Watch The Ninth Gate

The Ninth Gate is a horror mystery movie from 1999 directed by Roman Polanski and starring Johnny Depp as the protagonist, Dean Corso. The movie is based on the novel The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. The plot of the movie revolves around rare book dealer Dean Corso, who is hired by a wealthy collector, Boris Balkan (Frank Langella), to verify the authenticity of his copy of a legendary book, The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows. Written in the 17th century by Aristide Torchia, the book allegedly contains a spell that can summon the devil. Balkan’s copy of the book has only two other copies known to exist in the world, so the stakes are high.

Corso sets out on his task, traveling to Portugal and Spain to compare Balkan’s book with the other two copies. Along the way, he encounters a woman named Liana Telfer (Lena Olin), who has her own interest in the book. As Corso gets deeper into his investigation, he realizes that there is more to the book than meets the eye. He starts experiencing strange occurrences, and people around him start dying under mysterious circumstances.

The Ninth Gate is a slow-burning, atmospheric movie that builds a sense of unease and dread from the start. The movie’s setting, primarily in Europe, adds to this atmosphere with its gothic architecture and dark alleys. Johnny Depp does an excellent job of portraying Corso as a calm and collected professional who is in over his head.

Frank Langella’s performance as Boris Balkan is convincing as a wealthy and eccentric collector who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Lena Olin’s character, Liana Telfer, adds a layer of complexity to the story, as her intentions and motivations are not clear.

The cinematography in The Ninth Gate is impressive, with darkness and shadow used to great effect. The movie has a captivating visual language that enhances the story’s supernatural elements. The movie’s score, composed by Wojciech Kilar, effectively adds to the creepy atmosphere and suspense.

The Ninth Gate is not a typical horror movie, as it relies more on suspense and mystery to engage the audience. The movie does have its share of jump scares, but they are used sparingly and effectively. The slow pace of the movie may not appeal to all viewers, but it fits the tone of the story and adds to the suspense.

Overall, The Ninth Gate is an intriguing and well-crafted horror mystery that is worth watching for fans of the genre. The movie’s slow pace and atmospheric approach may not be for everyone, but those who appreciate a well-told mystery will find much to enjoy.

The Ninth Gate is a 2000 mystery with a runtime of 2 hours and 13 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7 and a MetaScore of 44.