Johnny Depp gives a joyless, enervated performance as an American dealer in rare books who accepts a job from collector Frank Langella to compare Langella's copy of a 17th century book adapted from the writings of Lucifer to the two known remaining copies--one in Spain and the other in France--with only one of three tomes thought to be authentic. Soon, Depp feels he's being followed and, indeed, an enigmatic blonde begins popping up along his journey. Rather dreary occult thriller from producer-director Roman Polanski, who also co-adapted the screenplay with John Brownjohn from Arturo Pérez-Reverte's novel "The Club Dumas". Polanski is trying for a low-key menace here in the style of Val Lewton or Jacques Tourneur, but he's unfortunately saddled with miscast Depp, not only callow but indifferent to the material. The plot mainly consists of exhausting legwork, though Langella is amusingly sinister and the supporting performances are fine. The production is handsome, and the devilish trappings are occasionally absorbing, yet portions of the movie are head-scratching (such as when Depp barely reacts after discovering a friend hanging upside down in his book store!). Not exactly the picture to get Polanski back on solid ground. ** from ****
Review of The Ninth Gate
