MOVIE REVIEW: Diabolik (2021)

Diabolik is one of those obscure European characters that I’ve always found fascinating. Diabolik is an Italian character, a ruthless master thief created by sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani. Although he has the look of the classic gentleman thief and shares some of those traits, Diabolik differs from those characters in that he usually occupies a much darker place. Diabolik may be a master thief, but he is much closer to classic pulp-era characters like the French Fantomas, who is more of a villainous protagonist. Diabolik is less villainous than Fantomas, in that he tends to avoid killing innocents and usually strikes against those more corrupt than him, but he’s likewise a villain protagonist. He also has another interesting point that sets him apart; his love affair with his partner in crime Eva Kant, who is every bit the equal of Diabolik as a criminal mastermind.

Diabolik has been adapted into film once before with the campy adventure film Danger: Diabolik, a cult classic perhaps best known in the West for being riffed on the original series of Mystery Science Theater 3000. (As an aside, that film has been previously reviewed by fellow Cinema Crusader Lance Lucero, and his review of Danger: Diabolik is well worth checking out.) However, where that film feels tonally more like a 1960’s Bond film, the 2021 version by the Manetti Brothers attempts to recreate the tone and flavor of the original comics by the Giussani sisters. The result is a very different film from its predecessor, and your reaction to it may depend on how familiar you are with Diabolik and the 1960’s film. The film is presented in Italian with English subtitles, and that too may affect the experience depending on your tastes.

One point that I respect about this film is that it is a film that is recognizably accurate to the comics by the Giussani sisters. Although my own reading of them is scant, the level of detail, including visual designs and background details of the characters, is consistent as far as I am aware. Eva Kant’s past as described in the film is well in line with what the Giussanis wrote, for instance, and Eva herself often looks like she walked off the page. The story revolves around the story of how Diabolik abandons his alias of Walter Dorian and takes Eva on as a partner, and this comes across as well executed. Much of the plot of the film is taken from the third Diabolik story, where Eva is introduced and the book shifts to the direction that the series is known for. The feel of the film is more in line with a book than a traditional movie, leading me to believe that the Manettis borrowed a considerable chunk of the plot from the comic. The Manettis deserve credit for honoring the source material, choosing the right source material, and doing their best to bring the vision of the Giussani sisters to life on the screen.

This is not to say that it does so perfectly, though it makes a good faith attempt, and a better one than we see with many Western comic book films. The pacing is methodical, which usually works, but it can also be slow at times, even in scenes where it should feel faster than it does. One point that struck me as odd was the early police chase where Diabolik attempts to elude Ginza’s men in his Jaguar. The driving scenes feel oddly slow, like the cars are taking a leisurely drive through Clerville rather than a high-speed chase. In fairness, it’s possible that this scene simply looks odd by comparison to Western car chases, but there’s a sense of urgency that feels missing. Still, the script is good enough and the performances are mostly good enough to overcome these issues.

I have mixed feelings when it comes to the cast of the film; some of these actors look quite good in their roles, while I had concerns about others. The biggest question mark in this cast is Luca Marinelli as the infamous Diabolik. There are elements of his performance that I like, such as his cold and controlled demeanor when he’s pretending to be Walter Dorian. I can also appreciate his effectiveness in using his eyes to show menace, which comes across very well in the Diabolik mask. However, when the mask is off, he lacks the same stature and dangerous mystique that he has when he’s wearing the costume. I had no such concerns about Miriam Leone, who is excellent as Eva Kant, to the point that she looks like the character on the page. Leone hones into two strong elements of the Eva character—the ladylike poise of a noblewoman, and the seductive allure that allows Eva to manipulate people. The inner strength is played up as well, but not to the point where she overshadows Diabolik. Valerio Mastandrea delivers a strong performance as Inspector Ginza, the honest Clerville police detective who is dedicated to law and order. Ginza is the closest to a hero that we get in the series, and Mastandrea portrays him as both competent and a good man who is dedicated to his duty. Alessandro Roja as Giorgio Caron is another performance that I was torn about. While he convincingly comes across as the “nice guy” who is unable to captivate Eva and he grasps the surface level of Caron, the performance lacks the menace or intensity that I would expect from the story’s main villain. Even so, there are enough pieces there in the ensemble cast to make the film work, and the high points in the casting are exceptional.

Diabolik is a solid but imperfect film, but one that grasps the basic idea of comic book adaptations extremely well. To its credit, Diabolik is a far more respectful film to its source material than most modern comic book films, and one that Hollywood could stand to learn from. The Manetti Brothers come across as filmmakers who care about Diabolik, and moreover, care enough to get it right as much as possible. So even though there are some weaknesses in the film, that passion shines through enough that it’s worth at least a viewing if you’re interested in this character. I hope the Manettis decide to follow up on this film, as I think the pieces are there to improve upon it.

Score: 3.8/5

Directors: Antonio Manetti and Marco Manetti

Cast: Luca Marinelli, Miriam Leone, Valerio Mastandrea, Claudia Gerini, Alessandro Roja, Serena Rossi, Roberto Citran

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Steve Sellers

Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).