REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND Is a Surreal Spy Throwback (Review)

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The films of Cattet and Forzani are often described as confusing, and that’s understandable. They prioritize an immersive, intuitive storytelling experience over a clear, linear plot. Their movies are more about a feeling or atmosphere, and you need to embrace that to truly appreciate them. If you’re someone who needs a tightly woven story, you might find them frustrating. But if you allow yourself to get lost in their deliberate pace, striking visuals, and rich sound design—all crafted with incredible precision—you can grasp the overall meaning, and that’s often enough.

“Reflection in a Dead Diamond” could be the most engaging and enjoyable film yet from this duo. The story centers on a former spy, played by Italian film icon Fabio Testi, who’s now living a quiet life in a nearly deserted hotel on the French Riviera. When his attractive neighbor vanishes, he suspects his old enemies have returned. The film then jumps between the present and flashbacks revealing his past as a younger agent (Yannick Ranier) – missions involving stolen diamonds, a tragic romance, and a decades-long pursuit of a cunning thief named Serpentik (Thi Mai Nguyen).

The movie features fun, strange gadgets, costumes, and unexpectedly violent action. It’s heavily inspired by Mario Bava’s film Danger Diabolik, and even more so by the Diabolik comics and other gritty Italian crime comics. Like their other work, the filmmakers didn’t simply adapt the source material—they aimed to recreate the hazy, dreamlike feeling of experiencing it while intoxicated.

The film jumps rapidly between the present and past, mirroring its own disorienting, time-bending nature. This highlights a key idea in the second half of Reflection in a Dead Diamond: the unreliability of memory. We’re left questioning whether the main character truly experienced these events, or if he’s remembering a movie he starred in – or perhaps a combination of both, or neither. He eventually encounters a woman (Maria de Medeiros, from Pulp Fiction) who might be the thief he’s pursuing, but even that isn’t clear. Is she actually a thief, and is he even looking for the right person? Feeling confused? That’s exactly the point.

Unlike most comic book movies which adapt a story, Reflection in a Dead Diamond tries to recreate the feeling of reading a comic. It’s visually stunning, delivering all necessary information through carefully crafted shots. Compared to other films by Cattet and Forzani, it’s more akin to the dreamlike and colorful Strange Color than Let the Corpses Tan, which, despite being visually unusual, still followed a straightforward crime plot. While I enjoy all of their work, I believe Reflection represents a new peak in their creativity and ambition.

This movie is definitely unusual, and many viewers – especially those on Shudder – might be puzzled at first. However, if you allow yourself to really get lost in it, I think you’ll find its unique charm captivating. If you’re already a fan of strange, vintage Italian spy films, you’ll probably love it even more.

Reflection in a Dead Diamond ⭐ (4 of 5)

The movie hits Shudder Friday, December 5.

Kyle Anderson is a Senior Editor at TopMob and the host of the weekly podcast, Laser Focus, where he dives deep into pop culture. He also writes film and TV reviews, and you can find him on Letterboxd.

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2025-12-02 17:33