The Amazing Maleeni

This is a great episode if only because it is about magic. It starts out wonderfully with the Amazing Maleeni's head falling off and then some great camera work with Mulder holding up the picture of the pier and then pulling it away to show a camera shot of the same scene live. I always have liked the shows or movies that lay out some elaborate scheme but don't reveal it to you until the end of the show. You have to watch and try to fit the clues together otherwise you have no idea what is going on which also isn't necessarily bad because that just keeps you wondering and watching until the end. I liked that in the end of this episode there are extra twists even after the trick is explained and that Mulder was able to outsmart the magicians. Always one step ahead. I love watching this episode every time and I give it a 10/10

"The Amazing Maleeni," the eighth episode of the seventh season of The X-Files, directed by Thomas J. Wright, offers a "Monster-of-the-Week" story penned by Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, and Frank Spotnitz that diverges from the series' overarching mythology. The episode presents a quirky blend of magic, illusion, and crime as it delves into the mysterious death of a small-time magician and a subsequent bank robbery. While the episode provides moments of intrigue and humor, it has garnered mixed reviews, with some critics finding it convoluted and lacking excitement.

The narrative begins with the Amazing Maleeni performing a head-turning trick at the Santa Monica Pier, where he's heckled by rival magician Billy LaBonge. Maleeni is later found dead, his head severed, but the autopsy reveals he died of a heart attack a month prior. Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigate, encountering Maleeni's identical twin, Albert Pinchbeck, an angry ex-con, and a bar owner to whom Maleeni owed a large debt. As the agents delve deeper, they uncover a plan to rob a major bank involving an elaborate scheme of misdirection and sleight of hand.

Visually, "The Amazing Maleeni" aims for a camera-real feel, employing conventional special effects rather than relying heavily on CGI. The scene where Maleeni turns his head 360 degrees was achieved using a prosthetic head. However, some critics have noted that the episode's special effects and plot twists are not always convincing, and resort to CGI when real magic tricks would've been more impactful. Despite these criticisms, the episode's overall direction captures the quirky and mysterious nature of the magic world, adding to its entertainment value.

The performances in "The Amazing Maleeni" are noteworthy, particularly Jonathan Levit as Billy LaBonge, who plays the cocky apprentice magician with just the right amount of attitude. Duchovny and Anderson deliver their usual solid performances as Mulder and Scully, showcasing their comedic timing and dynamic interaction. The chemistry between the leads helps maintain the episode's lighthearted tone despite the macabre circumstances.

Thematically, "The Amazing Maleeni" explores themes of deception, illusion, and the power of misdirection. The episode critiques how appearances can be deceiving and how easily people can be manipulated by those skilled in the art of illusion. Additionally, it highlights societal attitudes towards authority, as Mulder and Scully must rely on their wit and intuition to unravel the magicians' scheme. This exploration invites viewers to reflect on their own perceptions of truth and reality, encouraging them to look beyond the surface to uncover the underlying motives and deceptions.

"The Amazing Maleeni" is a mixed bag that offers moments of entertainment and intrigue, but it ultimately falls short due to its convoluted plot and reliance on improbable scenarios. While the episode may not be a standout in The X-Files canon, it provides a diverting exploration of magic, deception, and the art of misdirection. As it reflects broader societal concerns regarding trust and manipulation, "The Amazing Maleeni" leaves audiences contemplating the line between reality and illusion, encouraging them to question what they see and believe.

The Amazing Maleeni is a fun episode. It's nice, light-hearted fun. The effect of the head turning around is cheesy, but it's television. They don't have a big budget. That being said, the make-up of the severed head is very realistic. So, they cancel each other out. I like how in this episode, Scully calls Mulder a "skeptic". Also in this episode, we see the second ever flaming hand. The first being in "Fire" from season one. It's interesting that Mulder purposely knocks Alvarez's pool ball when leaving, throwing his FBI-weight around. Scully is very impressive with her hand-turning trick. Was that real or trick photography? Finally, Ricky Jay and Johnathan Levit are not only good magicians, they are good actors. It gave a high degree of authenticity having real magicians perform those parts instead of just normal actors. The Amazing Maleeni isn't an "amazing" episode in any sense of the word, but it's a solid episode with enough misdirection and sleight-of-hand to keep you entertained and guessing.

When a sideshow magician's head does a 360o turn - it falls off! Scully suspects someone else is the hack - Mulder makes his high card disappear! Misdirection and sleight-of-hand are keys to this million-dollar magical mystery of robbery and revenge!

This is a well-done comic episode with a clever plot that keeps the twists coming - the ones we expect, and the ones we don't! The acting is perfect and the ending is too - almost. My only complaints are that too many of the 'magic tricks' are crude cinematographic editing, and the ending should really have been revealed in action, rather than explained.

The Great Maleeni performs in front of a small group, one heckler provokes him into performing an extra act of magic, soon after he's found dead, the heckler is top of Mulder's list of suspects.

I quite enjoyed it, there is no denying that there is a degree of originality here, it stands out as quite a unique episode. It's a crime caper, with a magical twist, and a few elements added in to transform a straight up crime into an X File.

After some creepy and darker storylines, this came as a welcome change up, if I'm honest is say there's nothing here to make this one stand out greatly, and I find it hard to see this one featuring in anyone's top ten list, but it's definitely enjoyable for its sheer originality.

My favourite scene had the be the comical moment at the end, where Scully performs a trick of her own. Some of the special effects look a little dated by today's standards, but they're still effective.

Ricky Jay and Jonathan Levit were both excelled here as the central characters, I wasn't surprised to read that both were magicians in the real world.

Enjoyable, 7/10.