Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Diabolik narrowly escapes Inspector Ginko's latest trap, leaving his partner in crime Eva Kant behind. Furious, Eva offers Ginko her help in capturing him, but the former has to face first the return of an old flame of his, noblewoman Altea.
Diabolik: Ginko Attacks! is the second installment in Manetti Bros.' retro-styled comic adaptation series. The plot is serviceable but thin, leaning heavily on comic-book convention with a love-triangle dynamic and a straightforward cat-and-mouse structure that never quite builds sufficient tension. Acting is competent but uneven, with the stylized performances sometimes feeling stiff rather than charmingly arch. Cinematography remains a genuine strength — the Manetti Bros. maintain their commitment to a lush, glossy 1960s pop-art aesthetic reminiscent of Mario Bava, giving the film a distinctive visual personality. Novelty earns a modest mark for continuing a rare Italian franchise revival in a distinctly retro mode, though this entry feels more routine than its predecessor. The ending is somewhat anticlimactic, resolving threads in a perfunctory fashion without a strong payoff.