Staring David Ducovny, Gillian Anderson With all the scope and grandeur you'd expect from a modern cinematic special-effects extravaganza, The X Files movie is far from disappointing. It is a big budget romp across the globe taking in Washington, Texas, London, Antarctica and Tunisia much like a 007 plot. Only with the X Files you know it's going to be dark, damp and shady.

Tension, intrigue and suspense are shovelled out in great dollops, though the plot itself is very much out in the open, following a theme that was explored quite some time ago in the TV show.

Which brings me to a point I must make. Correct me if I'm wrong, but, I am sure we were told by the guy with the deep voice on TV that we simply had to watch the season finale on the goggle box last month in order to understand the movie plot. Rubbish. Lies. How can he get away with it? An X Files virgin might be a little bemused by the movie, but the initiated will fully understand what is essentially just another instalment of the long running series.

For me it was a little disappointing to see a couple of familiar faces from other spooky TV shows, namely the balding guy from Millennium and the kid from American Gothic.

I know they're only actors but that kind of cross pollination can be a little confusing for a poor simple soul such as I.

If you expect Moulder to find the truth, or the big questions to be answered, or the sexual tension to be relieved, then don't hold your breath. The X Files definitely remain open.