Review of The Ninth Gate (1999) by Michael W — 04 May 2013

CGI took over Sci-Fi and Horror movies in the 1990s and would create new Fantasy realms in the 2000s. Blame Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Blame Jurassic Park. Horror movies that didn't feature some massive CGI monster/demon/alien generally featured intelligent super psychos (Silence of the Lambs et-al), "interlopers" who were also super psychos (Single White Female et-al) or post-modern slashers (Scream et-al).

How pleasant it was to watch this intelligent Horror movie, directed by Roman Polanski, that featured no CGI monsters and an intelligent plot that engages the viewer. Of course, it failed at the box office.

There were a lot of films as Y2K approached that had Satanic villains taking an interest in mortal affairs. This film is part of that cycle but is way more interesting and scary than most of those other films.

A sinister millionaire publisher and book collector (Frank Langella, the older this guy gets the more sinister he becomes) hires a sleazy, corrupt book dealer played by Johnny Depp. Depp creates a character we initially hate but eventually come to identify with but never really like the guy.

Depp is supposed to obtain a rare satanic text for Langella but he is opposed by an equally sinister Lena Olin (the widow of Langella's late former rival) and dead bodies keep popping up as Depp scours post-modern Europe looking for the sinister black book that may have been co-written by Satan himself.

Scary stuff. a mysterious beauty (Emmanuelle Seigner) keeps popping in and out of Depp's path and it seems that the book wants to be found by Depp. Polanski is returning to his horror roots here and directs the film with skill.

Much is suggested here, there are musty libraries and shadowy streets that suggest far more menace than any CGI demon would have.