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3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Diagnosa X remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you’re a completionist for this specific era of cinema. If you dig old, moody black-and-white mysteries that feel like they’re unfolding in a dusty basement, you might find something to chew on. If you need pacing or logic that holds up after the credits roll, stay far away. You will probably hate this if you get bored by people talking in rooms for ten minutes straight.
The whole thing feels like it was filmed through a layer of Vaseline. Not all of it, just enough to make you wipe your eyes every once in a while. Adina Mandlová is doing her best to carry the weight of the scenes, but sometimes the script just gives her nothing but heavy sighs and pointed stares.
There’s a scene about halfway through where someone is handling a glass beaker like it’s a ticking bomb. It goes on for an eternity. I checked my phone. I looked at the ceiling. When I looked back, he was still holding the same beaker. It’s aggressively slow.
The Jencík Girls show up and it’s like the movie suddenly remembered it needed to be a variety show for five minutes. It’s jarring. It’s weird. I kind of liked it, mostly because it broke the monotony of people whispering about 'The Diagnosis' like it’s the end of the world.
It’s nowhere near as charming as Aladdin Jr., which at least has the decency to keep moving. This feels more like a cousin to La vacanza del diavolo in terms of how much it wants you to sit there and appreciate the mood. Mood is great, but sometimes a story needs to actually happen, you know?
It’s not a disaster, but it’s not exactly a hidden gem either. It’s just... there. It exists. It’s a movie that occupies space on your screen and then leaves without making much of a fuss. Kind of like a house guest who doesn't talk much but keeps eating all your crackers. 🧐