Reviewed by Will

Synopsis: Johnny Depp is an antique book dealer who gets entangled with the supernatural.

A wealthy client orders him to decipher the secrets of a demonic tome which has the ability to open the Ninth Gate.

The cynical book dealer must unravel the mystery before it unravels his soul!

The Ninth Gate is the tale of a masterful yet unethical New York book appraiser, Dean Corso (Johnny Depp), who is hired by Boris Balkin, (Frank Langella) an avid collector who has the world's largest collection of books pertaining to Satan!

Balkin shows Corso his most prized book, "The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows" which supposedly has the power to summon Lucifer.

I never saw this one on my summer reading lists.

Balkin explains that only three copies remain and he wants Corso to travel
to Europe and examine the other two to ensure his is the genuine version. Corso's first stop in Europe brings him to a small book repair shop in Spain run by two old men. After revealing his purpose to them, they tell Corso of the book's history and hint at some of it's dark secrets hidden within it's pages.

Next stop Portugal, where Corso travels to Victor Fargas' estate to compare
Mr. Balkin's copy to Fargas'. It's here that Corso discovers that the illustrations in the second book are slightly different!

Upon returning to the hotel he finds a mysterious woman who seems to appear at the most unexpected times, protecting him from a cult that seems to be pursuing him. The two head back to the Fargas Estate only to discover the second book's owner dead, the illustrations missing, and the book nearly burnt away. Looks like someone else is also interested in the Nine Gates!

Corso sets off for Paris with the mysterious woman to inspect the last copy owned by Baroness Kessler — a self proclaimed authority on the text, but once she discovers who he is employed by he's thrown out on the curb. But not before noticing that the illustrations in the third copy are also different.

Soon enough, the Baroness turns up dead as well.

Holy Necronomicon Batman! That's two for two!

Realizing the significance of the three books Corso heads to the countryside to reclaim the books from the one person who must have them. Will Dean Corso discover what the pages of the Nine Gates holds or will it's mystery fade back into obscurity?

This movie has some sort of abstract eeriness about it,  the opening credits are nightmarish and give the sense of drifting away into the darkness.

The entire film feels like it was ripped from H.P. Lovecraft's mind (I never read any Lovecraft novels but Ceej has, and he's told me all about them!). This is definitely a great movie to watch at night in the dark with friends!

Johnny Depp does a great job playing Dean Corso, he manages to make
Corso witty, charismatic and a top tier book appraiser. That's no small feat
because most people have a pre-conceived notion that book appraisers are
dull stuffy people. There's a constant feeling of impending danger tugging
at the back of your mind.

The illustrations in the books are also fascinating after you realize their secret!

Sorry can't tell ya that one!

The film is well balanced, it's dark and foreboding but not overly so, to the point of being unbelievable. My one and only gripe with this one is the ending.

Dammit I wanna see whats behind door #9!!!

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All gripes, adulation and reviews should be sent to ---> ceej3@earthlink.net
Last updated: August 09, 2000.