As "Reptile" (2023 release; 136 min) opens, we meet realtors Will and Summer as they are prepping a house for a showing. Looks like they are a couple. Some time later, Summer is again at that house. Will is on his way there too but for reasons unknown he is not able to reach Summer on her phone. He arrives at the house only to find Summer brutally murdered... At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie.
Couple of comments: this is the feature length directing debut of Grant Singer, best known for his music videos. Here he brings a murder mystery that initially seems straight-forward: who killed Summer? Will? Summer's ex? A local bad boy? Except that this is just the beginning. The movie is super plot-heavy so the less said about that, the better. Suffice to say that it helps if you can keep an open mind how it all plays out. Along the way we get a number of great performances including Justin Timberlake (as Will), Benicio del Toro (as the Detective on the case; del Toro also co-wrote the script) and Alicia Silverstone )as the Detective's wife). Yet despite the plot twists, the movie lacks a true element of surprise and it all feels quite standard and strictly by the numbers. Consider as well that this movie was shot a full 2 years ago. Why has it been sitting on the shelves for this long?
"Reptile" premiered at the recent Toronto International Film Festival to ho-hum reactions, and after a limited 1 week theatrical release, the movie started airing on Netflix this weekend. If you are in the mood for a murder mystery, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and reach your own conclusion.
Couple of comments: this is the feature length directing debut of Grant Singer, best known for his music videos. Here he brings a murder mystery that initially seems straight-forward: who killed Summer? Will? Summer's ex? A local bad boy? Except that this is just the beginning. The movie is super plot-heavy so the less said about that, the better. Suffice to say that it helps if you can keep an open mind how it all plays out. Along the way we get a number of great performances including Justin Timberlake (as Will), Benicio del Toro (as the Detective on the case; del Toro also co-wrote the script) and Alicia Silverstone )as the Detective's wife). Yet despite the plot twists, the movie lacks a true element of surprise and it all feels quite standard and strictly by the numbers. Consider as well that this movie was shot a full 2 years ago. Why has it been sitting on the shelves for this long?
"Reptile" premiered at the recent Toronto International Film Festival to ho-hum reactions, and after a limited 1 week theatrical release, the movie started airing on Netflix this weekend. If you are in the mood for a murder mystery, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and reach your own conclusion.