TIFF 2023: Reptile Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Reptile is the feature directorial debut of music video and commercial director Grant Singer. Reptile sees hardened detective Tom Nichols (Benicio Del Toro) investigating the brutal murder of a young real estate agent. As he attempts to solve a case where nothing is as it seems, his own life begins spiraling out of control as more secrets are unveiled. Despite the negative to mixed reactions out of its festival premiere, the film is a rock-solid crime noir thriller that audiences don’t see enough of these days and is likely to satisfy most audiences who know what to go in expecting.

The film clearly indebted to a lot of David Fincher’s work but Singer still makes it his own with a great eye behind the camera, crafting some memorable visuals and shots. This gripping noir gets intense while keeping audiences engaged with its central mystery every step of the way. The plot is for the most part very unpredictable and filled with twists and turns that most won’t see coming. Meanwhile, the film features plenty of brutal moments and tension that leave an impact.

Benicio Del Toro is arguably one of the most underrated actors working today and here, he easily delivers one of his best performances in recent memory. Boasting a cast full of recognizable faces, Reptile is Del Toro’s film every step of the way. What made Nichols stand out was the nuances and quirks he brought, and elevated him into something more than just a flawed detective with a shady past. In terms of the supporting cast, they are great but are not given nearly as much to do.

As much as it has going for it, Reptile is not without its fair share of problems that ultimately hold it back from reaching the level of the crime thrillers it is clearly honoring. In the end, its biggest issue was its length. While the film is consistently engaging, some scenes could have definitely been cut or condensed to improve its overall pace. As flashy and stylish of a directorial debut it is for Singer, he can sometimes make it a little too stylish for its own good. However, that issue does improve over time.

At the end of the day, Reptile is a solid crime noir reminiscent of the crime thrillers from a forgotten time. Whether one is indifferent about the film or not, there’s no denying the exceptional Benicio Del Toro as it is worth watching for his performance alone.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/