The Ninth Gate

I had the chance to go back, and rent a few films that I had only seen once, and among them was this work by acclaimed director Roman Polanski. And when I think Roman Polanski, I think dirty, animalistic, natural, raw, and dark. Looking at the film The Ninth Gate, a film adapted from the book by Arturo Perez-Reverte, I couldn't think of any better way to describe the atmosphere.

John Corso, played by Johnny Depp, is a book detective, of sorts. He is hired by a millionaire book fanatic to seek out and find two seemingly identical books to the one he has entitled "The Nine Gates." Corso travels across Europe to speak to the two owners, and compare books to his own copy.

But from the start, we feel uncomfortable. There's something going on, and we can't quite explain it. Polanski creates a strange and seemingly dark atmosphere for his characters to discover. And that's what this film is about: discovery. It follows Corso through his curiosities that surround this trio of books, and their satanic nature. He is drawn into a world of conjuring spirits, and human sexuality.

But something was lacking--Depp seems to play a man curious and adventurous. He is a commanding character that must figure out what is happening, and why. But he's scared, scared of what he might find. At least, that's what I would have expected. Unfortunately, with the films length, and the plot twists, the depth of the character is lost. Depp plays an all too familiar character, running around in a world he's unfamiliar with.

He is joined by an interesting cast, but their characters are never developed enough to mention. This adaptation to film was done well, but it makes me feel that there was a considerable amount of information vital to the story left out in the transfer. And though I never like to say that films have bad endings, it is very clear to me that this ending is going to upset many people. It's a Polanski film. You need to be aware of that before heading nose first into this film.

The camera work was solid, but never overly creative. The plot was well written, but never a wow. The performances by the actors were just what this film needed, but never really pulled me into the two hour run-about. It was well done, and that seems the best way to explain. It's like the best steak you can buy, and just barely overcooking it.

If you're looking for a strange film about the discovery of The Ninth Gate to the underworld, this is certainly what you're looking for. It's interesting, but seems long at times. It's a mystery that resolves, but can easily leave the viewer feeling unsatisfied. Take caution, but enjoy. 6.75 of 10.