First of all, props goes to the x-files special effects department for creating a quadruple amputee in Rappo, the disgruntled vet. I saw how they made Gary Sinise legless in Forrest Gump, but it still amazes me to see the x-files do it with a smaller budget. That character is totally believable as a quadruple amputee. While I am talking about special effects, I will mention that the effect of the phantom soldier is done very well too. When he is running through the stream and attacking the captain in the swimming pool, they're both quite convincing. Ian Tracey gives a great performance as the quadruple amputee Rappo. You can just feel his bitterness consuming him. It's hard to believe he really has all his limbs intact. Astral projection is an interesting term we learn in this episode to describe what is happening with Rappo. The Walk is a good, solid episode to enjoy.
10 Reviews
You're Gonna Suffer Like The Rest Of Us
ddeboer14 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This is a decent episode but stacks the deck in favor of morbid nastiness and ugliness as opposed to characters we care about or plot twists that surprise and amuse (e.g. Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose). The villain is so spiteful and mean that you will find yourself hating him with every fiber of your being despite the fact that he is a quadruple amputee that you would otherwise feel for. The episode is reminiscent of episodes like Shadows, Born Again, and Roland where someone is hell bent on revenge but seems to be physically unable to do so. There are also a lot of callous deaths reminiscent of episodes like The Calusari and for some reason Excelsius Dei (although in Excelsius it was more about callous attitudes instead of callous deaths). So this is one of the darker episodes. On a deeper level you could see this as a meditation on who is truly responsible for the ravages of war soldiers or a psychological examination into how an individual may convert their experience of loss into a tool of sadism and hatred. Ultimately, I would recommend you set aside your heart and concentrate on your morbid fascinations and desire for good special effects which the X Files is more than happy to satisfy.
"Sometimes the only sane response to an insane world is insanity."
classicsoncall7 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The X-Files tackles astral projection in this story line of a quadruple amputee who seeks revenge on military personnel for the disfigurement he endured as part of his service. If I hadn't read another reviewer's comments here, I would have taken it as a given that the guy portraying Leonard 'Rappo' Trimble (Ian Tracy) was an actual quadriplegic, which begs the question - How'd they do that? Man, that was some make-up job.
But wait a minute, what's the deal with Quinton 'Roach' Freely (Willie Garson). The set up had him looking like a factor in the story, but he ends up something of a MacGuffin. The concept of the Phantom Soldier meting out punishment but insuring that the principal victims survived to suffer endlessly was a novel concept.
A theme that never came through in the story was the debt of honor we owe our combat soldiers who put their lives on the line to insure our freedom and liberty. Preoccupied as it was with the nasty business of revenge on the part of Rappo, it would have been nice if the story threw in a salute to the men and women in uniform who do their jobs day in and day out unselfishly. Someone probably should have thought of it.
But wait a minute, what's the deal with Quinton 'Roach' Freely (Willie Garson). The set up had him looking like a factor in the story, but he ends up something of a MacGuffin. The concept of the Phantom Soldier meting out punishment but insuring that the principal victims survived to suffer endlessly was a novel concept.
A theme that never came through in the story was the debt of honor we owe our combat soldiers who put their lives on the line to insure our freedom and liberty. Preoccupied as it was with the nasty business of revenge on the part of Rappo, it would have been nice if the story threw in a salute to the men and women in uniform who do their jobs day in and day out unselfishly. Someone probably should have thought of it.
Takes a little while to get going
SleepTight66628 August 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Although a flawed episode that takes a little while to get going. Once it does, it really becomes a pretty damn good and pretty damn underrated episode.
The casting was excellent, and the make-up for the dude without legs and arms was as realistic as possible.
Another thing that this episode has going for it were the death scenes. I loved the death scene of the woman in the pool, and of the little boy. Both looked well done.
The overall mood of the episode was great and the sets gave it a nice little atmosphere. It made the episode unpleasant to watch, and it succeeds at that extend.
I do think that it is a skip-able episode, it really doesn't add anything to the storyline or to Mulder and Scully. But it's still a pretty good stand-alone episode that was pretty well written and well executed.
THREE stars.
The casting was excellent, and the make-up for the dude without legs and arms was as realistic as possible.
Another thing that this episode has going for it were the death scenes. I loved the death scene of the woman in the pool, and of the little boy. Both looked well done.
The overall mood of the episode was great and the sets gave it a nice little atmosphere. It made the episode unpleasant to watch, and it succeeds at that extend.
I do think that it is a skip-able episode, it really doesn't add anything to the storyline or to Mulder and Scully. But it's still a pretty good stand-alone episode that was pretty well written and well executed.
THREE stars.
Can't walk? Try Astral protection
devonbrown-9064929 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A above average episode and a interesting use of the phenomena of astral projection. Wish they didn't waste it on a vengeful bitter veteran. In my opinion he wasted his powers. Never the less he made a great antagonist.
Scully has been through and seen the most unexplained phenomena throughout the show and she finds astral projection from a disabled army vet hard to believe? Come on scully you were abducted by aliens.
It seems the astral realm has no laws and the men who roam them have nothing hit their morals and personal karma to keep them in check. I think those powers are wasted on vengeful bitter men.
Scully has been through and seen the most unexplained phenomena throughout the show and she finds astral projection from a disabled army vet hard to believe? Come on scully you were abducted by aliens.
It seems the astral realm has no laws and the men who roam them have nothing hit their morals and personal karma to keep them in check. I think those powers are wasted on vengeful bitter men.
No sleep walking.
Sanpaco1312 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Another less that impressive episode. This episode is about a quadruple amputee ex-soldier who has learned how to project his consciousness or something other so that he can walk around invisible and ruin the lives of the men he hold responsible for his being in the state he is. The men he is tormenting claim that he won't let them die. I find this kind of far fetched even based in the reality of the episode. I mean I'm OK with him being able to run around as a projection of himself or whatever, but how exactly does that keep the general's gun from firing later in the episode? The bright points of the episode are two of the guest stars. Roach and Rappo. I thought their performances were great. Other than that I have little to say about a pretty forgettable episode.
Scully: Let's finish this, Mulder.
bombersflyup9 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The Walk is about Mulder and Scully investigating a series of accidents at a VA hospital in Virginia. Where a Lt. Col. has tried to kill himself several times, but claims some shadow-like soldier who is mentally and physically torturing him, won't let him die.
A good episode, missing some elements. The why's partially explained, but as Mulder's closing statement attests to, it's not satisfactory. It takes more than circumstance to bring about hate such as this. Perhaps he didn't drastically change, only the target did. Though entirely unexplored is the how. Scully's position's non-committed, she think's Rappo's having seizures and yet doesn't mind that Mulder's chewing out a quadriplegic. I do however think there's a lot to like here.
Mulder: Sometimes the only sane response to an insane world is insanity. (Same line in "Alien 3.")
A good episode, missing some elements. The why's partially explained, but as Mulder's closing statement attests to, it's not satisfactory. It takes more than circumstance to bring about hate such as this. Perhaps he didn't drastically change, only the target did. Though entirely unexplored is the how. Scully's position's non-committed, she think's Rappo's having seizures and yet doesn't mind that Mulder's chewing out a quadriplegic. I do however think there's a lot to like here.
Mulder: Sometimes the only sane response to an insane world is insanity. (Same line in "Alien 3.")
I liked the episode but the goofs with everything Army
padresteve27 November 2023
I really liked the story and the episode as a whole. My one problem were gross inaccuracies dealing with the Army of the time, in which I was an officer. I have issues with the military uniforms in many episodes but this one is particularly egregious. So, where do I begin? Yes, at the beginning...
The doctor was a Colonel, but rank insignia is not worn on a physician's hospital coat. It might be embroidered on it over the right breast pocket with the doctor's name. The doctor and everyone else called Lieutenant Colonel Lobsterman "Lieutenant Colonel". This is seldom done outside of an official ceremony, normally a Lieutenant Colonel is referred to as Colonel.
The General's aide. She is wearing infantry officer branch insignia. No women were branched in the Infantry at the time. That has now changed but wasn't the case then.
The General had a number of uniform discrepancies. Generals, with the exceptions of the Medical, Dental, Nurse, Veterinary, Medical Service, and Chaplain Corps do not wear branch insignia on their uniforms. Likewise his ribbon rack was all sorts of a mess. Even if he had served in the enlisted ranks the Army Good Conduct Medal would not be the highest award. The rack was also four ribbons across, and there were no unit citations on the right breast. Likewise, when he removes his jacket the epaulets have no insignia, at the time a soft shoulder-board with his stars would be worn. As the base commander his dress green jacket epaulets would have the stars as well as a green felt loop showing they are in a command position. Finally, Generals in that day had two narrow black strips running down the trouser legs. Other officers had one wide stripe, and enlisted personnel none. Forgive me for being so anal, but this kind of stuff in any television show or film drives me mad, regardless of the service as I spend 40 years in the Army and Navy, served 10 years of my Navy service with the Marines and another 4 years in joint assignments working with all services. I wish someone would hire me to fix uniforms in Hollywood.
Other than that I loved the episode and story line.
The doctor was a Colonel, but rank insignia is not worn on a physician's hospital coat. It might be embroidered on it over the right breast pocket with the doctor's name. The doctor and everyone else called Lieutenant Colonel Lobsterman "Lieutenant Colonel". This is seldom done outside of an official ceremony, normally a Lieutenant Colonel is referred to as Colonel.
The General's aide. She is wearing infantry officer branch insignia. No women were branched in the Infantry at the time. That has now changed but wasn't the case then.
The General had a number of uniform discrepancies. Generals, with the exceptions of the Medical, Dental, Nurse, Veterinary, Medical Service, and Chaplain Corps do not wear branch insignia on their uniforms. Likewise his ribbon rack was all sorts of a mess. Even if he had served in the enlisted ranks the Army Good Conduct Medal would not be the highest award. The rack was also four ribbons across, and there were no unit citations on the right breast. Likewise, when he removes his jacket the epaulets have no insignia, at the time a soft shoulder-board with his stars would be worn. As the base commander his dress green jacket epaulets would have the stars as well as a green felt loop showing they are in a command position. Finally, Generals in that day had two narrow black strips running down the trouser legs. Other officers had one wide stripe, and enlisted personnel none. Forgive me for being so anal, but this kind of stuff in any television show or film drives me mad, regardless of the service as I spend 40 years in the Army and Navy, served 10 years of my Navy service with the Marines and another 4 years in joint assignments working with all services. I wish someone would hire me to fix uniforms in Hollywood.
Other than that I loved the episode and story line.
A poor episode.
Sleepin_Dragon24 October 2020
This is another of those episodes that I simply couldn't get into. I didn't particularly enjoy the story, once again it's another of those stories where the U.S. military is jam packed with crooked officers, who naturally get their comeuppance for being dreadful individuals.
Moments of it were tasteless, the kid getting killed for example, and the story and solution were quite incredulous.
On the plus side, I thought the special effects were incredible, a great effort by that team.
I speak as a Brit, but has there ever been an episode where the U.S. army is shown in a good light?
Sorry I thought this was woeful, 4/10.
Moments of it were tasteless, the kid getting killed for example, and the story and solution were quite incredulous.
On the plus side, I thought the special effects were incredible, a great effort by that team.
I speak as a Brit, but has there ever been an episode where the U.S. army is shown in a good light?
Sorry I thought this was woeful, 4/10.
Present....Arms!!! Ops, sorry about that.
lynnwengland31 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Contrary to the other "reviewers", this episode was absolutely awful. There were so many US Army uniform and protocol/procedure violations it would be too tedious to list all of them. So many that it became distracting. Two of the grossest are Captain Draper wearing Infantry Branch insignia (there are no females in Combat Arms) and the charge nurse, who is middle aged, wearing 1st. LT. bars, meaning she joined the Army at 45 or she was such a screw-up she was never promoted in 20 years? The acting was flat and monotone. The 2 star sounded like he was reading aloud from a Betty Crocker cookbook. Medical rehabilitation is done in VA hospitals, not in Army hospitals. Generals do not command hospitals, Colonels do. The out-of-body premise was frankly stupid and completely unbelievable. And that corny dialogue: "She has no family...(dramatic pause)...the Army was her family." You've got to be kidding me.
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