Summary

Reptile is a murder mystery that holds deeper secrets and twists, but it can feel frustratingly generic and predictable. The rock-solid cast, including a great performance from Del Toro, adds an extra edge to the film. Despite its technical skill, the script withholds information in a way that can lead to annoyance or confusion, and the eventual resolution relies on familiar crime drama tropes.

Not everything is as it seems in Reptile, the new Netflix movie from director Grant Singer. What looks like a fairly straightforward, if shockingly brutal, murder holds deeper secrets and plenty of twists and turns. And yet, for all of its intrigue, it can’t help but feel frustratingly generic at times. There’s a distinct feeling of familiarity, so there’s a very good chance viewers will predict where the plot is going. That doesn’t entirely hinder its watchability, but it does make for a less memorable experience. Reptile gets an extra edge thanks to its rock-solid cast and sufficiently gripping mystery, but it never coalesces into anything incredible.

When pretty, young realtor Summer (Matilda Lutz) is found dead in one of the houses she was attempting to sell, seasoned detective Tom Nichols (Benicio Del Toro) boards the case with his newer partner Cleary (Ato Essandoh). The two start with the typical suspects, from Summer’s boyfriend Will (Justin Timberlake) to her ex-husband (Karl Glusman). Tom soon narrows in on a likely killer, but even when the case appears to be closed, he can’t overlook the details that don’t add up. As he continues to dig into the strange circumstances behind Summer’s death, he soon realizes there’s far more to this case than he initially thought, and it even has devastating ties to his own life.

Justin Timberlake in Reptile

Of the positives within Reptile, Del Toro gives a great performance as the quiet, calculating Tom. There are frequent references to his past, which included a crooked partner at his previous precinct, though no concrete details are ever given. This is actually for the better, as it casts Tom in an intriguing shadow that Del Toro plays exceptionally well. Alicia Silverstone, reuniting with Del Toro after Excess Baggage, also gets in a solid part as Tom’s wife, who he frequently turns to for her perspective on the unsettling case. Timberlake is sufficiently solid as the grieving boyfriend hiding his own secrets; after all, no one in Reptile is exactly who they seem to be at first glance. Of the supporting cast, Essandoh’s Cleary makes for an interesting contrast to Tom, and Eric Bogosian stands out as Tom’s boss, though he doesn’t get as much depth as one might like, even after some late twists call things into question.

Now, this can be attributed to the fact that, ultimately, Reptile is about Tom and his ever-growing investigation. Singer, in his feature film debut, exhibits a clear talent for striking images, and editor Kevin Hickman gives the whole production a bit more flair with some precise cuts in key scenes. And yet, despite the technical skill at hand, Reptile can’t avoid the frustration that arises from its script. Penned by Singer, Benjamin Brewer, and Del Toro (from a story by Singer and Brewer), the screenplay appears designed to throw viewers off track more than anything else, presenting sequences that withhold information in a way that only leads to annoyance or confusion. It’s clear the creative team wishes to keep audiences in suspense, but since the eventual resolution relies on very familiar crime drama tropes, it doesn’t quite work.

Benicio Del Toro and Alicia Silverstone in Reptile

That leaves Reptile with an ultimately unsurprising conclusion, though Tom’s climatic showdown with the culprits does get the heart racing. This movie has the feel and story of an old-fashioned, hard-boiled detective story, and anyone looking for thrills of that kind will probably enjoy what Singer is offering here. However, there isn’t enough going on to truly make Reptile stand out from the myriad mysteries that have been populating the big and small screen for years. It’s a worthy effort from a first time feature director, but perhaps not one that will stand the test of time.

Reptile is now playing in select theaters and will begin streaming on Netflix Friday, September 29. It is 136 minutes long and rated R for violence, language, and some nude images.

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