Reptile

SLOWburning detective movie and when I say SLOWburning then I mean really SLOW. Sorry for all these capital letters, but the first hour nothing much happens and I was wondering if anything was about to happen at all. Well, fortunately it did!

The REAL suspense and thrill (only slowly yet steadily) intensifies during the second hour, which gets really creepy and intense, with a final that is like a sledgehammer. Wow. Really impressed by it.

The good: Benicio del Toro Benicio del Toro Benicio del Toro.

This man has got charisma few other actors (are lucky to) have. He really steals the show, with his very subtle acting skills, that convey so many different feelings that simply watching Benicio del Toro lifting up a small glass to drink is fascinating to watch.

Benicio del Toro co-wrote the screenplay and he co-produced this movie as well. So he had a lot of cloud. And it shows, because this is one heck of a Benicio del Toro flick.

The director made his feature movie debut, with only having made lots of music videos before and although I dont think his direction was terrific, it certainly was a masterful debut.

Quite impressed AND spooked out by it. Recommended for the art house movie fans of slowburning (yet still suspenseful) detective movies.

A great movie very tense and gripping. Lots of twists and turns to keep you on your toes. All the cast were great. Nice to see Alicia Silverstone cast in something good. Benicio is excellent as always. The music really adds to the atmosphere and it has an almost Lynchian feel.

The cinematography is worth mentioning too and is very effective in creating tension and mood.

One of the better movies on Netflix I would definitely recommend it if you love a good thriller.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I've watched many poor movies on Netflix but this is definitely one of the better features it's a shame it wasn't released theatrically.

This slow-burner of a murder yarn may just turn out to be the best thriller of the year. A realtor is found dead by her colleague and partner who naturally becomes a suspect but then there are a few other men in her life who are also suspects; so far, so common-place but Grant Singer's "Reptile" is as much about the police investigating the killing as it is about the investigation. These are a close-knit bunch of cops who both work and play together and who may not be as clean as they should be.

A sterling cast, (Benicio Del Torro, Alicia Silverstone, Justin Timberlake, Eric Bogosian, Michael Pitt, Frances Fisher), add a further touch of class to an already classy thriller and one that is as far from conventional multiplex fare as you are likely to get. It may not always be that easy to follow and midway through the killing seems to fade into the background but it's always highly intelligent and while it may not appeal to a mass audience I think it has cult status written all over it.

For those who like murder mysteries like me, this is an excellent movie. My fave shows and movies are BBC mysteries and Nordic Noir - well written and well acted productions. Certainly, for the mystery-affectionado, this is a quality production from top to bottom - acting, writing, story-line, camera work, production. Benicio Del Torro is a pleasure to watch. I feel like the story was somewhat familiar but I appreciate a movie which re-covers a certain theme but in a quality way. For those who enjoy an intelligent mystery / thriller, they will enjoy this movie. For those who want a more shoot 'em up, car chase, action-packed show, this will disappoint. Overall, I recommend to anyone who enjoys quality mystery / thriller productions.

Set in the town of Scarborough, Detective Tom Nichols (Benecio del Toro) and his partner Dan Cleary (Ato Essandoh) investigate the murder of real-estate broker Summer Elswick (Matilda Lutz). As the two run down possible suspects including Summer's boyfriend Will Grady (Justin Timberlake), her ex-husband Sam Gifford (Karl Glusman), and a man with a grudge against the Gradys named Eli Phillips (Michael Pitt), the case goes from a simple murder to something of larger scale implications.

Reptile is the feature film debut of music video director Grant Singer who also co-wrote the script alongside Benjamin Brewer and the film's star and executive producer Benicio Del Toro. Singer and Brewer wrote the initial draft of the film in 2018 where it was acquired by Black Label Media who'd previously worked with Del Toro on the Sicario films and upon showing it to him he became a huge proponent of the project. With a gritty noir story, an all star cast, and an Autumn adjacent release date you can tell Netflix wants this to be their equivalent of Gone Baby Gone or Prisoners as that dark horse crime thriller that scores some Oscar nominations, and while it doesn't reach those heights unfortunately it's an ultimately decent detective thriller with a strong sense of style and some committed performances.

Despite being the debut feature of Grant Singer, he shows a strong grasp on filmmaking from a stylistic and technical sense with the film given some solid shots that capture the environments in which Nichols investigates. With a predominantly suburban setting that often uses the states of various homes like McMansion Grady is trying to sell having signs of vermin infestation or a neglected swimming pool with stagnant water, you get the sense Singer is trying to capture that underlying sense of rot within these seemingly idyllic homes. While Tom Nichols isn't given the greatest depth as a protagonist, del Toro who serves as a co-writer on the film does add some humanity to the role especially in regards to his relationship with his wife Judy played by Alicia Silverstone who takes what could've been an underwritten character and makes her more of a confidant who actually assists Tom on several occasions and the two have some solid chemistry together. Where the movie faulters for me unfortunately is in the mystery aspect of the film especially in how it establishes its array of suspects only for us to switch gears at the one hour mark where we begin another decidedly different investigation. The writing in the film while fine most of the time is perfectly fine (if not exceptional) but it does lead to some groanworthy dialogue exchanges and a fake-out dream sequence that I didn't really care for.

For those who like dramatic procedural thrillers of this kind you will find some good elements to appreciate here especially in how it relates to the acting and visuals on display. The movie itself as a mystery I'm sorry to say fell somewhat flat for me despite seemingly having all the right pieces in play. A slight stumble out the gate for Grant Singer, but one that shows promise if given refinement.