The Ninth Gate

source: The Ninth Gate

This is possibly the lamest occult film I have seen in years. An unlikable main character underplayed by Johnny Depp pursues a mildly interesting quest for a book, only to discover ... less than he bargained for, really. The ambiguous, anti-climactic ending had the audience actually laughing when the credits finally rolled. Save your money.

Excellent movie. I've seen it about 10 times now. The soundtrack rocks, with all sorts of 3's, 6's and 9's in it. (9 note melodies, melodies repeated 6 times, thirds for intervals...) Nearly flawless editing, I can't find any plot mistakes. Great film noir atmosphere. Excellent acting by Johnny Depp and Frank Langella. Roger Ebert gave it 2 stars, because he didn't like how vague the ending was. The vague ending is one of the things that I think makes it excellent. The title sequence is one of my favorites ever, right up there with Se7en.

Caught this one today on Bravo -- or rather, I should say, it caught me. I thought it looked like an interesting idea, researching demonic summoning and opening the nine gates of the title. Instead, all we get is a rather interesting buildup of Johnny Depp trying to figure out which copy of a book is real, figuring out the roles of the various sinister players, and being rescued by a mysterious woman. Unfortunately, once he figures out the mystery, nothing happens. I am not exaggerating here. I do not mean to say, "not much happens." I mean, NOTHING happens. One person tries to grant himself omnipotent demonic powers and fails. Johnny Depp then thinks he may have solved the mystery, and walks toward an old castle. Fade to black. Nothing happens. That's two and a half hours stolen from me by Bravo, Roman Polanski, and Johnny Depp that I will never get back. Do not make the same mistake I did.

HUGE SPOILERS, DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT 'EM I don't have time to read all 270 reviews right now, heh, though I have read several. One I saw that caught my eye mentioned something about the libraries and all of the "precious" books being burned, pages destroyed, ripped up, etc... My own take on this is that here all of these people are searching through the books, looking for the supposed wisdom inside, but that wisdom is never contained inside. I think the books are burned to symbolize the fact that the answer will never really be found in them. In this vein, many people have expressed a lot of confusion over The Girl, but they're missing the point of the film entirely. *She* is Lucifer. First of all, as it's been noted elsewhere, she is the only character that exhibits supernatural powers in the whole movie, in spite of the fact that there's more satanists than you could throw a rock at. Throughout the film she guides and assists Johnny Depp's character Corso, showing up at the most opportune moments, giving him information he'd never be able to get otherwise (like the girl's last name, St. Martin, and the location of the last page). But the most crucial element here, and one I haven't seen mentioned before, is that SHE is the "Ninth Gate". It's the mirror image of divine grace. Corso is chosen by Lucifer herself, tempted by her, and led to the final realization of what's been going on all this time. She tempted him and he accepted. He was already somewhat sleazy to begin with, his soul already tainted, which was symbolized by his indulgence in so many vices. This is not a guy you can count on to "do the right thing." Witness the way he bashed the satanist's head in with the butt of the gun and then didn't seem too upset about it. In fact he hardly registered it at all--The Girl was more moved by the murder than he was. Absolutely no one could have told Corso where the last page of the gate engravings was except Lucifer. Corso was hand-picked. I mean, would you give Ultimate Power to just any bozo? Of course not. That was the whole idea behind the puzzle of the nine pages in the first place. It weeded out idiots like Boris Balkan. He thought he could get power by figuring out the puzzle but he was as ridiculous as the robed and cowled satanists that he derided at the chateau. All in all, I think many people missed the entire point of this movie which is somewhat disheartening. When you see The Girl's picture on the last page it should all come together for you. If not, maybe something straightforward like The Omen series would be more your speed.

This is a first rate film by a cinematic genius. There is nothing un-Polanski about this movie. If you persist in thinking that there is, then your understanding of his genius is limited! How many people actually understood this film??? Not many. And I don't think it is THAT difficult to figure out what occurs at the end. Even people who rated it high failed to grasp the ending, which suggests that they failed to grasp it at all! Most people don't know why they like a movie that they see. And those who do know why and can put it into words are usually giving the criteria for refined entertainment, not art!! Polanski is a true genius, and hence, his films are by definition not likely to be appreciated by very many. Which is not to say that his work is an exercise in intellectual acrobatics. Not at all. I would expect that someone who has seen his other films would understand (i.e., the fearless vampire killers is a good one to compare this one to..), but alas, people jump on the critical bandwagon and say 'this is not polanski's finest'...WHATEVER! You have to be approaching his genius in order to see what perfect art he produces EVERY time he makes a film (what other kind of craftsperson could you imagine wakes up one day and forgets their craft? None! So don't be a fool and underestimate the true film artist!) Okay, enough ranting. THe ending: THere are two parallel levels of meaning to be interpreted in this film. THere is the superficial storyline, which obviously most people didn't not care to delve beneath. And then there is what is really going on. Johnny is living out his destiny, with fate (the blonde) to guide him and ensure that he gets through all of the gates. Johnny becomes greedy and ultimately kills to get his hands on the engravings. Johnny 'consumates' his commitment to the darkside when he finally beds the blonde devil-incarnate/devil's helper/fate itself, and although Johnny doesn't realize it, she is the gateway, and he has just gone through, so to speak. The last engraving being a rip-off, and Johnny's being guided to the real one in such an obvious way should tell you that this is not the 'real story' of how Johnny gets through. Also notice that Satan's helper (blonde) is in the engraving. It was Johnny's destiny to actualize each engraving, and be the dark prince. WHy him? Because he is so utterly naive, committed, and greedily curious...he actually believes that he is doing the work of figuring everything out... This is not a film for the general public who were probably disappointed at the lack of special effects or something. Polanski's films are not 'artsy' or 'intellectual' but nevertheless they are not going to be appreciated by everyone. He is subtle...a true genius.

CONTAINS SPOILERS At first, I thought it would be best not to say too much about this movie. It is so good that I didn't want to give any of it away. However, now that I've read the overwhelmingly negative reviews, I'd like to say a few things in the movie's defense. The Ninth Gate is not a horror movie, not a thriller, not a campy comedy, not a drama. If you force the movie in any of these categories and judge it by the category's standards, the movie will be doomed to fail. What is the Ninth Gate, then? I'd say it's a character-based exploration of good and evil that also entertains us by poking fun at the representation of good and evil in popular culture. At the same time that the film plays with and laughs at cinematic conventions related to Satanism, heros, and villains, it offers us a very serious view of the nature of evil in contemporary life. This view crystallises at the very end of the film, when the ninth gate explodes with light. Insane psychopaths who spend all their time and money trying to wake the devil are not what the devil wants, this film tells us. The devil wants those millions of lukewarm types--people who are centered around their own survival and comfort, without strong feelings of morality, love, or hatred. To win these people over to the side of hell by offering them knowledge, power, and pleasure would be to win a great battle against God. The charge that the movie is ambiguous is preposterous. Some say that the unnamed girl could be an angel, a demon, or a good but flawed person. Which should we choose? Well, anyone who watches the movie closely and sees how she reacts to various murders should have no trouble choosing. Others say that the ending is either heavenly or hellish and that it's impossible to say which. Again, anyone who pays attention and notices that the castle is the ninth gate, that there is a shadowy figure standing in the window when it fills with light, and that Depp is the very man depicted in the book that he reads should easily realise that the ending is utterly hellish. The film does leave open the question of whether hell is actually a reprehensible place, I think, but this is not ambiguity; this is a disturbingly open question that the film raises with intellectual mastery. Evil does have its attractions; that's why it's so prevalent throughout the world. There is so much more to say about this movie, so many little details that deserve praise. Take Depp's ride in a truck filled with sheep--this is the birth of an antichrist. This time the devil wins with his/her temptations. Take the resemblance of the figures in the film to the figures in the books--clear but not at first obvious. There's so much here, so much. This is an exceptional film.

As with many of Polanski's films, "The Ninth Gate" includes beautiful settings, great orchestration, and intriguing characters. He was able to put together a talented cast, including several from the largely untapped European community. These include Jose Lopez Rodero, giving a short but humorous and witty performance, and the striking Emmanuelle Seigner, who plays her part with the perfect subtlety (no doubt due in part to Polanski's influence). Johnny Depp (playing the bibliophile anti-hero) gives another adept performance and the musical score is expertly composed. The only negatives I noticed were that the movie was at times too slow paced and that the ending left something to the imagination. But all-in-all Polanski has left us with an enduring thriller propelled by a (refreshingly) character-driven tale.

Some of the critics ratings and user ratings really surprise and shock me at times. "The Ninth Gate" is rated so low, even by the critics (and several movie buffs), I really did not have much expectations from this movie. However, it was after all, a supernatural thriller by Roman Polanski and that was reason enough for me to see it. This, along with some comment I read somewhere that it is similar to Angel Heart, heightened my curiosity and finally saw it! And boy.. am I glad I did! This is one of Polanski's finest films. There is no sense comparing it to Polanski's earlier classic based on the supernatural, Rosemary's Baby. That is, of course, a classic, but that does not render The Ninth Gate any lesser in terms of quality. The story revolves around a man called Dean Corso (Johnny Depp), who happens to be a dealer in rare books. He is hired by a wealthy book collector by the name of Boris Balkan (Frank Langella) to authenticate a rare and very special book in his possession, "The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of the Shadows". There are only three surviving copies and Balkan is convinced that only one is authentic and the others, forgeries. Corso takes up the job and then begin his investigations and a very mysterious odyssey full of twists and turns. To reveal anything more would be a crime. One should watch the movie to experience it completely. Polanski has incorporated all the elements that make for a great movie. An interesting plot (based on "El Club Dumas", by Arturo Pérez-Reverte), Darius Khondji's brilliant cinematography, Wojciech Kilar's killer background score, Polanski's masterful direction and the overall atmospheric nature of the movie make up for a great watch! Not to mention some great acting from Johnny Depp (always dependable) and Frank Langella. And let's not forget Mrs. Polanski herself, Emmanuelle Seigner in a very interesting role. As for the poor reviews this film generally got, I must say I am stumped. There is not a single weak moment; the proceedings glide by smoothly, and are more than intriguing. Suffice to say, it's a very well made film and a fascinating experience. Never mind, that some so-called critics have lambasted it for some unanswered questions and ambiguities in the story. They are probably the kind who like everything packaged in a neat order with ends all tied up, and are averse to enigma and ambiguity. My viewpoint is that there may be untied ends and unanswered questions...but it is nothing that can't be figured out. The Ninth Gate is the kind of movie that you would wanna watch again..and then discuss it with fellow-viewers..then watch it again. And am sure, every viewing will yield newer ideas and interpretations..

SPOILERS - - - - - - -- I just watched this movie again and there are a few comments I would like to add to the general ideas. Firstly, my impression of THE GIRL was that she was like a Valkyrie of Norse Myth, she chose who would make it to Valhalla, or Hell in this case. But she could be the devil herself certainly. Although this movie was about choosing one person to be enlightened (as they said "Thus let the light shine" on the front engraving) or if you insist on being terribly judeo-Christian-Islamic about it, de-enlightened, this could have been only one of many through the ages as De Torquia himself must have been chosen, for example. Also, The actual 9th plate engraving shows a 7 headed beast which may be the 7 deadly sins, however, it shows the beast harnessed and being ridden by the girl reading a book, meaning she had overcome the pull of the sins and tamed them by education. Also, the 2nd time Corso visits the shop of the brothers Ceneza, the two guys there (workmen) were played by the same one guy who played both Cenesa brothers. I checked the credits to be sure. Plus, the same child's voice on both visits says, "Si, Si Mama!" suggesting that the shop exists outside of "real" time. To eat from the tree of the KNOWLEDGE of good and evil is to understand duality thus the serpent could be seen as the bringer of enlightenment not death. the first two times Corso sees dead bodies (Bernie and Vargas) he says Jesus Christ or God Almight, thus signaling the god as he is generally understood is the bringer of death, not life. The girl is overlooked because she appears poor, badly dressed and unwashed. Telfer and Balkan would never have spoken to her, even though she is the way to what they claim to seek. They can never "see" her. Balkan wears thick glasses and Corso's glasses get broken symbolizing that what is commonly accepted as a way to see really hinders actual "seeing". The Baroness "saw" the devil when she was 15 and sought him ever since but she also fell by the wayside by distraction. Balkan, by sending Corso to do the work (even though it was his idea to compare the books) shows he is not worthy. Corso did things he never thought he would do. He went through streams, begged rides, rode with animals and walked to get to the tower. He may have followed those who forged the way, but HE was willing to see her and personally do what it took. I think any of those people could have been chosen if they had "seen" and done the work themselves. Instead they all got rich and lazy while Corso is described as "lean and hungry". Just some ideas I got from this great great work of art. I'm going to read the nove on which it was based.