X-Files Bombs
- Thread starter mswood
- Start date
I'm afraid there's a huge gulf between "meeting expectations" and "greenlight the sequel."
Saw it last night. I loved the original series and the first movie was ok. This one, to me, was weird for the sake of being weird. And the chemistry between Mulder and Scully seemed completely gone.
A cameo by Skinner kicked ass and Billy Connolly was probably the best part of the whole film.
A cameo by Skinner kicked ass and Billy Connolly was probably the best part of the whole film.
So... If they "made this for the fans" why is it a mundane standalone episode and not a bigger Mytharc one? It's been years since the show ended on a semi-cliffhanger. So why not resolve THAT some rather than a pretty pedestrian, average, and boring plot about some kidnapped FBI agent?
This movie was billed as a standalone film that anyone could watch and understand. Now they say it was for the fans. The reality is it was uninspired, boring and full of references only fans would pick on.
I suspect that FOX wanted to bring back something that had given them some success in the past but didn't want to pay a whole lot for it.
I'm sure that a mythology arc dealing with the 2012 invasion (as Carter said he would presumably do for the next,now unlikely, picture) would cost quite a bit more money.
I saw the film last night with friends. I liked it. I didn't LOVE it, but I also didn't dislike it. I thought that it played out like a decent, extended episode. It was quiet. It was interesting. The Mulder/Scully scenes were great IMO. Their relationship was well-explored and I was happy to see it. The main plot could have been better, but wasn't necessarily bad. I would have gone with something a little scarier and more of an X-File.
I think that fans of the series would enjoy it for what it is. But anyone looking for a big, epic summer blockbuster with aliens and fast pacing and visual f/x would be disappointed. I think the film was okay, but perhaps it shouldn't have been released in the middle of the summer. It's not a summer film.
I think that fans of the series would enjoy it for what it is. But anyone looking for a big, epic summer blockbuster with aliens and fast pacing and visual f/x would be disappointed. I think the film was okay, but perhaps it shouldn't have been released in the middle of the summer. It's not a summer film.
Actually that shouldn't happen.
Final numbers are even slightly lower. with 10.02 million (Serenity officially grossed more on fewer screens) and most likely (though there are a few films that play better during the week and that certainly wouldn't hurt) will end with 24-26 million off of its US run.
Yes this film should break even, so lets get that out of the way. But with a 30 million budget and a low guess of 20 million for World Wide prints and marketing (and that is exceptionally low) That gives a total of 50 million (and I would bet that its closer to 60).
With the standard percentage of money for a films run that goes to the studio (the rest staying with the theatre chain) of 55%. That means the films to break even just in theatrical broadcast need to clear nearly 90 million dollars.
Now (unless WW sales are closer to what the original film managed) with that estimate of 25 million US that leaves 65 million for overseas to bring in to break even. The first one managed 105 million overseas. So its possible for it to break even before it gets to the home market (where even it hasn't certainly will).
But for Fox they went low to see if after all this time there was a market for this franchise. Based solely off the US market (and again a great overseas or a great performance on DVD/Blue Ray could change everything) the answer is no and this should end their film adventures.
I don't know. 2012 is still four years away. Maybe we'll get a miniseries or television movie out of it. After reading this thread, I have to admit that I am intrigued about this movie now. However, I'm one of those who lost interest in the series after Mulder left and didn't even see the final episodes. I know it "says" you don't need to see these, but I imagine it gives away a lot of what happens in them.
well... anything is possible I guess after a few more years pass they might be up for another go.
I thought the approach to the story and characters was exactly right.
The last feature was so BIG in scope with such BIG visuals and BIG meanings and BIG repercussions that trying to do another BIG movie would have been ridiculous.
This was character study. How "ever after" isn't always happy. How the offscreen earlier death of a character can affect people you think are mentally invincible, and how they carry on for better or worse.
How a spark can be re-ignited, even if not completely back to the way a character once was. The core is the same, the day-to-day life is not. Passions cool, passions return. But the past is the past.
And a damn creepy side-story as well.
I'm glad there were no conspiracies, or aliens, or odd goo, or the like.
This was the right choice for the type of story to make. The "easing back" of two familiar characters, but not happily and mightily.
And if I'm correct, not a single shot was fired.
I liked it. I liked the changes in Mulder and Scully since the series and in this movie.
Great? No. But not every movie has to be either The Dark Knight or Zohan. There's a great big range between those two extremes.
I found it entertaining and comfortable catching up with Mulder and Scully without any overblown plot devices or pat endings.
A good, solid 108 minutes. One point I DO agree with, this definitely should have been an early November release -- the mature movie season.
Hope there's another XF feature.
--Ted
The last feature was so BIG in scope with such BIG visuals and BIG meanings and BIG repercussions that trying to do another BIG movie would have been ridiculous.
This was character study. How "ever after" isn't always happy. How the offscreen earlier death of a character can affect people you think are mentally invincible, and how they carry on for better or worse.
How a spark can be re-ignited, even if not completely back to the way a character once was. The core is the same, the day-to-day life is not. Passions cool, passions return. But the past is the past.
And a damn creepy side-story as well.
I'm glad there were no conspiracies, or aliens, or odd goo, or the like.
This was the right choice for the type of story to make. The "easing back" of two familiar characters, but not happily and mightily.
And if I'm correct, not a single shot was fired.
I liked it. I liked the changes in Mulder and Scully since the series and in this movie.
Great? No. But not every movie has to be either The Dark Knight or Zohan. There's a great big range between those two extremes.
I found it entertaining and comfortable catching up with Mulder and Scully without any overblown plot devices or pat endings.
A good, solid 108 minutes. One point I DO agree with, this definitely should have been an early November release -- the mature movie season.
Hope there's another XF feature.
--Ted
Variety is reporting its first weekend performance overseas (in 22 different territories including Russia, Ukraine, Spain, Australia, Germany, and Austria) was 9.2 million. Not a great start (for those markets) but not a terrible one either. So thats a little bit of good news.
Thespeckledkiwi
Vice Admiral
Great review but I do believe there was one shot fired when they were chasing the dude.
Well we have the first weekday numbers and we can see if X-Files did better during the week days (it does happen).
It made 1.01 million dollars and dropped from 4th place to 6th for the day. Out of the top 14 it had the biggest lose from Sunday to Monday losing over 61% of its audience.
Thats not good at all.
To compare that to Serenity for example. X-Files is a mere 190,000 dollars ahead of it (thanks to being a summer where you do have better weekdays).
It made 1.01 million dollars and dropped from 4th place to 6th for the day. Out of the top 14 it had the biggest lose from Sunday to Monday losing over 61% of its audience.
Thats not good at all.
To compare that to Serenity for example. X-Files is a mere 190,000 dollars ahead of it (thanks to being a summer where you do have better weekdays).
Yeah it would be great if they could do a movie (or even a direct to TV/DVD movie) about the 2012 invasion. Hopefully I Want to Believe will make enough money that Fox will be willing to make just one more film, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
Maybe The X-Files can rise from the ashes in a different format. I think a mini-series (4 or 6 hours) like A&E's Andromeda Strain might be viable.
I'd love to see that.