The Ninth Gate

Review - "Take Your Chances" comes from the reviewer who's Admission Price for 'Fantasia 2000' was "A Bag Of Mushrooms".  My point is sometimes you come across a film that's just really difficult to pigeonhole.  The Ninth Gate is such a film.

First of all Roman Polanski has done a wonderful job at creating a very creepy and damn strange film.  Johnny Depp does an even better job at selling the film to anyone willing to watch it.  I could see an Oscar Nod for Depp but he plays and introverted asshole almost to well.  I'm afraid they won't even notice him.

That said, The Ninth Gate is a film made for discussion.  It's beginnings, realities, and resolutions bear a certain amount of thought.  Nothing is, literally given to the watcher.  My fiancé got up after the film was over and exclaimed: "Stop bringing home stoopid movies!"  I didn't agree with her but I'm just the bastard who brought home a stoopid movie.

The Ninth Gate is about a book -The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows- supposedly written by Satan himself and the book expert/scumbag (J. Depp) hired to declare its authenticity. Apparently 3books exist and if interpreted correctly the true book will bring forth Lucifer himself.  A frightening task, unless the Almighty Dollar is your God.

If and when you've seen this please email me with your thoughts and commentaries.  I'm interested in what you've seen.

-m-