Reptile (2023) – Slow burn predictable

Dir: Grant Singer

Cast: Benicio del Toro. Alicia Silverstone. Justin Timberlake. Eric Bogosian.

The Netflix algorithm keeps pushing films at you based on your “past viewing history”. As if it almost had a mind of its own (AI, anyone?).  I have willingly ignored some movies, and others rouse my curiosity to check whether my “cinematic gut feel” is accurate. In this case, the “gut feel” won over the algorithm as Reptile is an old-fashioned cops and crooks story set in a small town that soon gets predictable over its duration – that is, if you have watched enough cop movies about good cops, bad cops, their wives, their friends – see? (predictable?)

Real estate King Will Grady (Justin Timberlake) is in a relationship with Summer (Matilda Lutz). The relationship is somewhat cold or cooling. Homicide Detective Tom Nichols (Benicio del Toro) has a past which he hopes to forget in the small town and the easygoing company of his police colleagues. Nichols dotes on his wife Judy (Alicia Silverstone), who is friends with the wives of his police colleagues.

Grady enters a property one day to find his wife’s dead body, Summer. He immediately calls the police, and Nichols is the detective handling the case. Investigations lead him to Summer’s ex-husband, who was seen in the neighbourhood. Naturally, Grady is the prime suspect.

Nichols keeps pulling at the various threads and soon comes across one keyword – Summer had contacted the DEA. Figuring out that there is a drug angle, he probes further and soon starts running up against various walls, obstructions and “hints” to drop the case.

The story is pretty much straightforward. Within half an hour, we know for sure who will be the main fly in the ointment, thanks to some stereo typecasting. Pushed as a “Neo Noir”, the only thing noirish is that it is shot almost entirely at night, giving the noirish feeling. It’s almost as if nothing happens during daylight at all.

That’s not to say that it’s uninteresting. With some tighter editing, it could have been a fast-paced thriller instead of the slow-burn but predictable cop thriller. All performances are competent. Watch out for “teen idol” Alicia Silverstone, now fully grown up and acting very mature as per the character Judy.

The film is available on Netflix.

Script – 3 out of 5

Story – 4 out of 5

Direction – 3 out of 5

Photography – 4 out of 5

Total – 3.5 out of 5