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Movie:		3.0
Picture:		7.0
Sound:		5.0
Extras:		4.0
Score:		4.0

Director(s):	Raja Gosnell • Roman Polanski
Writer(s):	Arturo Perez-Reverte (novel), John Brownjohn
Starring:	Frank Langella • Johnny Depp • Lena Olin • Emmanuelle Seigner • James Russo
Genre:	Drama • Thriller
Release Date:	August 11, 2009
Rated:

List Price:	Blu-ray - $12.49
Amazon:

Roman Polanski’s The Ninth Gate let’s Johnny Depp live out every man’s dream: tracking down sacred texts which allow the reader to be imbued with the powers of Satan. Wait, what? Who exactly is clamoring to take on the mantle of the dark prince? Apparently a lot of people and, equally startling, the number one way to achieve that goal is to drive up really quickly next to someone, stare at them ominously and then drive off. Again: wait, what? The Ninth Gate putters along from one location to the next with Johnny Depp discovering death after death in his wake; until it finally just loses gas, sputters and dies. With nothing but some stunning imagery to recommend it, The Ninth Gate is not one of Roman Polanski's better films.

Dean Corso (Depp) deals in the rarest of rare books; in so doing, he lives knowing that the most valuable specimens he can find are those owned by people who don’t realize what they have. Money is his bottom line and thus his job translates to something resembling a highly literate gun for hire. When a dapper “collector”, Boris Balkan (Frank Langella), charges him to locate the sole surviving copies of “The Nine Gates of the Shadow Kingdom”, Corso jumps at the opportunity to earn a large paycheck for what sounds like little more than some light travel and low-key haggling. Dean Corso was mislead.

One of these elusive manuscripts possesses the potential to instill a person with the essence of Satan himself – yet all manuscripts were not created equal. Of the copies floating about, only one has the true incantation, while the others feature little more than flawed chants which will leave the would-be summoner wholly unfulfilled. Along the way, mysterious strangers harass Dean and lay waste to the path before and behind him. People begin dying left and right and Dean has little to guide him to the answers save for a mysterious girl (Emmanuelle Seigner) who seems to be his guardian angel. With a road so twisted and a mission whose purpose seems to become more important with each passing day, Dean musters one last effort to collect the book and prevent one of his many opponents from using it for its intended nefarious ends.

Dean Corso may be the easiest protagonist to knock out that has ever existed in the cinematic world. The character is caught off guard no less than five times and the hazy “the character is coming back to consciousness” shot that Polanski uses each time quickly loses its charm. It could have been played off as comical, but it’s hard to take Corso seriously when everybody and their grandmother seem to outwit him. Depp offers a middle of the road performance whose understated zest just looks ridiculous next to Langella’s loquacious and garish overacting. It’s like comparing apples to orange or, more precisely, Johnny Depp’s style to that of Frank Langella’s. It’s not a problem; they simply weren’t on the same track. Depp played his role down while Langella played his up. The styles define the characters, but in such a way that they seem like they don’t belong next to each other in the same feature.

It’s poorly structured, acted with only a mediocre flair and directed in such an inept fashion that you have to wonder if Polanski was asleep behind the camera. Never before have I seen chase scenes nor fight scenes that play out at a speed which would make a sloth feel at home. There’s never a sense of immediacy despite the racing score Polanski attached to it.

Despite all its flaws, the film is shot and framed beautifully. The cinematography can be downright stunning, and when combined with the HD capability of Blu-ray, the presentation can blow your mind. It’s an impressive visual feat, to be sure, but there’s little more to recommend this subpar entry in Roman Polanski’s catalog.

Blu-ray Bonus Features

You won’t find too much past the typical director-helmed audio commentary, storyboards and trailers; but depending on your interest, maybe it’ll be just enough. Do you fancy yourself a satanic drawings connoisseur? Then you’re in luck as the disc sports a respectable gallery that will leave you wondering about the current salvation status of your soul.