THE NINTH DAY
The narrow path to redemption.
Should You Watch It?
If you want a serious Christian drama about faith under pressure, The Ninth Day is worth your time. It tells a powerful story of redemption through a priest forced to choose between returning to Dachau and betraying his bishop. Its Christian words and deeds are central, not decorative.
The film also confronts the brutality of the concentration camp, including killings, crucifixion, and other violence. That material is serious rather than extraordinarily graphic, but it is still unsuitable for little children.
The result is a masterful, significant work of art with authentic settings and costumes. Even with German dialogue and subtitles, it holds attention. See it with teenagers and adults who are ready for its historical weight and spiritual questions.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESDuring World War II, Father Henri Kremer is released from Dachau and sent home to Luxemburg. His family has suffered loss, and the local German official gives Henri a terrible choice: persuade his bishop to stop resisting the Nazis and accept their corrupted pagan ideology, or return to the concentration camp.
For nine days, Henri faces pressure from a man who twists Christian theology to defend betrayal. The priest must decide what faithfulness requires when freedom comes at the cost of conscience.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a masterful and significant work of art. The film is superbly filmed, with inmates, generals, settings, costumes, and sets that look authentic. It also forms a seamless whole, with none of its parts out of place.
Although the dialogue is in German, the movie captures and holds the viewer’s attention. Its historical subject, strong Christian story of redemption, and carefully realized wartime world make it a powerful drama.
The Worldview
The Ninth Day presents a very strong Christian worldview through Christian allegorical elements, in-depth theological discussions, and debates with twisted National Socialists. The film places Christian words and deeds at the center of its story, portraying a priest and bishop facing pressure to surrender their resistance.
It also depicts the Nazi attempt to replace Christianity with a corrupted pagan heresy. The local official uses an argument about Judas and the crucifixion to justify betrayal, while the film presents this reasoning as twisted. Henri’s trials suggest the way of the cross and the trials that every Christian faces to some degree.
The film aligns with a biblical view by honoring faithfulness, courage, Christian resistance to evil, and redemption. Its central longing is for the strength to remain faithful when obedience carries a cost. Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Very ultra Christian worldview with Christian allegorical elements, in-depth discussions of theology, debates with twisted National Socialists; four obscenities in the subtitles but in the German language two of them are the word pig and one is not as obscene as it is in English, as well as Nazis mocking Christianity and proclaiming Christian phrases in a sarcastic matter, although these are clearly the bad guys; man beaten on head by Nazi concentration camp guard, people starving and shoved, man hung on cross with hands tied behind his back, Nazis slap a woman and destroy an apartment, and fear and intimidation, but not extraordinarily graphic violence; nothing sexual, and hugging and kissing of family members at reunion; no nudity; no apparent drinking; smoking; and, Catholic bishop stands up against National Socialists but his secretary wants to capitulate.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Henri faces freedom at the possible cost of betraying his convictions. What does faithfulness look like when obedience becomes costly?
Matthew 16:24 · James 1:12The German official twists the story of Judas to defend betrayal. How can Scripture be used wrongly, and how can we test an interpretation?
Acts 17:11 · 2 Timothy 2:15The film presents Christians resisting a government that demands surrender. What does the Bible teach about honoring authorities while remaining faithful to God?
Romans 13:1–4 · Acts 5:29Henri’s suffering suggests the way of the cross. How can Christians understand suffering without treating evil as good?
Romans 5:3–5 · 1 Peter 2:21–23The Final Word
The Ninth Day is a masterful Christian drama about redemption, courage, and faithfulness under oppression. Its concentration-camp violence makes it unsuitable for little children, but teenagers and adults can find a significant work of art here. WORTH THE TRIP — TEENS AND ADULTS.
