The Ninth Gate – Review

I have always liked this slow-paced crawl of a film quite a lot. Plenty of people will be bored by its pacing, but for those interested in the story and a creepy atmosphere, check it out! And yes, I realize the director is a terrible person, and I am not into supporting him personally. Critics did not think much of this one, and the audience is a bit split, so mileage will certainly vary.

As an elderly man named Andrew Telfer pens a note and proceeds to hang himself, things are off to an ominous start. His study is full of rare and ancient books, but one seems to be missing from the shelves.

Expert Dean Corso (Depp) studies and values books, helping the rich price their collections and also acts as a broker. He often dumps his expensive finds at a small New York shop Bernie’s Rare Books, and is always on the lookout for ways to snag special volumes, ethical or otherwise. Bernie (Russo) unloads his finds and Dean takes a cut off the top.

Publisher Balkan Press owner Boris Balkan (Langella) summons Dean for a meeting in order to track down and secure copies of the ultimate rare book, of which pages are thought to be able to summon the devil. It was penned by a famed author of the 17^th century and only three copies potentially exist in the world today.

Balkan has purchased his copy from Telfer the day before his suicide, and wants his book compared to the other two known copies. He is convinced only one of the three is authentic, and he needs to know which is the real deal. This business transaction is too good for Dean to pass up, so he heads to Europe for investigation.

As Corso begins to snoop around, his world blends into a crazy mix of danger, mystery and possibly even the supernatural. Will Corso succeed, or will other forces find him first?

Based on a novel itself, The Ninth Gate moves deliberately, but I have always found the plot quite engaging. The investigation and mystery elements keep the film interesting while some tension and thrills up the ante. Depp does a great job in the lead role, while other well-cast actors help create its dark and oppressive atmosphere where there is more going on than meets the eye.

While the directing is quality, this is not an endorsement of the man. The story’s unraveling overall may be too slow for some viewers, but it has always gripped me and I like its pace. There are some good plot beats, turns and revelations that keep me invested during its just over two-hour runtime. If you are looking for a different type of mystery, this is a good one.

“Some books are dangerous, not to be opened with impunity.”