Slack, often ludicrous.
The Ninth Gate (1999)
Tomatometer
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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
Reviews for The Ninth Gate
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.
Dull turns to ludicrous, as action and plot twists fly at the audience from left field-- if not the bleachers.
The film never gets around to illuminating much about the lead character.
Director-in-exile Roman Polanski (Rosemary's Baby) and the occult go together like butter and toast.
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.
About as scary as a sock-puppet re-enactment of The Blair Witch Project, and not nearly as funny.
For the most part the picture meshes spookiness and stylish humor to excellent effect.
A lengthy exposition, a meandering plot, and overattenuated dialogue. Warts and all, Polanski is back.
The key word here is 'whore,' not 'horror.' As in 'too bad Polanski's become one' ... and such an ineffective one, to boot.
Unwilling to settle on one climax to his lumbering narrative, Polanski seems to have included them all.
Sexy, sardonic and slightly over the top, it definitely contains Polanski's best work in years.
The Ninth Gate is for the most part an appropriately restrained, deftly acted and smartly stylized with a dynamite score by Wojciech Kilar.
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