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3rd October 2023
12:55pm BST
Netflix's latest procedural thriller has a killer cast, led by Benicio Del Toro, but it failed to fire for critics.
The movie follows Del Toro, who plays Tom Nicols, a detective who moves from Philly to a small town, where things seem slightly off with the cosy local police department. Everything becomes clear though, as he unpicks a brutal murder of a real estate agent.
Reptile, which hit the streaming service last Friday, tries to entangle the viewer in a web of murder and corruption - through the lens of local law enforcement - but, critics argue, fails to tread any new terrain and takes a long time getting there.
Netflix sells it as: "A mysterious murder. A hardened detective. A truth more dangerous than they could have ever imagined."
Writing for Deadline, Valerie Complex concluded: "It finds solace in the shadows of iconic masterpieces like Dirty Harry and Death Wish, striving to emulate the essence of renowned cop films from bygone eras. The narrative pace lingers unnecessarily, expanding a familiar tale into a two-hour ordeal, tantamount to an overlong episode of Law & Order."
A critic for the LA Times wrote: "The fallout from all this purposeful gloom isn't merely that nothing surprises us; even Del Toro's committed portrayal of a careful man's gathering disillusionment gets jammed up."
On Rotten Tomatoes, Reptile has a critics score of just 42 per cent. However, the audience has it at 78 per cent.
Commenting under the trailer, one viewer made a remark that many film-fans will agree on. Del Toro is excellent, in any movie he stars in: "Just having Benicio Del Toro in any movie elevates it to Oscar contender."
Another added: "I just watched this movie tonight and it was stunning! The action builds like a smouldering campfire…slowly, so hang in there it builds to a satisfying ending. There are a few plot twists that require a forehead slap, but they are worth it. I absolutely recommend this movie, Benicio Del Toro is smoky mysterious and the supporting cast lends their talents to build the plot, truly outstanding."
"I just finished watching this movie and it is honestly worth your time, it starts like any other typical crime movie and you begin to think you know but then you don’t and from half way it sends you into a whirlwind of suspense. I’ll leave it at that and your welcome," a third fan wrote.
On X, the reviews were largely favourable.
One viewer wrote: “I thought the story line was riveting. It slowly revealed the plot in a very careful manner. Another great performance by Benicio. I enjoyed the movie very much.”
Another added: “#Reptile is Netflix's best film in a long, long time. "Benicio Del Toro is brilliant, Alicia Silverstone is excellent & the story is gripping the whole way through."
"Very good to see Justin Timberlake too. Highly recommend. One of my favourites of 2023," another happy viewer wrote.
Director Grant Singer said of the movie he co-wrote with Del Toro and Benjamin Brewer: “Audiences want to feel satisfied, and rightfully so. But arguably the mysteries that are most resonant and lasting are the most hidden.
“This film began with a desire to capture a feeling of being deceived. I wanted to instil that deception both in the story’s construction, where characters are introduced as one thing and revealed to be something else, and in the experiences of the characters themselves.
“There is a sense of unease, where the suspense comes from not knowing where the story is leading you.”
The movie also stars Alicia Silverstone, Michael Pitt, Ato Essandoh, Justin Timberlake, Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Eric Bogosian and Domenick Lombardozzi.
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