Reptile (2023)

Average Police Thriller/Whodunnit - Reptile review by GI

A fairly routine procedural crime thriller with a plot that is overall nothing particularly original but does have a compelling central performance from Benicio Del Toro. He plays Tom, a seasoned detective with a slightly murky past, who investigates the brutal murder of an estate agent. Of course the narrative sets itself from the outset as a mystery with various suspects emerging as the film goes along including the victim's boyfriend, the slightly sleazy Will (Justin Timberlake) and the local weirdo Eli (Michael Pitt). Tom's fellow cops also act a little weirdly around him during the investigation making him more and more paranoid and there's a great little scene when his jealously over his wife (Alicia Silverstone) comes frighteningly to the surface. But overall considering the plus 2 hour run time the film fails to deliver a satisfying denouement and ends predictably and typically. It's all ok and entertains as far as it goes but don't expect anything too much.