Reptile is a US crime drama, wherein Benicio del Toro plays the protagonist, police detective Tom Nichols. As he solves a brutal murder case and more in this slow-burning crime tale. Notably, a true and tragic murder crime incident involving Lindsay Buziak of Canada has inspired the story of this film.
She was a young real estate professional originating from Canada. In February 2008, Lindsay was found dead in a house that was still under construction in Saanich, British Columbia. And a more important thing to note here is the fact that her murder case remains unresolved, even now.
Can Police Detective Tom Solve A Brutal Murder Case…
Spoiler-Free Review of the Reptile (2023/USA) Movie
The synopsis
Following the brutal murder of a young real estate agent, Summer Elswick (Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz), a hardened New England detective, Tom Nichols (Benicio del Toro), is unflinching in his pursuit to uncover the truth in a case. In this murder case, there is nothing as it seems, and by doing so, he dismantles the illusions in his own life.
Inspired by a true crime
Most likely this film is inspired by a true crime story, as we have mentioned in the above paragraph. However, its writers have not confirmed this fact about its inspiration. We are sharing an excerpt from the news article that described the tragic murder case of Lindsay Buziak.
Now, let us take a look at the true crime incident that may have inspired it.
Lindsay Buziak, a 24-year-old real estate agent, was fatally stabbed in a second-floor bedroom of a home she had arranged to show to what she thought were prospective buyers in the Gordon Head area of Saanich (in Vancouver Island, Canada) on Feb. 2, 2008. More than a decade later, the case remains unsolved.
Lindsay Buziak’s father still seeks answers | Saanich News
About the lead actors pair – Benicio del Toro & Alicia Silverstone
A seasoned and experienced police detective, Tom Nichols (Benicio del Toro), uncovers a complex web of deception. He digs deeper for the truth behind the brutal murder of a young real estate agent, Summer Elswick (Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz), in the film. Wish we could share the details about the murderer, but most definitely, that will ruin your viewing pleasure. Just in case, if you are still interested, then we have shared the spoilers below. Both the leading actors in this film, Benicio del Toro (Tom Nichols) and Alicia Silverstone (Judy Nichols), are in good form in this tension-filled police-procedural mystery drama.
Although we are okay with the leisurely pace of this complex storytelling, we believe some viewers may not appreciate it. We think a much faster pace of the investigative thriller story would have made it a tighter and much better film for viewers like us.
It is a good movie to watch if you are a fan of Benicio del Toro and Alicia Silverstone. In the mid-1990s, both of them were dating each other. Now, in this film, Alicia’s character is an active and brave life partner who often helps her husband solve crimes by giving her feedback. Also, she is a tough lady who is aware of her husband’s tough job environment. In one of the key scenes from this film, we find that Benicio del Toro (Tom Nicholos) liked the use of the hands-free faucet. So, he got the hands-free faucet installed in his house. He was going to keep his hands clean of the mess and dirt around him.
Maybe this kind of movie scene symbolises that Benicio del Toro (Tom) was not going to get involved in murky scenarios,
Rest of the ensemble cast & other key elements of the film
The rest of the ensemble cast members – Justin Timberlake (Will Grady), Ato Essandoh (Dan Cleary), Eric Bogosian (Robert Allen), Domenick Lombardozzi (Wally), Mike Pniewski (Marty Graeber), Frances Fisher (Camille Grady), etc., have played their part in this murder mystery. We liked the way it uses the ominous and haunting background music. We liked the background music in this movie. It appealed to our hearing senses. Its filmmaker has used it smartly to cause stress and heighten the tension among its viewers.
The conclusion
There are enough twists and turns in its story to keep you hooked on this good crime drama. On the other hand, we could guess some of the expected and unexpected developments in its tale. Before we conclude, do not forget to check the background music in this movie, which is eerie, to say the least. Sadly, in the real-life murder case of Lindsay Buziak, the police have yet to catch the killer. However, the killer and associates are caught in the film, and the viewers get closure. Thankfully, the reel- life is better than the real-life. At least, here the killer is caught in this movie.
Rating of the Reptile (2023/USA) Movie
| FM’s rating | 3.50/5 |
| FM’s short comment | We also loved the on-screen chemistry between Benicio and Alicia, who plays his charming wife. And they make it a compelling film to watch. |
Poster of the Reptile (2023/USA) Movie
Key Details of the Reptile (2023/USA) Movie
| Genre | Crime, Drama |
| Original language | English (USA) |
| Released in | September, 2023 |
| Age-restrictions | UA (16+) |
| Duration | 2 hours 14 minutes |
| Writers | Benjamin Brewer, Grant Singer, & Benicio del Toro |
| Director | Grant Singer |
| Cast | Benicio del Toro (Tom Nichols), Alicia Silverstone (Judy Nichols), Justin Timberlake (Will Grady), Ato Essandoh (Dan Cleary), Eric Bogosian (Robert Allen), Domenick Lombardozzi (Wally), Mike Pniewski (Marty Graeber), Frances Fisher (Camille Grady), etc. |
| Taglines | Fear The Truth. Shed The Lies. |
| Network | Netflix. |
Trailer of the Reptile (2023/USA) Movie
Also, check out the YouTube video - Exclusive Clip - Reptile (2023) Movie - Netflix.
Spoiler-Alert: The murderer & why was the person murdered
So, who murdered Summer Elswick and why in the Reptile film?
Who murdered Summer Elswick?
Police Detective Tom Nichols learnt that Judy Nichols’ uncle, Captain Robert Allen, and some of his police colleagues were corrupt and involved in the cover-up. These dishonest cops – Chief of Police Marty Graeber, Police Captain Robert Allen, and Wally are all connected with the murder and a much larger conspiracy to hide the ongoing crimes. These people deliberately concealed the proofs and facts associated with Summer’s cruel lynching by her husband, Wally. So in the cover-up of the heinous murder of Summer Elswick, they all participated.
And why?
These dirty cops were running a corrupt scheme to launder easy money. And they were misusing Will Grady’s real estate firm for the money laundering operations. So, this bunch of crooked cops covered up to protect themselves, as any kind of murder investigation would have exposed their involvement in it. Robert Allen hid the car used by the murderer, while Wally always tried to lure Tom with easy money and other kinds of inducements, including the police medal award.
If you like watching murder mystery films from the US, then go ahead and read our FM article about the Boston Strangler film, too.
Featured Image and Poster of the Reptile film are courtesy of Netflix.
