|

Now Playing
Critics & Publications
Archives: A-Z Index
Advanced Search
Upcoming Release Calendar
Weekend Box Office
Film Awards & Top 10s By Year
All-Time High Scores
All-Time Low Scores
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Film In Our Forums

23
American Carol, An
26
Babylon A.D.
24
Bangkok Dangerous
42
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
45
Blindness
58
Body of Lies
62
Burn After Reading
xx
City of Ember
15
College
82
Dark Knight, The
43
Death Race
15
Disaster Movie
43
Eagle Eye
xx
Express, The
49
Family That Preys, The
57
Flash of Genius
36
Fly Me to the Moon
54
Get Smart
72
Ghost Town
49
Hancock
34
Happening, The
78
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
71
Horton Hears a Who!
55
House Bunny, The
36
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
61
Incredible Hulk, The
65
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
79
Iron Man
57
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
73
Kung Fu Panda
46
Lakeview Terrace
52
Longshots, The
24
Love Guru, The
53
Lucky Ones, The
51
Mamma Mia!
43
Meet Dave
37
Miracle at St. Anna
35
Mirrors
31
Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The
34
My Best Friend's Girl
64
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
39
Nights in Rodanthe
64
Pineapple Express
xx
Quarantine
36
Righteous Kill
53
Rocker, The
xx
RocknRolla
53
Sex and the City: The Movie
63
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, The
36
Space Chimps
35
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
51
Step Brothers
47
Swing Vote
60
Traitor
71
Tropic Thunder
70
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
93
WALL-E
64
Wanted
27
Women, The
47
X-Files: I Want to Believe, The
54
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
93
WALL-E
82
Dark Knight, The
79
Iron Man
78
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
73
Kung Fu Panda
72
Ghost Town
71
Tropic Thunder
71
Horton Hears a Who!
70
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
65
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
64
Wanted
64
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
64
Pineapple Express
63
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, The
62
Burn After Reading
61
Incredible Hulk, The
60
Traitor
58
Body of Lies
57
Flash of Genius
57
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
55
House Bunny, The
54
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
54
Get Smart
53
Sex and the City: The Movie
53
Rocker, The
53
Lucky Ones, The
52
Longshots, The
51
Mamma Mia!
51
Step Brothers
49
Hancock
49
Family That Preys, The
47
Swing Vote
47
X-Files: I Want to Believe, The
46
Lakeview Terrace
45
Blindness
43
Meet Dave
43
Death Race
43
Eagle Eye
42
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
39
Nights in Rodanthe
37
Miracle at St. Anna
36
Space Chimps
36
Righteous Kill
36
Fly Me to the Moon
36
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
35
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
35
Mirrors
34
Happening, The
34
My Best Friend's Girl
31
Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The
27
Women, The
26
Babylon A.D.
24
Bangkok Dangerous
24
Love Guru, The
23
American Carol, An
15
Disaster Movie
15
College
xx
RocknRolla
xx
Express, The
xx
City of Ember
xx
Quarantine
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

85
Alexandra
xx
All of Us
53
Allah Made Me Funny: Live in Concert
57
Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela, The
40
America the Beautiful
66
American Teen
74
Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer
63
Appaloosa
xx
Ashes of Time Redux
65
August Evening
xx
Bachna Ae Haseeno
62
Baghead
81
Ballast
55
Battle in Seattle
59
Beautiful Losers
xx
Beer for My Horses
47
Before the Rains
80
Bigger, Stronger, Faster*
xx
Billy: The Early Years
63
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story
56
Bottle Shock
75
Boy A
55
Bra Boys
xx
Breakfast with Scot
61
Brick Lane
64
Brideshead Revisited
61
Bustin' Down the Door
xx
Call and Response
49
Children of Huang Shi, The
47
Choke
xx
Choose Connor
xx
Christmas on Mars: A Fantastical Film Freakout Featuring the Flaming Lips
54
CSNY: Déjà Vu
41
Cthulhu
64
Duchess, The
85
Edge of Heaven, The
66
Elegy
33
Elite Squad
52
Elsa & Fred
80
Encounters at the End of the World
26
Everybody Wants to Be Italian
64
Fall, The
28
Fireproof
86
Flight of the Red Balloon, The
65
Flow: For Love of Water
37
Forever Strong
39
Forgiveness
82
Frozen River
73
Girl Cut in Two, A
62
Girls Rock!
xx
Goal II: Living the Dream
73
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
57
Good Dick
54
Hamlet 2
xx
Happy-Go-Lucky
25
Hell Ride
44
Henry Poole is Here
31
Hounddog
53
Humboldt County
72
I Served the King of England
71
I.O.U.S. A
40
Igor
64
In Search of a Midnight Kiss
46
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
67
Jellyfish
xx
Just Buried
62
Kabluey
63
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
78
Last Mistress, The
52
Last Stop for Paul
70
Love Songs
xx
Lower Learning
63
Man Named Pearl, A
89
Man on Wire
62
Mister Foe
86
Momma's Man
74
Mongol
80
Moving Midway
46
My Mexican Shivah
xx
Nights and Weekends
73
Obscene
80
Order of Myths, The
67
Patti Smith: Dream of Life
xx
Phoebe in Wonderland
55
Ping Pong Playa
77
Pool, The
72
Priceless
82
Rachel Getting Married
61
Red
55
Religulous
71
Roman de gare
78
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
51
Savage Grace
58
Save Me
72
Secret, A
45
Shoot on Sight
57
Sixty Six
55
Sukiyaki Western Django
16
Surfer, Dude
82
Tell No One
56
Then She Found Me
63
Thousand Years of Good Prayers, A
71
To the Limit
57
Towelhead
72
Transsiberian
83
Trouble the Water
83
U2 3D
84
Up the Yangtze
52
Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived
79
Visitor, The
61
Wackness, The
xx
Whaledreamers
54
What We Do Is Secret
66
When Did You Last See Your Father?
67
XXY
55
Year of the Fish
39
Young People F**king
75
Young@Heart
89
Man on Wire
86
Momma's Man
86
Flight of the Red Balloon, The
85
Edge of Heaven, The
85
Alexandra
84
Up the Yangtze
83
U2 3D
83
Trouble the Water
82
Tell No One
82
Rachel Getting Married
82
Frozen River
81
Ballast
80
Encounters at the End of the World
80
Bigger, Stronger, Faster*
80
Order of Myths, The
80
Moving Midway
79
Visitor, The
78
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
78
Last Mistress, The
77
Pool, The
75
Young@Heart
75
Boy A
74
Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer
74
Mongol
73
Girl Cut in Two, A
73
Obscene
73
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
72
Secret, A
72
Priceless
72
Transsiberian
72
I Served the King of England
71
To the Limit
71
I.O.U.S. A
71
Roman de gare
70
Love Songs
67
Patti Smith: Dream of Life
67
XXY
67
Jellyfish
66
Elegy
66
American Teen
66
When Did You Last See Your Father?
65
August Evening
65
Flow: For Love of Water
64
Brideshead Revisited
64
Duchess, The
64
Fall, The
64
In Search of a Midnight Kiss
63
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story
63
Appaloosa
63
Man Named Pearl, A
63
Thousand Years of Good Prayers, A
63
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
62
Kabluey
62
Baghead
62
Girls Rock!
62
Mister Foe
61
Bustin' Down the Door
61
Wackness, The
61
Brick Lane
61
Red
59
Beautiful Losers
58
Save Me
57
Towelhead
57
Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela, The
57
Sixty Six
57
Good Dick
56
Bottle Shock
56
Then She Found Me
55
Year of the Fish
55
Religulous
55
Bra Boys
55
Sukiyaki Western Django
55
Battle in Seattle
55
Ping Pong Playa
54
Hamlet 2
54
CSNY: Déjà Vu
54
What We Do Is Secret
53
Humboldt County
53
Allah Made Me Funny: Live in Concert
52
Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived
52
Elsa & Fred
52
Last Stop for Paul
51
Savage Grace
49
Children of Huang Shi, The
47
Before the Rains
47
Choke
46
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
46
My Mexican Shivah
45
Shoot on Sight
44
Henry Poole is Here
41
Cthulhu
40
America the Beautiful
40
Igor
39
Forgiveness
39
Young People F**king
37
Forever Strong
33
Elite Squad
31
Hounddog
28
Fireproof
26
Everybody Wants to Be Italian
25
Hell Ride
16
Surfer, Dude
xx
Choose Connor
xx
Phoebe in Wonderland
xx
Happy-Go-Lucky
xx
All of Us
xx
Whaledreamers
xx
Nights and Weekends
xx
Bachna Ae Haseeno
xx
Ashes of Time Redux
xx
Christmas on Mars: A Fantastical Film Freakout Featuring the Flaming Lips
xx
Breakfast with Scot
xx
Goal II: Living the Dream
xx
Just Buried
xx
Beer for My Horses
xx
Lower Learning
xx
Call and Response
xx
Billy: The Early Years
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
|
Ninth Gate, The
Artisan Entertainment
FILM:
MPAA RATING: R for some violence and sexuality
Starring
Johnny Depp,
Frank Langella,
and
Lena Olin
A rare book dealer (Depp) seeking out the last two copies of a demon text discovers a strange demonic conspiracy.
| GENRE(S): |
Suspense/Thriller
|
| WRITTEN BY: |
Roman Polanski
John Brownjohn
Arturo Perez-Riverte (novel The Club Dumas)
Enrique Urbizu
|
| DIRECTED BY: |
Roman Polanski
|
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: July 18, 2000
Video: July 18, 2000
Theatrical: March 10, 2000
|
| RUNNING TIME: |
133 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: |
France / Spain / USA |

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
100
Christian Science Monitor
David Sterritt
Polanski's directing is marvelously assured and Depp is always fun to watch.

80
Salon.com
Charles Taylor
Amusing, ultra-deadpan entertainment. The director was lucky enough to have a cast who were in on the joke and tuned in to his wavelength.

75
New York Daily News
Jack Mathews
The movie falls apart toward the end as it enters "Eyes Wide Shut" territory, but until then, it's fun to see bookworms cast in the James Bond mode.

75
Chicago Tribune
Michael Wilmington
Elegant, scary fun.

75
Philadelphia Inquirer
Gary Thompson
Begins to take on a striking resemblance to the infamously bad "Eyes Wide Shut."

65
TNT RoughCut
Don Kaye
Fairly enjoyable as an old-fashioned horror yarn -- or, if that doesn't work for you, as a black comedy about an obsessive collector.

63
Miami Herald
Rene Rodriguez
A devilish little comedy whose urbane, satirical humor will probably sail right over the heads of audiences weaned on Scream.

60
Film.com
Peter Brunette
Compulsively watchable and its occasional lapses into that familiar Polanskian overkill are almost charming.

60
Chicago Reader
Jonathan Rosenbaum
So visually striking, so compulsively watchable as storytelling, and so personal even in its enigmas that I found it much more pleasurable than any of the Hollywood genre films I've seen lately.

58
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
William Arnold
Exotic Ninth Gate breaks down into clichés.

50
Newsweek
Andrea C. Basora
As long as Polanski keeps his focus on character and ambiance, the film is an eerie pleasure. But he doesn't, and it degenerates into a second-rate chase movie which takes its supernatural overtones either too seriously or too lightly to be convincing.

50
San Francisco Examiner
Wesley Morris
Right up to its deliberate thud of a closer, Polanski had me.

50
San Francisco Chronicle
Bob Graham
Summoning silliness Roman Polanski salutes and spoofs satanic thrillers .

50
USA Today
Mike Clark
The script is so bereft of real surprises that it's best to keep the lid on what few there are.

42
Portland Oregonian
Shawn Levy
After a cheeky, campy start, The Ninth Gate leaves you with a bitter and dull aftertaste.

40
Los Angeles Times
Kenneth Turan
Lacking noticeable energy or drive, its almost visceral distaste for dramatic momentum is puzzling, especially in a film about the black arts.

40
Variety
Lisa Nesselson
This is really a shaggy devil story whose giddy, ironic tone may throw viewers expecting a scary movie.

40
TV Guide
Maitland McDonagh
This tale may well weave a more compelling spell on the page; onscreen it's simply ponderous.

40
LA Weekly
Manohla Dargis
Euro-kitsch of the highest order, which doesn't mean it's necessarily bad, just unnecessary.

40
Dallas Observer
Robert Wilonsky
The whole thing seems to meander aimlessly, rarely creating a chill.

40
The New York Times
A.O. Scott
About as scary as a sock-puppet re-enactment of "The Blair Witch Project," and not nearly as funny.

38
New York Post
Jonathan Foreman
A non-thrilling occult thrillersolame and unoriginal that it would be an embarrassment for any director, much less a talent like Roman Polanski.

38
Baltimore Sun
Chris Kaltenbach
A film that really has no idea what it wants to be, so it tries a little of everything, and does nothing very well.

34
Mr. Showbiz
Richard T. Jameson
The once-talented Mr. Polanski is hard to spot.

33
Entertainment Weekly
Lisa Schwarzbaum
A film not even a star as foxed and foxy as Johnny Depp himself could save.

30
Film.com
Gemma Files
A nonsensical mishmash.

30
Village Voice
J. Hoberman
Never quite becomes unwatchable.

30
Austin Chronicle
Russell Smith
Most of the actors seem to have been issued one facial expression at the beginning of the film, along with pain-of-death instructions not to change it under any circumstance.

25
Boston Globe
Jay Carr
A supernatural thriller that is neither super, natural, nor thrilling.

20
Washington Post
Stephen Hunter
Polanski, generally, has fallen farther than Lucifer, and into a more profoundly depressing hell, the hell of utter banality.


The average user rating for this movie is 7.9 (out of 10) based on 18 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Read more user comments...
Discuss this movie in our forums |
|