X-Files 2 Producer Responds to Films Flop

Frank Spotnitz who we interviewed before the release of X-Files 2 sat down with IFMagazine to defend and respond to the obvious panning and outright RAGE directed at the film X-Files 2 by fans of the first film and the tv series. The film which we thought would be along the same lines as the first film and the tv show in general ended up being a piece about the relationship between Mulder and Scully with a group of serial killers thrown in for good measure. Frank seems to think that we as fans should have given them more credit for being daring;

And I'm guessing a lot of the critical reaction is based on what they were expecting the movie to be, given its release date, rather than what the movie actually is. I guess I was a little surprised they didn't give us more credit for that, or for the many risks we took in this film. But no, we seemed amazingly in synch with the studio throughout the process.

He is right. We as fans were expecting an X-files movie. A movie that is steeped in the usual mystery and intrigue. It doesnt need aliens, or some scifi twist but it does need to be well written with a great dynamic and it had none of that. The story was at best a BAD episode of the show and the new dynamic between Mulder and Scully which was the focus of the film was muddy and confusing. Throw in a weak story about some serial killers and you have a really bad X-Files episode on the big screen. Frank thinks that this is the kind of movie that fans wanted to see its just the opening of Dark Knight and Mamma Mia that hurt the film;

I think X-FILES fans got used to seeing a whole range of stories in the television series. Many, many of them prefer this kind of storytelling to the alien stuff. I think we attempted to do something very different and, in many ways, completely unlike anything we'd done before. It's not what some wanted, but most fans have responded very positively.

I frankly think Frank is wrong and has forgotten what we as fans loved about the X-files. We loved its rich writing the fact you never could predict where the story was going to go and that you had two key characters who had a fantastic dynamic and a level of attraction and angst that made the shows and the first film that much better. Did any fans really and truly love that X-Files 2 had a weak cast, and a terrible story that was a romantic-drama instead of a dramatic-thriller? I count myself as one of the biggest fans of X-Files and even I could not find anything to love about this movie.  

Opening against Dark Knight was definitely a bad idea but the poor marketing behind the film didnt help either. Did you see X-files 2? Did you like it? I saw it and left feeling violated and hoping somebody will take over and do a third film that does justice to what fans want. I have yet to read a single good review for the film on any outlet that I respect. You can read my review of the film here: X Files 2 Review