Reptile

A slowburn detective thriller that sometimes uses its slowness to surprisingly humorous effect. In some aspects, the serious Del Toro appropriates a bit of the Coens’ irony of aimless existence. All of the parallels with Villeneuve and Fincher are appropriate, which can paradoxically be to the film’s detriment. Its tone is less bleak and the twists are rather predictable and, if any objection offers itself, it’s that Singer’s cuts and sudden pauses toward the end of film smack of stretching out the runtime. We can all anticipate what’s coming, but the film deliberately leaves us hanging for a while by jumping into another storyline. In that, it’s obvious that this is the director’s debut. Otherwise, Reptile is Del Toro’s show. His brooding, derisive detective fascinated with the water faucet quickly gets under your skin and drags you through a story that lacks the slightly sharper dramatic edge that would allow Reptile to grab you and not let go. That said, Netflix got lucky in the acquisition this time. (10/05/2023)

How is it possible for a filmmaker to make such a high-brow thriller on their directorial debut? How?! Reptile is, after all, a masterpiece slowburn thriller with a first-rate, suffocating and perfect atmosphere dealing with the murder of a young stockbroker, but the deeper the detective gets into the investigation, the more drastically his view of the whole case changes, as does his character. The paranoid hallucinations, the nerve-wracking personality transformation and the chilling way he delves deeper into the case make this film, which appears at first and throughout the first half to be an ordinary whodunit, a thriller drama that gradually burrows deep under the viewer's skin, stirring up incredible emotions and an incredulous curiosity as to what will happen next. The case becomes far more complicated than it first appears and shows that this is definitely not an ordinary murder, but a much, much bigger intrigue. I had a great time in the second half, the film won me over completely to its side, and I have to say that if there had been a slightly more literal showdown and final "explanation" at the end, I probably would have been ready for a full score. As it is, the you have to make a little bit of an assumption. Though in the end, it may not even be a flaw. Excellent, chilling, suffocating and Benicio Del Toro proves again and again that he is a god in his own right, as he showed in Sicario. Excellent. (09/30/2023)

An atmospheric whodunit/thriller with a Benicio Del Toro that will burrow under your skin, who, along with debut director Grant Singer, elevates this Netflix flick to at least the event of the month. An inscrutable tale that, once unraveled, is an admittedly much-seen classic. However, it's told so artfully and with such excellent performances from the supporting cast that it takes your breath away. The almost palpable insecurity is brilliantly rendered in Del Toro's performance, while not falling out of character as the stoic client. Often reminiscent of the very best crime stories by David Fincher, the director has a flair for image and narrative. The script is strong in detail and especially in realism, with the scenes with his wife (an awesome Alicia Silverstone) among my favorites. (10/06/2023)

A surprising gem from Netflix. A gritty crime drama with an outstanding Benicio in the lead. For a debut, it's an impressive effort. The chilling atmosphere feels straight out of a David Fincher film, and while it drags a bit in the middle, the finale is grounded and absolutely fantastic. (10/06/2023)

A dark neo-noir crime drama from Netflix and the evil Benicio Del Toro! This is what a double win should look like. An unknown outsider makes one of the crime dramas of the year and straight to Netflix, which was in acute need of a better film already (fall at Netflix is always more packed than the rest of the year). Reptile is an intimate, old-school, atmospheric and dark crime drama where seasoned detective Benicio Del Toro investigates the murder of a real estate agent (the guy almost never leaves the frame). Everyone knows that slow movies and I don't get along, but sometimes a miracle happens and I can enjoy a movie of this cut and that's what Reptile is. The film won me over from the opening and kept my attention throughout – this is very important in a film where not much happens. It's great that most of the time they actually investigate and do some honest crime work (I was worried that they were going to deal with family issues and that there would be uninteresting plot diversions, as is the habit with other crime films, but thankfully that doesn't happen here), everything is built on great actors, great atmosphere and an uncomfortable stuffiness in the air. Among the supporting cast, Justin Timberlake and Michael PItt stand out. I was also intrigued that a classic whodunit about a manhunt for a killer, morphs into something bigger, more complex and unexpected in the second half. I have to say that the twist worked for me and was a pleasant shock. Good film. 8/10. (10/02/2023)