Reptile

Reptile is an atmospherically creepy crime thriller with appropriately gloomy music that is original in its details, creatively interesting editing and a perfect cast, including all of the supporting characters. Benicio Del Toro turns in a majestic acting performance. With its excellent balance between revealing the suspicious characters and the constant uncertainty that comes with the feeling that everything will be different, Reptile is probably this year’s best American contribution to the genre. For a feature-length debut by a music-video director, this is a unique feat that puts Grant Singer on the path to joining the ranks of the elites (Villeneuve, Fincher). Four and a half stars. (2023-10-03)

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. (2023-10-05)

Perfect craftsmanship. A mix of intricate crime drama like Mystic River and gloomy atmosphere in the style of the recent The Little Things with Denzel Washington, but with a much more interesting script and a fantastic cast. The experience isn't in the twist or the story's outcome, which is predictable and there’s no really big surprise in store. The key is the style of the storytelling, the direction and the work of the editor, who has a great sense of composition and masterfully mixes some of the sound and image structures into unique units. For what is essentially a directorial debut, hats off. (2023-10-14)

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. (2023-10-02)

The first half is a fine Scandinavian-style crime drama, including a sadistic murder, the chilly autumn weather and muted colours. And with one fantastic actor who I totally, totally love. Benicio Del Toro is walking charisma, he gets better the older he gets, and you can't take your eyes off his spare acting. The film loses its footing for a bit in the middle, and then it starts to get tangled and convoluted, and I'm not saying it's not good, but they lay their cards on the table too soon and lose the element of surprise. It's just not one step ahead of the viewer like a crime drama like this needs to be, and that's a shame. But for my beloved Bull, I'll give it 4*. P.S. Also excellent are the psychotic Michael Pitt and Justin Timberlake, with his vacant shark-eyed stare. (2023-09-29)