Reptile Trailer: Benicio Del Toro, Justin Timberlake, And Alicia Silverstone Star In A New Netflix Thriller
If you don't know the name Grant Singer, chances are you're familiar with his work as a music video and commercial director. Singer has been behind some of the most visually striking videos of the past few years and has worked with artists such as The Weeknd, Sky Ferreira, Lorde, Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Ariana Grande, Ariel Pink, and Skrillex. Now, Singer is following in the footsteps of filmmakers like Michael Bay, David Fincher, Gus Van Sant, McG, Joseph Kahn, Daniels, and Spike Jonze by delivering his first narrative feature. With a star-studded cast and a compelling story, Singer's new Netflix thriller looks and sounds like a refreshing addition to the streaming juggernaut's library of original projects. Check out the film's official synopsis below:
Following the brutal murder of a young real estate agent, a hardened detective (Benicio Del Toro) 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.
No one does crime thrillers quite like Netflix, but during an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Singer said "I wanted to create this multifaceted sense of deception that was both in the experiences of the characters, as well as in the structure of the storytelling." He continued, "That was something that excited me." Singer's vision definitely sounds in line with the type of stories Netflix viewers can't get enough of.
"I think the movie will be exciting to people who like to watch something where you don't know where it's leading you, where a film is going to have twists and turns and deceive you," Singer said in the film's press release. "And people who like things that are intense and visceral and suspenseful, I think they'll find something exciting in this."
Check out the trailer for Reptile here
In addition to directing, Singer wrote the script with Benjamin Brewer and Del Toro, who also stars. Del Toro is joined by a pretty phenomenal cast that includes Justin Timberlake, Eric Bogosian, Alicia Silverstone, Domenick Lombardozzi, Frances Fisher, Ato Essandoh, Michael Carmen Pitt, Karl Glusman, and Matilda Lutz. Admittedly, I popped in a big way when I saw Pitt on screen, who is an all-time favorite actor for me thanks to his performances in "Boardwalk Empire," "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," and "Funny Games."
Black Label Media is the production company behind the film, with Del Toro executive producing the film as well. According to Entertainment Weekly, he was likely responsible for bringing Alicia Silverstone on board to play his wife, as the duo worked together in 1997's "Excess Baggage." But looking at this trailer, Singer's music video sensibilities are readily on display. The blocking is solid, the lighting is gorgeous, there's a visual feast of camera range, and I just couldn't look away. Then again, that could also be because Benicio Del Toro is on the screen most of the time, and that man's screen presence is like a tractor beam.
"I didn't want to make something that felt cold and clinical and sterile," Singer told EW. "I wanted to make something that felt alive and warm and relatable and human, and I think that was certainly an intention of mine to sort of counteract the suspense or the unnerving sense of unease with warmth." It's obviously too early to tell based on just a trailer, but I'm optimistic that Singer achieved his goal.
"Reptile" will have its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8 before arriving on Netflix on October 6, 2023.