100
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
Polanski's directing is marvelously assured and Depp is always fun to watch.
The Ninth Gate
Critic Rating
(read reviews)User Rating
- Spain,
- France,
- United States
- 1999
- · 133m
Director
Roman Polanski
Cast
Johnny Depp,
Frank Langella,
Lena Olin,
Emmanuelle Seigner,
Barbara Jefford,
Jack Taylor
Genre
Mystery,
Thriller
Dean Corso is a rare book collector whose most recent client has acquired "The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows;" a legendary 17th century edition that can be used to summon the Devil. Only 3 copies remain of this book, and Corso's client wants him to go on a strange and dangerous mission to track down the other two.
Stream The Ninth Gate
What are critics saying?
80
Salon by Charles Taylor
Amusing, ultra-deadpan entertainment. The director was lucky enough to have a cast who were in on the joke and tuned in to his wavelength.
75
Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington
Elegant, scary fun.
75
New York Daily News by Jack Mathews
The movie falls apart toward the end as it enters "Eyes Wide Shut" territory, but until then, it's fun to see bookworms cast in the James Bond mode.
75
Philadelphia Inquirer by Gary Thompson
Begins to take on a striking resemblance to the infamously bad "Eyes Wide Shut."
65
TNT RoughCut
Fairly enjoyable as an old-fashioned horror yarn -- or, if that doesn't work for you, as a black comedy about an obsessive collector.
65
TNT RoughCut by Don Kaye
Fairly enjoyable as an old-fashioned horror yarn -- or, if that doesn't work for you, as a black comedy about an obsessive collector.
63
Miami Herald by René Rodríguez
A devilish little comedy whose urbane, satirical humor will probably sail right over the heads of audiences weaned on Scream.
60
Film.com by Peter Brunette
Compulsively watchable and its occasional lapses into that familiar Polanskian overkill are almost charming.
60
Chicago Reader by Jonathan Rosenbaum
So visually striking, so compulsively watchable as storytelling, and so personal even in its enigmas that I found it much more pleasurable than any of the Hollywood genre films I've seen lately.
58
Seattle Post-Intelligencer by William Arnold
Exotic Ninth Gate breaks down into clichés.
40
The New York Times by A.O. Scott
About as scary as a sock-puppet re-enactment of "The Blair Witch Project," and not nearly as funny.
34
Mr. Showbiz
The once-talented Mr. Polanski is hard to spot.
33
Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
A film not even a star as foxed and foxy as Johnny Depp himself could save.
30
Film.com by Gemma Files
A nonsensical mishmash.
30
Village Voice by J. Hoberman
Never quite becomes unwatchable.
25
Boston Globe by Jay Carr
A supernatural thriller that is neither super, natural, nor thrilling.
Loading recommendations...
Loading recommendations...