Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- paranoid
- sinister
- melodramatic
- late night thriller viewing
- neo-noir double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded this remake as a clunky, heavy-handed imitation lacking the original's suspense and stylistic finesse.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Nicole and Mia carefully arrange Guy's murder and disposal, only to be destabilized when the body disappears.
Guy's cruelty as husband and school master drives the women's decision to conspire against him.
The remake reframes its French source through 1990s American thriller conventions, romantic rivalry, and sleek noir-inflected tension.
The boys' school functions as the central enclosed environment for the murder plot, investigation, and sightings of the supposedly dead man.
Films like Diabolique, and why
The Vanishing
Shared psychological suspense, marital conspiracy, noir atmosphere, and a disappearance that destabilizes the perpetrators.
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
Shared domestic terror, femme-centered psychological manipulation, and sinister neo-noir suspense.
Basic Instinct
Shared relationship betrayal, murder plotting, and escalating psychological paranoia in a polished thriller.
What Lies Beneath
Shared claustrophobic suspense, female protagonists under pressure, and a crime mystery shaped by deception.
Movie Details
- Director
- Jeremiah S. Chechik
- Release Date
- 1996-03-22
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Rating
- 5.5 / 10 (331)
Cast
- Sharon Stone
- Isabelle Adjani
- Chazz Palminteri
- Kathy Bates
- Spalding Gray
- Shirley Knight
- Allen Garfield
- Adam Hann-Byrd
- Donal Logue
- Diana Bellamy
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Diabolique about?
- Two women united by hatred of an abusive school master face mounting paranoia when their apparently perfect murder loses its victim.
- What is Diabolique like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Diabolique as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Diabolique violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Diabolique as moderate.
- What did critics think of Diabolique?
- Critics broadly regarded this remake as a clunky, heavy-handed imitation lacking the original's suspense and stylistic finesse.
- Which films are like Diabolique?
- Films with a similar feel include The Vanishing, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Basic Instinct, and What Lies Beneath.
- How long is Diabolique?
- Diabolique runs 107 minutes.
- Where can I watch Diabolique?
- In United States, Diabolique streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
