The Ninth Gate

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Review by Anders Kirchner

Grade: 1.5 out of 5
Warning: This review reveals major details of the plot

Short version: It sucked big time! I can hardly find anything positive about this movie: the music is too dramatic, the few fx are sometimes very lousy. The actors are almost constantly overacting, and sometimes it becomes sheer comedy! I'm very disappointed because most of the reviews I've read are neutral or slightly positive. I guess we didn't see the same movie. Briefly, the first half of the film was plain lousy, the kind of stuff turkeys are made of. The second half is better, but far from good. I think the best thing about this movie is that it eventually ends, not too soon though!

The Ninth Gate

Plot: In the opening scene of the movie Dean Corso , played by Johnny Depp cheats a couple to sell him same valuable books cheap - which is done with some humorous touches.

After that Boris Balkan , played by Frank Langella, who collects books that have some form of connection to the devil, hires Johnny Depp to find out which of the three remaining copies of The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows is genuine. According to the legend only one is authentic, the legend also tells that the author had a very prominent co-worker namely Beelzebub, and that the book contains some kind of a map to open the gates to the Kingdom of Shadows. The person who can open the gate will of course receive enormous powers.

The authentication process takes Depp to Europe to compare the other two remaining copies with his principal's book.

But Depp gets into trouble even before the trip to Europe. Liana Telfer, played by Lena Olin, who is the widow of the former owner of Langella's copy seduces Depp in a effort to get the book back. When she doesn't get it she assaults Depp and takes off. Depp, who has become suspicious, has deposited the book at a colleague's shop. But when he gets there he finds his friend killed in the same way as the first engraving in the book. Depp then hurries off to Europe.

I wont tell you more about the plot because I don't want to reveal the end for those of you who want to see the movie.

Thoughts about the movie

Quite early you realize that all three copies are authentic, just different reflections of the author's work.

The initial camerawork feels fresh perhaps somewhat influenced by trends of recent years, the Dogma-manifesto and handheld cameras. It pays tribute to a feeling of discomfort. Polanski tries to create a dark feeling with dreary music and dark interior.

I guess the movie is aimed towards a grown-up audience. For example, the almost total lack of fx, but some effort and money should been used on the fx, because some scenes was pretty lousy. In the scenes where the girl and Depp ride a motorcycle, you can very easily see that the background and the actors don't fit, just like in movies from the sixties.

The actors and characters

Pathetic overacting by the majority of the actors. The only one who is ok is "The Girl", played by Emmanuella Seigner (Polanskis wife). The only reason to that is that her character is pretty reserved and mysterious, she doesn't have to act that much.

Lena Olin's character appears pretty normal, well pretty normal for a Satan-worshiper I guess, most of the film but every now and when she flips and acts like a highly strung cat scratching and spluttering. And of course she takes of her clothes and acts sexually aggressive, which automatically discloses her as evil.

Langella overacts most of the movie and sometimes it becomes almost ridiculous.

The Ceniza brothers who owned "the Langella copy" a long time ago are sheer comedy! I don't know if that is intentional, but they fulfil each and every cliché you can find about twins, completing each others sentences and so on. In the end it is revealed that the brothers falsified one engraving before they sold the book. But if they are such good forgers, that they where capable to fool a whole bunch of bookcollectors and connoisseurs, why did they leave the removed engraving on a bookshelf? What was the purpose of the maneuver? So Depp would find it years later?

Some of the characters in the movie are people (the girl and the brothers) from the engravings in the book. Some scenes in the movie is also from the book, among them "the mysterious" finale.

The question that arises is why hasn't anyone brought the books together earlier? Why have the Satan-worshipers been so wimpy. Is the girl a reflection of the devil or perhaps his henchman? Is the book and its engravings a profetia about the plot in the film? Who knows and frankly who cares?

Anders Kirchner March 6^th, 2000

Review by Nonia Bidness

I only scan movie reviews these days, as too many give away too much of the plot, and from what I had read about this one, I was half-way expecting to find it disappointing. I am pleased to say, however, that my husband and I enjoyed it thoroughly and found much to compliment about it.

Roman Polanski has quite a gift for creating eerie suspense while maintaining adequate subtlety. From the opening credits, we were drawn in with a powerful foreboding air. I was reminded of Rosemary’s Baby without really understanding why. There was a great deal of mystery and intrigue, and tremendous beauty. The homes of the fabulously wealthy were realistic and lavish, the scenery wonderful, the effects very well done. This film was a visual treat.

We found no big plot holes, just one small part that was vaguely dissatisfying, and that was not important enough to ruin anything. The story made sense, the plot twisted and thickened in entertaining ways, the ending credible and satisfying. All of the dialog was believable and some of it quite snappy and sharp.

Johnny Depp does his usual seamless job and Mr. Polanski’s young French wife, Emmanuelle Seigner is good as the mysterious shadowy beauty; Lena Olin and Frank Langella both do beautifully in their roles.

Movie mood: Mystery/Drama/Suspense
Bang for the Buck: Worth full price
Recommend to Friends: Definitely

Nonia Bidness March 31^st, 2000