more mundane proceedings never bothered me. After all, we already have the first movie, why redo it? Can it even be topped? So, as far as I’m concerned, it was a good decision to take an entirely different route. The inclusion of the psychic brings to mind the notable “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” episode. This is combined with the basic plot of “Silence of the Lambs,” which involves detectives needing the help of a notorious outcast to find a missing female and capture the serial killer(s). The main differences are the snowy landscapes and the subplot of the boy needing experimental surgery to survive. Being shot in British Columbia with key crew members from the defunct series, it has the tone of the show, just with a bigger budget and a longer runtime. As usual, the proceedings are mysteriously creepy, but lowkey with Scully and Mulder maintaining their renown dispassion. The exception is Scully’s dealings with the dying boy, who is basically her spiritual child. Despite the generally listless air of the investigation (which was an issue with the entire series), there are interesting bits spiced throughout and the final act pays off, at least for me. I’m not so much talking about the grisly Frankenstein bits as Scully’s challenging situation, which is moving. There’s a spiritual depth with focus on moral transgression, penitence and possible redemption, not to mention boldly tackling one of life’s toughest questions: Why does a good God allow evil and suffering? Then there’s the addition of the biblical proverb: “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings,” which of course ties into Scully and Mulder’s perpetual search for truth. I saw the Director’s Cut, which runs 1 hour, 47 minutes, and includes graphic, disturbing material cut to avoid an R-rating at the theater; the theatrical version runs about 3.5 minutes less. It was shot in British Columbia, specifically the Vancouver area (including Burnaby), and the Pemberton Valley region, including Riverlands, which is located a couple hours’ drive north of the big city. GRADE: B

Media

  • The X Files: I Want to Believe poster
  • The X Files: I Want to Believe poster
  • The X Files: I Want to Believe poster
  • The X Files: I Want to Believe poster
  • The X Files: I Want to Believe poster
  • The X Files: I Want to Believe poster
  • The X Files: I Want to Believe poster
  • The X Files: I Want to Believe poster
  • The X Files: I Want to Believe poster

Recommendations

  • The X-Files main backdrop

    The X-Files

    6.9

  • Chaos Theory main backdrop

    Chaos Theory

    6.3

  • We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks main backdrop

    We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks

    6.5

  • The Alphabet Killer main backdrop

    The Alphabet Killer

    5.1

  • The Bankers of God: The Calvi Affair main backdrop

    The Bankers of God: The Calvi Affair

    6.1

  • Antigone main backdrop

    Antigone

    6.8

  • Summer's Blood main backdrop

    Summer's Blood

    5.5

  • Solar Impact main backdrop

    Solar Impact

    4.8

  • Solo main backdrop

    Solo

    4.8

  • Paradise main backdrop

    Paradise

    6.2

  • Topper main backdrop

    Topper

    6.7

  • The House of Mirth main backdrop

    The House of Mirth

    6.2

  • The Year of Living Dangerously main backdrop

    The Year of Living Dangerously

    6.7

  • The Way of War main backdrop

    The Way of War

    3.6

  • Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain main backdrop

    Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain

    6.2

  • Lady Death main backdrop

    Lady Death

    7.1

  • Shadow Dancer main backdrop

    Shadow Dancer

    5.9

  • Signs main backdrop

    Signs

    6.7

  • My All American main backdrop

    My All American

    7.1

  • Harlem Nights main backdrop

    Harlem Nights

    6.1

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$30,000,000.00
Revenue
$69,363,381.00
Keywords
extraterrestrial technologyfbialienpriesthospitalduringcreditsstingerbased on tv series