The first hour of the picture is sublime.
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
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Reviews for The Ninth Gate
A total washout when reaches its laughably hackneyed, fire -and- brimstone ritual finale.
Painful to watch The Ninth Gate’s meticulous tone and rhythms go for naught in its final half-hour.
At least the action is moved by earthbound dementia rather than by the power of a divinity.
Sorely underrated...wisely counter-cultural to Hollywood's idea of what a supernatural thriller should be. [Blu-ray]
The self-immolating and oblivion-bound Ninth Gate is the kind of film that's going to give satanic cults a bad name.
Flat dialogue, overly long scenes, and a too-hazy story make The Ninth Gate a near-complete letdown.
Polanski came very close to creating a great film here. It's just too bad he forgot to end it.
The script is so bereft of real surprises that it's best to keep the lid on what few there are.
The Ninth Gate est un énième film sous-évalué qui mérite davantage d’attention et de reconnaissance.
I kept hoping Polanski would take the plot by the neck and shake life into it, but no.
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.
The key word here is 'whore,' not 'horror.' As in 'too bad Polanski's become one' ... and such an ineffective one, to boot.
The worst occult film to star big-name actors in many years, and a startlingly inept and unsatisfying piece of storytelling.
Dull turns to ludicrous, as action and plot twists fly at the audience from left field-- if not the bleachers.
Polanski's sly sense of film-noir conventions pokes fun at the genre while at the same time honoring it.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 77% 77% | The Hangover |
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 90% 90% | District 9 |
| 86% 86% | 500 Days of Summer |
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| 06% 06% | All About Steve |
| 78% 78% | It Might Get Loud |
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