Guy (Chazz Palminteri, Jade) is a terrifying man. He runs a boarding school with his wife, but he treats her and his many mistresses like garbage. He is completely dominating and chauvinistic towards women.
Both his wife, Mia (Isabelle Adjani, Ishtar), and his mistress, Nicole (Sharon Stone, Basic Instinct), are fed up with his antics. Together they devise and execute a sinister plan. They get Guy drunk, then they kill him and dump his body in a murky pool at the school. The women hope that if the police find his body, they will believe the drunken man fell in the pool while staggering around on the premises.
Everything goes as planned until the pool is drained and the body is nowhere to be found. People on the campus report sightings of Guy. Nicole seems pretty cool throughout the ordeal, but Mia seems to be slowly losing her grip on reality.
A detective (Kathy Bates,Titanic) is soon on the case, and what she discovers is something more intriguing than simple homicide.
It should be noted that the plot for this version of Diabolique stems from a 1955 film that many have deemed far superior to the remake. I have yet to see the original, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It means I can give this version a fair shake without making comparisons to the original.
SO WHEN DID YOU SCRIBBLE DOWN THIS PIECE OF EXCREMENT YOU CALL A REVIEW, CHUMP?
May 29, 2000
THE BODY COUNT
Folks, there is only one murder in this film. It’s a pretty good one though.
THE NUDITY (Come on, guys, we all know that's what you want!)
Isabelle Adjani treats the male viewers to full nudity right from the start. That's as good a way as any to grab the wandering attention of male viewers!
Later, both she and Sharon Stone wear revealing clothing. But you shouldn’t be watching movies for the nudity, pal. You are a truly sick person if you do. Wink, wink.
THE GOODS (How well did the movie deliver on its premise?)
What’s really good:
Diabolique is stylish, and devilishly clever. Just when you think you are about to unravel the mystery, another plot twist comes up.
On top of that, there are some great moments of dialogue. There are moments when you might feel discomfort for the characters involved because they have put themselves in very hairy situations. Until the (unsatisfying) ending, Diabolique delivers on suspense, thrills, great acting, and unique plot-turns.
What’s really bad:
I felt extremely pleased with the movie right up until the ending. It left much to be desired. As the credits began rolling, I felt like saying “That’s it?”
TIDBITS (A little inside info. for ya!)
* Many scenes in Diabolique stay true to the 1955 thriller. But the ending was changed into more standardized Hollywood fare.
WORTH WATCHING? (Should you slap down the money?)
If you are in the mood for a quirky thriller, you probably won’t feel cheated by renting Diabolique. There are enough twists and turns to keep most viewers happy. I didn’t feel like I was robbed of 2 hours of my life. With a better ending, it would have been phenomenal.
What Fans Should Pay: Up to $2
OK, I WATCHED THE MOVIE. NOW WHAT, FANCYPANTS?
(Plugs for other flicks)
Well, if you enjoyed Diabolique, I'd recommend:
* The original 1955 film with the same title
* Wild Things
* Cruel Intentions
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