Netflix viewers hail new mystery Reptile as ‘best film in a long time’ despite Rotten Tomatoes score

Just because film critics might not like something, doesn’t mean regular viewers don’t like it either. Sometimes it’s actually the opposite.

Even the likes of Grown Ups, which had a pretty bad critical reception, reportedly brought in over $270million (£232million) at the box office.

And a new Netflix film is another example of that. Well, ok, maybe not financially, but in terms of opinion anyway.

Reptile landed on the streaming site on Friday 29 September, making perfect viewing for those looking for a new mystery film over the weekend.

Directed by Grant Singer, the film stars Benicio Del Toro, Justin Timberlake and Alicia Silverstone.

The official synopsis for Reptile reads: “Following the brutal murder of a young real estate agent, a hardened detective attempts to uncover the truth in a case where nothing is as it seems, and by doing so dismantles the illusions in his own life.”

And on Rotten Tomatoes the thriller is rated just 45 percent on the Tomatometer, with the Critics Consensus reading: “Strong work from Benicio del Toro and Alicia Silverstone isn't enough to make up for Reptile's convoluted and ultimately underwhelming story."

Ouch.

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But despite this, the audience score sits at a pretty decent 80 per cent in comparison.

Reviews say they found it ‘so interesting’ and describe it as a ‘refreshing crime thriller’.

Another viewer also wrote: “I thought the story line was riveting. It slowly revealed the plot in a very careful manner. Another great performance by Benicio. I enjoyed the movie very much.”

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And on X, another wrote: “#Reptile is Netflix's best film in a long, long time.

"Benicio Del Toro is brilliant, Alicia Silverstone is excellent & the story is gripping the whole way through.

"Very good to see Justin Timberlake too. Highly recommend. One of my favourites of 2023.”

Obviously, some reviews were still relatively mixed as many call it a ‘slow burn’.

However, many still highly recommended it if that's your thing - as it was for some people.

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"If you’re into slow burn, crime dramas, Reptile on Netflix is definitely worth checking out." someone said, while another called it a 'solid slow burn 90's detective thriller'.

Giving a statement in the film’s press release, director Singer said: “Audiences want to feel satisfied, and rightfully so. But arguably the mysteries that are most resonant and lasting are the most hidden.

“This film began with a desire to capture a feeling of being deceived. I wanted to instill that deception both in the story’s construction, where characters are introduced as one thing and revealed to be something else, and in the experiences of the characters themselves.

“There is a sense of unease, where the suspense comes from not knowing where the story is leading you.”

Reptile is now streaming on Netflix.

Topics: Netflix, TV and Film

Jess Battison

Jess is an Entertainment Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include keeping up with the Twitter girlies, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021 and has previously worked at MyLondon.

@jessbattison_