Summary:
A rare books dealer is drawn into a conspiracy with supernatural overtones after accepting a new job offer from a mysterious and wealthy patron.
My Thoughts:
I generally really enjoy Polanksi’s films (“Chinatown”, “Repulsion”). I think even his lesser films, like “The Ninth Gate”, have some moments that make them worth watching. I had seen “Ninth Gate” once before my most recent viewing, and I remembered thinking that it was an alright film with one or two scenes that really stood out, but I also remember thinking that overall this entry into Polanski’s oeuvre wasn’t particularly memorable or groundbreaking (not when compared to some of his classics anyways). My second viewing has solidified my original assessment: for Polanski, this is nothing special, but, I still think that it’s worth watching for those who have an interest in the director. It’s not a bad film, but it’s a bit too long, and many of the scenes that are supposed to be wrought with tension are rather emotionless and sometimes even a bit dry, and the topic is similar enough for “Gate” to draw comparison to a far superior film in his filmography (“Rosemary’s Baby”).
“There is nothing more reliable than a man whose loyalty can be bought for hard cash.”
After rare books dealer Dean Corso (Johnny Depp, “From Hell”) takes a new job authenticating a rare book of satanic rites from a mysterious collector named Boris Balkan (Frank Langella, “Captain Fantastic”), he begins experiencing mysterious phenomenon and meeting people whom all seem to have an interest in the books he is charged to find. A woman named Liana Telfer (Lena Olin, “Chocolat”), whom has ties to a strange group, is particularly interested, but so is an unnamed woman (Emmanuelle Seigner, “Frantic”) who has a tendency to vanish and reappear wherever Corso seems to go.
So I actually really enjoyed the concept of this film. The idea of a rare books seller getting caught up in a supernatural conspiracy is quite a fascinating one to me, probably because I’m as big of a bibliophile as I am a cinephile. I feel like a lot of Polanski’s works have a lot of literary tones (“The Ghost Writer”, “Tess”, “Macbeth”), so that might be one reason I’ve always been drawn to his films, but this film in particular really delves into the shadowy literary underworld, and witnessing the darker parts of that world lends itself to some interesting moments. Even from the beginning, when Corso first meets Balkan, we immediately get the sense that these book collectors are not to be compared to hunched-over, middle-aged, friendly librarians; the people in this world are shady characters who have no problem implying they’re willing to kill for the books they’re after. Taking it a step further, the book that Balkan is trying to authenticate is supposed to summon the devil, and Balkan, in saying that he believes the book might be a forgery, implies that he has tried the rituals laid out inside. It sets the stakes high; Corso might be dealing with a murderous madman, and if he’s not mad, then perhaps what Corso is dealing with is far beyond human understanding. I actually thought the set up for this film was the best part, for unfortunately after that the film gradually starts to lose the tension brought about in the beginning.
Depp does a decent job of portraying Corso, a man who is good at his job, and because of that, has made a lot of enemies in the book collecting world. Corso’s character is much like many characters Depp has played before; smart, quirky, and quiet. In general his performance is fine. He gives a very believable performance, though, I honestly thought there were many moments where he could’ve done something to add a bit more tension to the scenes. Langella was pretty good as well; he gave a chilling, yet understated performance that actually worked to the film’s benefit. I thought Seigner was just okay; she’s never quite won me over as an actor.
SOME SPOILERS FOLLOW
My biggest problem with this film was the pacing and the length. Polanski’s thrillers tend to be a bit on the slower and more dramatic, and in some films that works wonders (“Rosemary’s Baby”). The problem with this film is that the stakes are set too high, and it also removes much of the mystery too early on- there’s nowhere to grow the tension. Corso is after a book that is said to summon the devil himself, so of course as a viewer, your immediate thought is that this film will probably end with Corso coming in contact with the devil (or at least being witness to some kind of ritual that might summon him). We have a general sense of where this film is heading from the setup that happens in the first twenty minutes, and the film never really deviates from the path it laid out before us; the sense of mystery has more or less been removed. Though there are plenty of twists and turns in this movie, none of them feel remarkably shocking if you’ve been paying attention. A good twist should be sudden yet inevitable, not glaringly apparent to the viewer three scenes before the revelation comes. I felt like I was always one or two steps ahead of Corso, and as a result, I felt like the movie as a whole started to drag in the middle.
While the pacing might’ve been a bit off, I thought Polanski himself still did a fine job directing the individual scenes, which is why I’ve still given this film a positive score. Though it might be a bit slow and slightly predictable, Polanski still brings a certain level of class to this production, and that elevates it above the run-of-the-mill supernatural thrillers.
Verdict:
While I thought this film was a touch too long and slow, the concept was one that worked for me, and Polanski’s direction, as always, was pretty compelling. I don’t think this film will ever be considered a classic, as many of Polanski’s other films are, but if you’re a fan of the director this movie is still probably worth your time. If, however, you’re looking for a faster paced thriller, I certainly wouldn’t look here.
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