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Movies / On DVD / The Ninth Gate
The Ninth Gate

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The Ninth Gate (1999)

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Reviews Counted:84

Fresh:35

Rotten:49

Average Rating:4.9/10

Consensus: Even though the film is stylish and atmospheric, critics say The Ninth Gate meanders aimlessly and is often ludicrous. And despite the advertising, there's hardly any chills.

Runtime: 2 hrs 13 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Synopsis: Based on a novel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte (THE CLUB DUMAS) and coscripted by director Roman Polanski, THE NINTH GATE was Polanski's first feature after a long break following the release of 1995's... Based on a novel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte (THE CLUB DUMAS) and coscripted by director Roman Polanski, THE NINTH GATE was Polanski's first feature after a long break following the release of 1995's DEATH AND THE MAIDEN--in between, there was an aborted project that faltered when designated star John Travolta opted out. Dean Corso (Johnny Depp) is a cynical rare books dealer hired by Boris Balkan (Frank Langella), a scholar specializing in books on Satanism, to recover the only two remaining copies (in addition to the one owned by Balkan) of THE NINE GATES OF THE KINGDOM OF SHADOWS, a 17th-century text with cryptic illustrations supposedly contributed by Lucifer himself. Corso's investigation takes him to Europe, where he is pursued by a strange girl (Emmanuelle Seigner) who seemes to assume the role of his guardian angel: Bizarre deaths inspired by the book's morbid illustrations befall all those who come into contact with the book--except himself. This occult mystery should satisfy fans of subtly creepy, stylish tales of the supernatural along the lines of Polanski's own ROSEMARY'S BABY. [More]

Starring: Johnny Depp, Frank Langella, Lena Olin, Emmanuelle Seigner

Starring: Johnny Depp, Frank Langella, Lena Olin, Emmanuelle Seigner, Barbara Jefford, Jose Lopez Rodero, James Russo

Director: Roman Polanski

Director: Roman Polanski
Screenwriter: John Brownjohn, Roman Polanski, Enrique Urbizu
Producer: Roman Polanski
Composer: Wojciech Kilar

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Ninth Gate

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41 - 60 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Slack, often ludicrous.

Full Review Source: Citysearch | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Citysearch

The movie is a kicky college course in demonology, whereas The Blair Witch Project seemed to be a truant from horror kindergarten, one with poor prospects of graduating to The Sixth Sense.

Full Review Source: San Diego Union-Tribune | comment Comment
01/01/00
David Elliott
David Elliott
San Diego Union-Tribune

Dull turns to ludicrous, as action and plot twists fly at the audience from left field-- if not the bleachers.

Full Review Source: Flint Journal | comment Comment
01/01/00
David Forsmark
David Forsmark
Flint Journal

The film never gets around to illuminating much about the lead character.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
01/01/00
David Hunter
David Hunter
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinemaphile.org | comment Comment
01/01/00
David Keyes
David Keyes
Cinemaphile.org

Director-in-exile Roman Polanski (Rosemary's Baby) and the occult go together like butter and toast.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Fairly enjoyable as an old-fashioned horror yarn.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Don Kaye
Don Kaye
TNT's Rough Cut

Wants to be a horror movie, and Polanski apparently is attempting to recapture the acclaim he received from Rosemary's Baby but he has no such luck.

Full Review Source: DustinPutman.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dustin Putman
Dustin Putman
DustinPutman.com

About as scary as a sock-puppet re-enactment of The Blair Witch Project, and not nearly as funny.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Elvis Mitchell
Elvis Mitchell
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Eric D. Snider
Eric D. Snider
EricDSnider.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Blather | comment Comment
01/01/00
Eugene Novikov
Eugene Novikov
Film Blather

For the most part the picture meshes spookiness and stylish humor to excellent effect.

Full Review Source: One Guy's Opinion | comment Comment
01/01/00
Frank Swietek
Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion

A lengthy exposition, a meandering plot, and overattenuated dialogue. Warts and all, Polanski is back.

Full Review Source: Mixed Reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Gabriel Shanks
Gabriel Shanks
Mixed Reviews
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Houston Community Newspapers | comment Comment
01/01/00
Gary Brown
Gary Brown
Houston Community Newspapers

The key word here is 'whore,' not 'horror.' As in 'too bad Polanski's become one' ... and such an ineffective one, to boot.

Full Review Source: eye WEEKLY | comment Comment
01/01/00
Gemma Files
Gemma Files
eye WEEKLY

Unwilling to settle on one climax to his lumbering narrative, Polanski seems to have included them all.

Full Review Source: Orlando Weekly | comment Comment
01/01/00
George Meyer
George Meyer
Orlando Weekly

Sexy, sardonic and slightly over the top, it definitely contains Polanski's best work in years.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Glenn Lovell
Glenn Lovell
San Jose Mercury News

The Ninth Gate is for the most part an appropriately restrained, deftly acted and smartly stylized with a dynamite score by Wojciech Kilar.

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
01/01/00
Harvey S. Karten
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
01/01/00
J. Hoberman
J. Hoberman
Village Voice

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
 
 
41 - 60 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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