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The Gate

The Gate

Horror · Fantasy · 1987

Three young children accidentally release a horde of nasty, pint-sized demons from a hole in a suburban backyard. What follows is a classic battle between good and evil as the three kids struggle to overcome a nightmarish hell that is literally taking over the Earth.

Movie details

The Gate

“Pray it's not too late.”

1987 Horror · Fantasy 1h 26m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.1 / 10

Community rating

Three young children accidentally release a horde of nasty, pint-sized demons from a hole in a suburban backyard. What follows is a classic battle between good and evil as the three kids struggle to overcome a nightmarish hell that is literally taking over the Earth.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Gate?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Tourist Trap

Tourist Trap

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Begotten

Begotten

Fantasy · 1991

Begotten is the creation myth brought to life, the story of no less than the violent death of God and the (re)birth of nature on a barren earth.

Dolls

Dolls

Fantasy · 1987

A precocious girl, her nasty parents, two punk-rock losers and a weak-kneed salesman inadvertently become the guests of two ghoulish senior citizens in their dark, haunted mansion.

Nightbreed

Nightbreed

Horror · 1990

A troubled young man is drawn to a mythical place called Midian where a variety of friendly monsters are hiding from humanity. Meanwhile, a sadistic serial killer is looking for a patsy.

Pumpkinhead

Pumpkinhead

Fantasy · 1988

When a group of teenagers inadvertently kill his only son, Ed Harley seeks the powers of a backwoods witch to bring the child back to life.

The Blood on Satan's Claw

The Blood on Satan's Claw

Horror · 1971

After a landsman in 18th century England discovers a corpse covered in fur buried in a field, the town becomes infected by "the devil's skin," leading the local children to engage in demonic rituals and criminal behavior.

Eli

Eli

Horror · 2019

A boy named Eli with a rare autoimmune disorder is confined to a special experimental clinic for his treatment. He soon begins experiencing supernatural forces, turning the supposedly safe facility into a haunted prison for him and his fellow patients.

Cobweb

Cobweb

Horror · 2023

Eight year old Peter is plagued by a mysterious, constant tapping from inside his bedroom wall—one that his parents insist is all in his imagination. As Peter's fear intensifies, he believes that his parents could be hiding a terrible, dangerous secret and questions their trustworthiness.

The Devil Rides Out

The Devil Rides Out

Horror · 1968

The powers of good are pitted against the forces of evil as the Duc de Richelieu wrestles with the charming but deadly Satanist, Mocata, for the soul of his friend. Mocata has the knowledge and the power to summon the forces of darkness and, as the Duc de Richelieu and his friends remain within the protected pentacle, they are subjected to ever-increasing horror until thundering hooves herald the arrival of the Angel of Death.

Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity

Horror · 2007

After a young, middle-class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic but is certainly the most active in the middle of the night.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Tibor Takács

Written by

Michael Nankin

Stephen Dorff

Stephen Dorff

Glen

Christa Denton

Christa Denton

Al

Louis Tripp

Louis Tripp

Terrence "Terry" Chandler

Kelly Rowan

Kelly Rowan

Lori Lee

Jennifer Irwin

Jennifer Irwin

Linda Lee

Deborah Grover

Deborah Grover

Mom

Ingrid Veninger

Ingrid Veninger

Paula

Court is in session

Put The Gate on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Arthouse Gremlin

“Its refusal to behave is the point.”

The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.

The prosecution The Prestige Tourist

“Oddness is not depth.”

A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.