Manetti Bros' Diabolik Film Fails to Excite

The Manetti Bros' long-awaited adaptation of the Diabolik comic, based on the third issue created by the Giussani sisters in the early 1960s, premiered on December 16, 2021, in over 500 Italian cinemas via 01Distribution. The film stars Luca Marinelli as Diabolik, Miriam Leone as Lady Kant, and Valerio Mastandrea as Inspector Ginko. Despite meticulous attention to 1960s period detail in lighting, performances, and mood, the film is described as dull and unexciting. The directors aimed for fidelity to the source material, setting the story in the late 1960s without modernizing it. The plot follows Diabolik's attempt to steal a pink diamond from heiress Lady Kant, leading to a romantic entanglement, while Inspector Ginko closes in. The film's vintage aesthetic may be unintentionally accentuated by COVID-related release delays. The directors note that their interpretation is subjective, focusing on cinematic rather than comic-book style, with noir atmospheres and minimalistic elegance inspired by artists Enzo Facciolo and Sergio Zaniboni.