Nine Dead (2009) User Reviews

If only the ending....

[Lunaroseice · 6/10 · 4 March 2011]

If only the ending were different. The first 7 minutes were not great. But once you get the 9 into the closed room and they have to put the puzzle together and solve the mystery, I loved it - until the end.

Some people say it was a Saw copycat. I have not seen the Saw movies. I do not like slasher films and that seems to be all the saw movies are. This was far more cerebral.

I didn't think the acting was as bad as some people said. Perhaps because they hated the movie they were more critical of the actors than perhaps the actors deserved.

It was the ending that ruined the movie for me. The puzzle was solved. All the pieces finally fall together. For people who love mystery novels this is the greatest moment. But then the person who is the 'most' guilty in the whole mess takes out the other survivors to save her career. That just made me really mad. The person who carries the most blame escapes the room and escapes justice.

Makes me want to scream in frustration.

Not as good as it could have been

[benegesserit20 · 4/10 · 9 February 2014]

This review contains spoiler, please don't read it before watching the movie.

I had really high hopes for this movie based on its description. I think it was meant to raise the Saw experience to a whole new level and it did have the potential but failed to deliver. The way 9 strangers try to put together why they got locked in a room handcuffed to a bar was a really good start. However, the thing, mostly the first half was just ridiculous. It started with the time when the bad guy came in and removed their hoods one-by-one and everyone had a line of comment on this. And from now on many of the conversations were just forced and unreal, and most of the people were just completely featureless.

The background story was surprisingly coherent, though there are a few questionable points, e.g. how the father find out who the robber kid bought the gun from and how he got the money for that. And a really good idea was that there wasn't too much gore involved. The reason this movie was more a failure that a success for me lies in the characters and the conversations. And I didn't like the ending at all.

Conclusion: great ideas, mediocre execution, it won't hurt to check it out.

Nine Dead

[Scarecrow-88 · 6/10 · 27 March 2010]

Nine people are systematically kidnapped after being rendered unconscious by a masked man's taser while walking to their various vehicles. These people, of all walks of life, find themselves handcuffed to poles and are told by their mysterious captor that they have a certain allotted time limit(ten minutes each)to uncover why they are in this situation. If they are unable to do so, one individual of the group will be killed, a random selection chosen for execution.

Melissa Joan Hart is Kelley, a self-absorbed, very corrupt district attorney, whose needs(career) come before anything(or anybody)else. Chip Bent is Sully, a boorish strip joint owner with a rotten soul known for using violence on those who fail to pay him for lending money among other practices. Lawrence Turner, as depraved, bi-sexual pedophile ex-con Coogan who delights in watching the others squirm while attempting to come up with the answer behind their plight..Coogan, I imagine, will the most memorable of the cast because he's so deplorable, and unapologetic about his sickening nature. Edrick Browne is black burglar Leon, and yes there are conversations about race..it's inevitable when a lone black character is supplied in such a scenario that race will be brought up, never fails. John Cates is struggling actor/bartender Christian, who may be a root cause for why everyone is in this predicament. Marc Macaulay as a priest(no he is not in this situation because of pedophilia..I bring this up because, truth be told, it immediately came to my mind as well), Father Francis, who heard a confession and will not relate the information to the rest because of his vow to God. Lucille Soong as an Oriental woman who can not speak English..this will undoubtedly cause a tumult among the parties due to the language barrier(if they can not understand her, how can they understand why she relates to them?). James C Victor as a cop, Eddie, who has a history with Kelley later revealed. Daniel Baldwin shows up in what is an unimportant cameo.

A Saw variation, just less brutal than what we normally see in these types of character puzzlers(..the killer uses only a loaded gun, shooting his victims point blank as they plead for their lives, begging to be spared) where an assemblage of stereotypes try to discover a way to recover past mistakes and decisions which might've contributed to their current dilemma. I imagine Melissa Joan Hart's name in the lead will draw curious viewers interested in seeing her in a film such as this..and, boy, is she a whopper to behold, certain to create repulsion in many a viewer. Chris Shadley's "Nine Dead", as many of the Saw movies and their imitators, opens with characters we know little about, and as the plot unfolds, revelations and behavior tell us all we need..this kind of plot services us with a catharsis, as character unveil their hidden flaws while understanding the crisis confronting them.

I think the key to the film's modest success is that it really feels like these characters have ten minutes a piece as we literally hears the seconds tick as time becomes an issue and details emerge with the usual bickering and personality clashes. I won't lie, I thought the end result, after the mystery has been solved, was a bit contrived(..Kelley's actions are certain to bewilder, us having to accept that someone could be so abominable is a bit hard to fathom), but it comments on how, despite facing death every moment, one might still remain so selfish and concerned for(..and consumed with) their own well being, even upon possible absolution. As with the Saw series, "Nine Dead" often shows flashbacks from past events to weave it's tale. Most of the film occurs within the "cell" of the characters, where they are confined.

Great start // Horrible ending!

[michellecaobianco · 1/10 · 8 February 2020]

Oh my god. Oh my god.

So much potential. But the ending is just abysmal. Don't waste your time.

A good psychological horror movie.

[TdSmth5 · 10 October 2011]

A masked creep kidnaps 9 people, puts them in a room, handcuffs them to a tube. He tells them their mission is to find out why there are there. Every ten minutes he will kill one of them unless they tell him the answer. The group is made up of a cop, two street thugs, a Vegas strip joint owner/mobster, a DA, a priest, a homosexual, a goody two shoes guy, and an Asian woman who doesn't speak English. What ensues is the typical American psycho horror: a bunch of people screaming at each other, insulting each other, grandstanding, deceiving, unable to work together, sometimes trying to work together. Obviously, they won't be able to find the answer in the first couple of 10-minute blocks. They touch on an important issue but don't see it's significance until later. Eventually they start "confessing" their sins, what each did that could have made someone mad enough to devise such a plan. So we learn something about them all. But whenever 10 minutes are up, the masked guy shows up, picks one of them, tells him the reason why they are there and then kills him. How it all turns out is quite interesting, but the ending not satisfying at all.

I'm not a fan of the idiots-bickering subgenre of horror, but this one does work. It doesn't take the insulting to insufferable extremes like the reality-footage movies but rather focuses more on the story. And you do want to find out what the story is. Even though the answer to the puzzle is somewhat mundane it is effective. The ending however is so weak it's puzzling. Performances are very good overall, and that's really the key in a movie like this. And the movie does manage to build quite a bit of tension.

Everything about Nine Dead was average

[Chandlergellar · 6/10 · 10 March 2010]

The movie I am going to discuss is Nine Dead. A film that has been causing me a lot of interest for months because I was interested in seeing Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) in a different role. The film centres around 9 people, being held captive by a mad men, they all must discover why they are there, or every ten minutes, He will come in and shoot them one by one. Sound familiar? its very much like 'Saw' but its budget is far less and it shows. The film had a lot of promise but I was sadly disappointed by it. The acting, sets and story are quite average. This is a movie that will not ignite anymore interest in Hart's acting career or anyone else's for that matter, but it is a fun, harmless film. I was expecting a lot of gore from this film, but you hardly see any blood.

I won't give anymore away but i do recommend this for any fan of Melissa Joan Hart or the Saw movies. This is a good movie and I would watch it again. Although you will be disappointed by the anticipation and the hype that was surrounding the film.

I give it 6/10 but 8/10 for trying and 8/10 for the acting.

Stupid ending. Save your time and money

[Tailgunner1944 · 1/10 · 5 May 2020]

I have never understood why some filmmakers deliberately end a movie badly. The movie had a lot of potential, and then it just came to a sudden end. I was like, "is this a joke?" Anyway find something better to do with your time, or watch s better movie. I wish I could rate this garbage lower than 1.

Fairly standard but has it's moments

[MattyGibbs · 7/10 · 2 December 2014]

9 people are kidnapped and tied up and told that unless they discover why they are there one of them will be killed every 10 minutes. It's a reasonably familiar tale but it's fun watching them try and discover why they are there.

The film features the usual eclectic mix, drug dealer, cops, priest etc. These type of films rely heavily on having interesting characters to watch and although there are plenty of clichés on show, I found the characters pretty entertaining. There isn't any SAW like gore in this film and most of the violence is off screen. I was a bit surprised to see Melissa Joan Hart from Sabrina the Teenage Witch fame in this and she is pretty good in this. The rest of the cast also put in decent believable performances.

As the captives piece together the puzzle and the numbers deplete it all winds down a bit to a slightly disappointing climax. The end scene being one of the most abrupt and unexplained I've ever seen.

Overall I found this a fairly enjoyable if limited thriller and probably wouldn't rush to watch it again.

Riding the wave.....badly!

[eonbluedan-1 · 2/10 · 2 March 2011]

Chris Shadley has been involved on a production level in various other projects, including big hits, but this is his first time directing. Patrick Wehe Mahoney had never written for the screen before this. Going by "Nine Dead", neither of them should try again. Harsh? Perhaps, but if you take the time to see this movie, you will quickly be on board with that view.

Nine people are kidnapped by a masked stranger, put in a room, and told they must deduce the reason they are there. Every ten minutes they will be asked, and if they fail to answer correctly, one of them will die. An intriguing setup, even if not completely unfamiliar to those who know of "The Killing Room", "Cube", or Agatha Christie, and clearly an idea that is trying to ride the wave of the "Saw" series, borrowing heavily from classic revenge movies and the exploitation cinema of the 70's in various ways. The fact it is rather derivative did not bother me so much (I am happy to watch a completely derivative piece of work if it is good as a standalone film). The problem is that they manage to make it look cheaper than it is, with a shooting style that you would expect to find in an impressive student film; clunky editing sewing flashback sequences in that just feel awkward; there is no excitement after the setup; no twists, no turns, no surprises, and when you finally reach the inevitable reveal of the connection, it is rather uninteresting, not to mention hard to believe that this person would have gone to this extent for revenge. It is like saying you're going to make a gorgeous desert for after dinner and all you can come up with is vanilla ice cream. If that isn't bad enough, imagine then throwing the ice cream on the floor! That, if you're confused, is my analogy for the ending. I enjoy a movie with a provocative endings, a movie that leaves you something to think about, provokes a discussion, or even a movie that is open-ended, so long as it is justified; this ending just screams that they did not know what to do with it.

I'm not necessarily a sucker for top-name casting and am always happy to see new talent and give it a chance, but despite a couple of exceptions, this cast is awful. Some may seem familiar from character work they have done elsewhere, but barely any can deliver anything without looking like they have just been told their lines from off camera; even the "bankable" lead Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina The Teenage Witch) fails rather miserably to deliver anything close to believable. This is of course not helped by the dialogue they are given, which from beginning to end is the most banal writing I've seen for some time! At points I even found it a bit insulting, Mahoney presuming that an audience, even those who are not dedicated genre fans, would relate to anything anyone in this film has to say; there seems to be, at points, attempts at social commentary (much akin to the early "Saw" movies) that is just trite, over-simplified rubbish! To believe that anyone interested in a film like this would accept and believe some of these characters' ways of thinking as being even remotely realistic is a big mistake on its own.

So you're wondering why a three-star rating, right? It is simply for no other reason than the fact I have seen worse; I liked the performance of the hostage-taker (certainly the most interesting character present), and I genuinely feel it is an idea that, if committed to the screen by someone who knew what they were doing with the material, "Nine Dead" would have come out as an enjoyable mystery thriller.

As it is, it is just completely forgettable, lacking the intelligence and intrigue of "Cube", the frightening social bite of "The Killing Room" and the cinematic panache of "Saw" all at once.

In short, do not bother.

Smart scenario, with suspense, but not very intense, and with disappoining ending. Still worth a watch.

[Mivas_Greece · 6/10 · 29 August 2021]

Thriller / crime movie. 9 people are kidnapped and locked up in one place. The kidnapper will kill one of them every 10 minutes until they find the reason they are there and the reason their lives are interconnected. Very nice and clever idea although not original since there are others with a similar mystery that must be solved against time, the top series of mystery / crime movies was probably SAW (although it also had a gore / splatter there). However, despite the suspense and mystery it was not intense enough, it was shot almost entirely in one room and the ending was purely disappointing. Nevertheless, it is worth a watch and recommended to all fans of the genre.

Total letdown - does not deserve it's rating

[jennnk40 · 3/10 · 13 March 2010]

What a complete waste of time. The movie starts as a clone of the Saw series, but with even worse acting. Melissa Joan Hart is absolutely horrible. The ending is ridiculous and the story contains no twists, not plot surprises and just a plain bad ending. I liked some of the characters and I was hoping for everything to be tied together at the end. It just doesn't happen. It's a total "Wrestler" ending with none of the good acting. I can't believe I spent the time watching this. It's not "fun" as some people put it. A guy in a mask kidnaps people who are connected and forces them to figure it out. The connection is a stretch and he should have shot the main actress first.

A great "SAW" like film, but disappointing ending =/

[rlord_1992 · 9/10 · 5 June 2010]

I thought altogether the film was very much worth watching, and I'd definitely watch it again! The film is much like the SAW series without the disgusting gore and with more thought involved. When I say thought, I mean that it keeps you involved making you try to figure out why they're there. The acting was average but you can't expect the best for a low budget film, and I think the acting did do justice. The only real disappointment with this film; was the ending, it's as if they're trying to lead you on to a sequel :/ Maybe they ran out of money for the film and had to cut it short but there are so many better ways to finish what would otherwise have been a blockbuster! :)

Very carefully put together for the desired effect.

[Amyth47 · 7/10 · 7 April 2021]

My Rating : 7/10

Well, I love thrillers/mystery-dramas and this is a real good one - it's not too complicated but it achieves the director's vision for the audience - leaves you a little frustrated but that's the intention - why do you want a satisfying ending? That's what really makes the movie thought-provoking.

I loved it - if you don't like gory slasher movies this is perfect - very easy to watch - nothing too scary at all.

Worst ending ever - don't waste your time

[ljays22 · 2/10 · 17 March 2010]

Don't waste your time on this film. It could have been good, but the ending was one of the lamest I've ever seen. I seriously have to wonder how the people involved with the making of this film could've looked at that final scene and thought, "yeah! now there's an ending!" and patted themselves on the back about it. To me it seemed more like they just ran out of ideas! They built up the final scenes to have a cool twist, but instead just let the whole build-up fall flat on it's face. When the last shot faded to black and I heard the credit music starting I was in shock - I could not believe what I was seeing and that someone could even call that an ending. The best thing anyone could do with this film is rewrite the end and give it some substance. Seriously, I'd really love to get whoever came up with that one in a room, look them in the face and say - WTF??!!!!

We Love Stereotypes

[scottjcantrell · 1/10 · 24 April 2020]

Every character was just a stereotypical shell of a person. It was like killing a character from The Breakfast Club every ten minutes. Except the Breakfast Club Was actually good. The ending was confusing, and boring. It made watching the movie not worth it.

Surprisingly Good Mystery, Holds Your Attention

[gavin6942 · 2 October 2011]

Communication is the key to the survival for nine strangers who have been kidnapped by a masked gunman and told that one of them will die every ten minutes until they discover how they are all connected. Who of the nine lives and who dies?

I think it is safe to say that this film's biggest selling point is star Melissa Joan Hart, who also serves as a producer. I think it is also safe to say that she is the worst actor in this picture, being easily outdone by a handful of unknowns and Alec Baldwin's chubby brother Daniel.

The film has similarities to other films, notably "Saw 2" (a group of people all connected by a common, unknown bond) and "House of 9" (nine people -- including a priest -- in an enclosed location, getting killed one by one). This made me hesitant and have doubts, but I was soon shown the error of my ways. Rather than watch half-heartedly while doing other things, I had my eyes glued for 90 minutes to the screen. I was, frankly, impressed (though, again, Hart was a terrible casting choice).

I have to take issue with the glaring plot holes. The idea is that nine people have to find out what connects them. Once you find out what that thing is (and I will not reveal it here), it seems odd to me that the killer would know about the people's involvement in that thing. Some of them, yes, but most no. I guess I have to just let it ride...

Fair Effort

[damianphelps · 6/10 · 7 January 2021]

If you added a zero to the title (90) you probably have an accurate number for how many times this story has been made. So its tough to make something like this that is worth watching.

I think the film makers did ok. The core of the film revolves around a 'whodunit' vibe which plays out pretty well. Not overly violent considering the genre.

The acting is just ok, no awards season for this cast I'm afraid.

Worth the time :)

Do not waste your time!!

[runwayragdolls · 1/10 · 2 August 2017]

Crap house!! That's all you need to know!! Don't waste your time..... I've already wasted more than enough time on the actual movie..... and I'm wasting even more time now on the review, just to try and save some other poor person from wasting their time at all..... trust me, DO NOT BOTHER WITH THIS MOVIE!!! xoxo

actually not that bad if a little slow

[raypdaley182 · 6/10 · 13 March 2010]

For those wondering why Melissa Joan Hart is starring in this movie look no further than the opening credits mentioning Hartbreak Films, AKA Her moms production company. Every leading role Melissa has ever had in the last 20 something years is due to Hartbreak being attached to the production of whatever it was.

Its called Nepotism. Not what you know but who you know. Paula Hart (Melissas mom) is producer of the movie. It also explains why Emily Hart (Melissas younger sister) also gets a part in the film (although I never saw her character at all).

Yes the movie is a lot like the idea of Saw, its also very similar to the movie Unknown as well.

Its an extremely grown up role for Melissa, the only thing close to this shes done is Silencing Mary. Clearly Paula Hart has gotten over her control freak stage with Melissa and her career.

The twist ending is pretty cool too.

A very generic version of SAW (very)

[onsetbeachbum · 2/10 · 29 December 2013]

5.4 stars??? Wrong! This movie was a waste of time. The acting was worse than a porn film. Melissa Joan Hart was awful. She was the only veteran actor on there and she seemed like she just got out of acting school. I've seen better acting from the puppets on Seseame Street. Long and drawn out movie. I had a problem with the gay/flamboyant character being the pedophile , It's a wrong stereotype. This movie was just awful, don't waste your time. One of the worst parts was when one was about to be shot, the film shows him biting the blood tablet before he was even shot. lol. Movie is way too far fetched, too many stereotypes for one movie. The ending was stupid

Just a good mystery film

[psofakisxristos · 6/10 · 12 April 2020]

A mystery film which is good if you want to watch something entertaining and not heavy. It was a copy of Saw. Really same with Saw. A little disapointing and simple end.Sometimes it was confusing while they were trying to find the whole story

One Redeeming Quality- MJH curses a bunch

[plotkinsj · 2/10 · 21 February 2020]

The acting was absolutely terrible (sorry Melissa, but you're still acting like you're on ABC family). The script has characters change emotions and ideologies on a dime showing that there actually is no motivation behind anyone's actions. I forced myself through the entire movie waiting for some big twist which never came. And the kicker is I still feel like half the characters in there did not deserve what happened to them at all. Then the movie just suddenly ends.

Very good

[chn65 · 8/10 · 26 December 2010]

Very good movie indeed. I don't understand why other reviewers find the ending terrible - do you need to get everything spelled out and bent in neon?

Very good point that nobody is innocent, they have just not received a sentence for their crimes, so they can merrily believe, that they have done nothing wrong. Which is arrogant, wrong and not insightful.

***spoilers here***

Let me bend the end in neon to those, who thinks it was terrible: - All that happened in the room was broadcast on some media channel - at some point we see the room on a computer monitor, indicating that there is a camera down there. The villain even says, that it has been broadcast for everyone to see, so as we see the district attorney flee like a dog, thinking that she can just continue her lifestyle like nothing happened, she has not learned anything. Do we need to see her arrest, trial, punishment etc?

Maybe the point is, that it is the most cynical who is able to take advantage of the situation who survives. Don't come with morale and ethics and such expensive concepts - when it comes to survival, people will do anything. And it usually pays off. And that's the true horror in an otherwise civilized world.

Worth a Watch - Nine Dead is NOT dead!

[milessadler · 6/10 · 11 January 2013]

I was very impressed after watching this film for the first time. I've since gone out and purchased a copy for myself. Let me start off by saying that this is by no means a masterpiece or award-winning material. With that being said, I find myself liking this film a whole lot. It's very fun to watch and kept me interested in the characters. I don't find the ending AS disappointing as other reviewers but it could have been more thought out. Regardless, it's worth your time and an overall enjoyable film to watch. Other users have pointed out the acting as "horrible" and I have to disagree. Some was a little flat but what can you expect from a film as obscure and unknown as Nine Dead. I do recommend this film for the twists, character development, and overall enjoyment I experienced while watching this film.

Absolutely awful.

[laymonite-2 · 1/10 · 20 December 2010]

This was semi-recommended to me by my girlfriend who said it was 'a bit like saw' but not that good, maybe OK...

There WAS no plot? Every time you expected a twist it really was THAT simple and illogical! Really...what was the point? I have headed this review with spoiler alerts but this is a particular spoiler. WTF happened at the end? I thought I had some kind of bootlegged edited version and rewound the ending to check there wasn't some kind of weird jump cut? The police turned up and she just ran around the corner - the end? It was that simple? No actual moral message other than a bunch of tw*ts acting unnaturally? I felt like 10 minutes had been cut which explained the f*&ing point of this film at the end? Absolutely awful and rated 1 by me - and I like the Saw series. All deaths happen offscreen in this film, that's not a complaint it's just weird and doesn't fit into either the film marketing OR the plot in any way. I assumed all the deaths deliberately not being shown would be revealed in some brilliant twist...

It's like a video edited by Christian blockbusters rentals and ends up making no sense in any logical way, except this is ACTUALLY the intended piece of S£$t you are intended to rent....