Writer: John Brownjohn, based on a novel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Cast: Johnny Depp, Frank Langella, Lena Olin, Emmanuelle Seigner, Barbara Jefford
With money no object, Corso eagerly takes on the job. His first visit it to the book's former owner, who hanged himself just after selling the book to Balkan. That sale comes as a surprise to the man's sexy widow (Barbara Jefford), who quickly makes it plain she wants the book back--and isn't fussy what she has to do to get it. As the body count rises steadily, Corso seeks out the two remaining volumes, assisted from time to time by a mysterious blond (Emanuelle Seigner) whose identity and purpose never quite become clear.
As he studies the three books, Corso discovers there are slight differences in the engravings in each one. It is a riddle that begins to enthrall him, leading him to strange places and even stranger people, until he finally solves it and comes face to face with evil.
The Ninth Gate is a visually stunning, superbly directed film that nevertheless ends up falling short of what one expects from a director with Polanski's talent and history. Not only is the plot uninspired, derivative of just about every pact-with-the-devil tale since Faust, it is presented with acting performances to low-keyed as to be nonexistent. The tale plods along from plot twist to plot twist, all of which are completely predictable, and anyone with half a brain will know who The Girl is long before the climactic revelation.
There isn't a single character here for an average filmgoer to identify with, and the result is that what happens to them is a matter of indifference. The heartpounding suspense of Rosemary's Baby is missing, replaced by a kind of Kubrickian surrealism that fails to provide even the intellectual satisfaction Kubrick does. There is even a Black Mass scene so reminiscent of the one in Eyes Wide Shut it arouses déjà vu.
Polanski's point seems to be that those who would demand partnership with the Devil are fools, because the Devil will make that choice. Unfortunately, in an apparent attempt to surround that theme with moral ambiguity, he ends up losing track of it altogether. In the end, we are left watching the credits and humming "Is That All There Is?"
Go To Page: 1 2
