Can it possibly be ten years since the last X- Files movie? Or six years since Mulder and Scully drove off into the sunset after a final confrontation with the Cigarette Smoking Man?

The new X-Files film works on several levels. It brings us up to date on the relationship between Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson). It depicts their states of mind and how that’s affecting their lives. It reveals their current relationships with the Bureau. And it’s a typical X- Files procedural with supernatural and fantastical elements. It was great to get caught up with our two favorite special agents, but the film is essentially no more than an ambitious television episode with great production values.

Both have left the agency behind. Mulder had been put on trial, and to say he is disgruntled would be an understatement. Scully left with him and we learn that they’ve been living together, but troubling experiences from the past infects their psyches, not the least of which is a child they had to give up for its own protection.

Scully is now a physician and surgeon at a Catholic Hospital where the administrative priests interfere with medical decisions. Her choice of facilities is rather odd considering that she’s a lapsed Catholic who seems to resent the church. Is it a coincidence that the hospital is named Our Lady of Sorrows?

Mulder has isolated himself. He rarely if ever leaves the house. He seems depressed. He clips news stories that describe odd and mysterious events from magazines and newspapers, pinning them to a bulletin board or perhaps placing them in a binder. He’s still haunted by the memory of a sister he couldn’t save, and he’s painfully aware that he’s wanted by the FBI.

Within driving distance of their home, a serial killer is at work deep in rural West Virginia. The murderer kidnaps his victims, only to dump their body parts on a frozen lake sometime later. The FBI is cold-called by Father Joseph Crissman (Billy Connolly), who claims to be a psychic and who also claims to be able to help the FBI in its investigation. This is of particular interest to Special Agent in Charge Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet); the latest victim is an FBI agent.

Neither Whitney nor her very skeptical team members quite know how to deal with the paranormal and a psychic in particular. Whitney finds the records for the now defunct X-Files and learns of Mulder’s special skills. Mulder is off the grid and can’t be found, but Scully might. An agent reaches out to her, asking about Mulder, and before you can say conspiracy theory, Mulder is being briefed and offered the chance to clear his record and be absolved of all offenses in exchange for his cooperation.

This sets up the procedural that reveals just how damaged both Mulder and Scully have become from the dark and troubling experiences of investigating the paranormal and the extraterrestrial for the Bureau.

As I mentioned, the complexity and depth of the mystery are no more compelling than a typical television episode. The large themes and special effects dependent plotlines of Fight The Future are gone, replaced by a more intimate story of the couple finding their way out of the dark through the plot device of one more investigation of the dark, the inhumane aspects of human behavior. There are subplots concerning Scully’s skepticism, crisis of faith, and her conflicts with the hospital a she tries to save a terminal child against nearly impossible odds. But this is simply a reflection of her personal battles, fighting the demons that are within her and within Mulder.

Anderson and Duchovny dominate the screen, and they provide fine performances, delving into their characters’ psychology more then we’ve seen before. Anderson seems a little thinner than I remember her, most apparent in the narrower shape of her face, made more prominent by her long red hair. Duchovny has become more a more accomplished actor since he first portrayed Mulder, and with the exception of a few more creases on his face and imparting to Mulder more of a touch of weariness, he has changed little. They are aided by a fine supporting cast, and Chris Carter’s direction maintains a tension that keeps the viewer’s attention throughout. I must mention that there is a little sequence at the end of the closing credits that should not be missed; it flavors the end of this saga.

The Video: How Does The Disc Look?

The film’s theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 is presented in a great looking high definition transfer compressed with the AVC video CODEC. The images are needle sharp, with outstanding small object detail and finely grained textures. Even in medium shots, skin pores and textures are readily apparent. The video dynamic range is superb, with no white crush; there are subtle variations visible in the whites of snow in daylight. There is excellent shadow detail, but I will mention that there are some scenes when shadow detail is a bit suppressed; I’d bet that was Carter’s intent to heighten the tension. Color rendition is first-rate from vividly red blood to convincing flesh tones. As you might expect, this new film’s transfer print is pristine. An excellent, film-like transfer.

The DVD’s transfer is surprisingly good. Clearly, it’s much softer than the BD, but for standard definition, it looks very fine. The chroma is a little more subdued by comparison, and this transfer has some subtle halos that are frequently invisible and never intrude.

The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

The lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is every bit as good as the high definition visuals. Deep, deep bass plumbs the depths of the bottom end, both in the score and in the sound effects. The surrounds are very active, with both discrete effects and with pans. Mark Snow’s moody orchestral score is conveyed with persuasive fidelity and a satisfying musical timbre. Sound effects have both impact and subtlety. The spoken word is not only distortion-free throughout, but frequently has a fine in-the-room presence that is very convincing.

The DVD offers Dolby Digital 5.1 and it’s quite fine for a lossy track. As you’d expect, the mix is the same, so it resembles the BD’s lossless track. The differences lie in a lower level of fidelity and transparency, and a less impactful bottom end.

The alternative languages are in French and Spanish, both in Dolby Digital 5.1 on the BD and both in Dolby Surround 2.0 on the DVD. The optional subtitles are in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Korean.

The Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

All the video supplements are in high definition on the BD and in standard definition anamorphic video on the DVD. All the BD’s content is on a single disc; the DVD’s supplements are spread across two discs in the 3-disc release and limited to one disc on the single-disc release. The BD and multi-disc DVD release both include a Digital Copy DVD.

Both formats open with a Digital Copy promo and a trailer for The Day the Earth Stood Still. The BD also has a trailer for Babylon A.D. They may be skipped. When the trailers complete, you’ll have a choice between an Extended Cut (1:48:07) and a Theatrical Version (1:44:27). I selected the Extended Cut. You can navigate between the two from the Special Features menu.

Both discs have three delete scenes (1:31, 1:14, and 3:08 respectively, 2.35:1) that each expand on concepts and events in the film without adding anything significant. And one in particular telegraphs a plot point best left for later in the film.

The next supplement on the BD also consumes the multi-disc DVD release’s second disc and is absent from the single-disc DVD edition. The Trust No One: Can The X- Files Remain A Secret? documentary (1:26:01, 1:78:1) is divided into three parts. Chris Carter defines the film’s origins. The two lead actors reminisce about the pleasures of seeing one another and working together for the first time in five years. We learn that, unsurprisingly, the production returned to Vancouver. Many members of the crew from the series were assembled. It was a family reunion. Key players offer entertaining anecdotes about their experiences on the show. An emphasis was placed on secrecy and the means used to keep a lid on the script’s secrets. I enjoyed the stories the actors and crew told concerning security, right down to a campaign of disinformation. A brief ComicCon panel discussion provides a few laughs. And there is a substantial and interesting section on postproduction. Many aspects of the production are covered, but it’s almost all in the context of maintaining secrecy, a rather unique approach to such a supplement.

Chris Carter: Statements on Green Production featurette (6:16, 1.78:1) gives credit to Ford for providing hybrid cars for a smaller carbon footprint. Carter describes the efforts made to make the production as environmentally sound as possible, including less waste when sets are broken down. He praises Hollywood for becoming green. Enviable and responsible.

Body Parts: Special Makeup Effects featurette (8:12, 1.78:1) is an explicit demonstration and explanation of the various prosthetics and bodies fabricated for the shoot.

The Gag Reel (9:49, 2.35:1) is inconsistent but can be a lot of fun. I liked the nice touch of scoring the reel with The Nutcracker and other pieces of music to counterpoint the horsing around and cock-ups.

Dying 2 Live by XZIBIT (4:03, 1.78:1) is a Rap music video that I quickly turned off.

Still Galleries are shown in HD only on the BD and are divided into several sections: Collectables; Concept Art; Storyboards; and, Unit Photography.

Trailers offers the Domestic Theatrical Trailer (1:27, 2.35:1) and International Theatrical Trailer (1:40, 1.85:1).

You’ll find a commentary by Chris Carter and Frank Sponitz. This is a pleasant and informative dialog that offers details about the shoot on a sequence by sequence basis. The actors are mentioned as they appear onscreen for the first time, but overwhelmingly this is more of a technical track. I sampled it, but did not have the time to listen through it all.

Exclusively on the DVD, you’ll find an anti-tobacco 34-second PSA. The remaining supplements are exclusive to the Blu-ray Disc.

There is an Isolated Score track in Dolby Digital 5.1 that takes a different approach. When the score is playing, all that’s audible is the music. But rather than impose long stretches of utter silence when the score is absent, the disc’s producers decided to insert Foley and other sound effects. So footsteps, the sound of rustling papers, car engines, background televisions, and other more modest sounds are heard. Fortunately, there is considerable musical content, so such lapses don’t dominate. It’s not only a chance to listen to what may be one of Mark Snow’s best efforts, you get an education on which sounds are recorded practically (damn few) and which are added by the sound designer (most all).

X-Files: The Complete Timeline is a BD-J application; it’s a comprehensive, interactive means of reading summaries of each TV episode and of the first film. Each text summary is accompanied by a brief video clip. Nicely done.

Agent Dakota Whitney’s Files gives you access to several pages of text about each of five characters from the film and the TV series.

And there is a D-Box Motion Code track to pummel your posterior.

The film is organized into twenty- four chapters.

Easter Eggs

On the BD’s language bar, you’ll find an X with a circle around it. Select that X-Files logo and you’ll be rewarded with a 36-second animation that is in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio but in HD. I think it’s an odd little TV Spot for the film, but it’s so bizarre that it could just as easily be the work of a fan.

Final Thoughts

This is not the X-Files you expected. It takes a different approach, one that blends Mulder and Scully’s emotional arc with fringe science and brutal murder. The BD presentation is superb; the DVD’s presentation is above average. The complete set supplements are very informative and entertaining. If you want all those supplements, the street price for the BD + Digital Copy is only $1 more than the release of the 2-DVD set + Digital Copy. As I’ve written before, it’s silly not to go forward with BD.