The Ninth Gate (1999)

Halloween Reviews 2020

Director: Roman Polanski

Writers: John Brownjohn & Enrique Urbizu and Roman Polanski, from the novel by Arturo Perez-Reverte

Stars: Johnny Depp, Frank Langella, Lena Olin, Emanuelle Seigner, Barbara Jefford, Jack Taylor, Jose Lopez Rodero

An amoral dealer in rare books (Johnny Depp) is hired by a wealthy collector (Frank Langella) to track down and compare the only three extant copies of a book supposedly written by the Devil himself. 

Of course, the purpose behind this is not immediately clear, and the major strength of this film is the way in which it follows Depp as he begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together. 

Director Roman Polanski shoots this in a way that allows us to make the discoveries right alongside him. 

Roman Polanski

By the end of the film, however, numerous details have accumulated without amounting to much. 

I was left in the dark about the true nature of Depp's mysterious female guardian (Emmanuelle Seigner), and the significance of the film's final shot was lost on me. 

What began as an intriguing mystery ended as a confused mess.