"Reptile" is a crime thriller movie that follows Detective Tom Nichols (played by Benicio Del Toro) as he tries to solve the murder of a local real estate agent named Summer (played by Alicia Silverstone) . The movie is full of red herrings, plot twists, and a surprising actor reunion, making it a gripping procedural but leaving a few lingering questions. In the third act, the movie reveals that Summer was killed to prevent her from speaking to the FBI about a scam that implicates every level of the Scarborough police force. The case is cracked, and the culprits are brought in, but the movies mystery will be solved, and the finer details wont be spoon-fed to the viewers.

The movie is called "Reptile" because characters are introduced as one thing and revealed to be something else. Theres a shedding of skin that occurs, and it felt like an appropriate metaphor for the film. Some of the most unethical people in the film can be very likable in moments. Shortly before Will murders Summer, she discovers a dried snakeskin. This ties into the films title, "Reptile," and symbolizes the unmasking of the characters true nature.

In the end, Will and his family are brought down by federal agents, and he is arrested. The movie leaves a few lingering questions, such as why Captain Allen agreed to keep the Chrysler Imperial, seen at the scene of Summers murder, in his garage. However, the "why" in "Reptile" is not as important as the "how," and understanding character motivations only gets in the way of appreciating what they end up producing as far as tension and tone.