Reptile

Reptile opens with the brutal killing of a young real estate agent, a crime that rattles a crowded city and drags a weary detective into its wake. Benicio del Toro plays Tom Nichols, a veteran investigator who keeps his distance from the flashy surface of the case while chasing rumors, alibis, and hidden motives. Will Grady, played by Justin Timberlake, becomes a central thread in the investigation when the truth seems to morph as quickly as the evidence on the desk. As Nichols probes the victim's world, he discovers a web of deceit that implicates powerful figures and unsettles the foundations of his own life, his ethics, and loyalties. The case tests Nichols's loyalties and his own survivability under pressure.

Released in 2023 on Netflix, Reptile is directed by Grant Singer with a screenplay by Benjamin Brewer and Benicio del Toro. The project brings a lean noir mood to a modern urban puzzle, where every clue hides a sharper motive.

Reception to Reptile split along the lines of mood and motive. Critics praised the tense atmosphere and the performances, especially Del Toro and Timberlake, while noting the plot's layering can feel dense. Thematically, the film grapples with trust, guilt, and how power shapes truth for some viewers in particular today.

The movie leans into a sleek nocturnal aesthetic that nods to classic noir while updating it with contemporary urban grime. Sharp dialogue and a few late reveals have sparked conversations about corruption and the limits of memory in investigations, helping Reptile feel like a modern crime parable for audiences today.

Box office data for Reptile has not been publicly disclosed, reflecting its Netflix release strategy. The film's reach is better assessed through streaming metrics and audience reception than traditional grosses, which makes a conventional box score difficult to cite today.