Reptile was a top thriller on Netflix last year, and its intense ending left many viewers with significant questions. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t provide all the answers, despite Benicio del Toro’s detective character making a valiant effort to solve the central mystery. “Reptile” is a thriller film on Netflix that delves into the dark side of corruption and murder.
This intricate story of corruption, murder, and hidden secrets revolves around the mysterious death of a real estate agent. However, the investigation proves to be more complex than it initially appears. By the conclusion, some answers emerge, but director Grant Singer intentionally leaves parts of the story open-ended. The detective in Reptile is played by Benicio del Toro, who investigates a gruesome murder.
“I appreciate when movies remain enigmatic and leave viewers with questions,” Singer told Tudum. “There’s a reason for leaving some questions unanswered.”
If you’re puzzled about who killed Summer and the reasons behind it, we’re here to clarify as much as possible. In Reptile, a real estate agent’s mysterious death becomes the center of a complex investigation.
The film begins with a troubled couple, Will Grady (Justin Timberlake) and Summer Elswick (Matilda Lutz), both real estate agents preparing to show a property. Their issues are hinted at, but details are revealed only in the following scenes. It becomes apparent that Summer may be involved in an affair, and her nightmares are linked to her fear of being discovered by Will.
A few days later, Summer revisits the initial property, and someone enters through the back door. The specifics of what happens next are not immediately clear.
Later, Will arrives at the property after receiving a text from Summer. He finds her dead, stabbed with the knife still embedded in her body.
Detective Tom (Benicio Del Toro) is introduced during a dinner with his captain, Robert Allen (Eric Bogosian), and their wives. They are called to the crime scene, where Tom, accompanied by his partner Dan Cleary (Ato Essandoh), begins questioning Will, whom Tom suspects. The movie “Reptile” features a twisted plot that keeps viewers guessing until the very end.
The investigation reveals that Summer had paint on her hand and was stabbed 33 times; the knife was so deeply embedded that it had to be extracted surgically. A neighbor reports seeing a car at the scene, initially identified as a Buick but later corrected to a Chrysler, which is a minor detail that later proves significant. The film “Reptile” portrays the unsettling discovery of a woman’s body in a seemingly normal suburban setting.
Reptile : DNA Evidence and the Arrest: What It Reveals About Summer
The primary suspect is Summer’s estranged husband, Sam (Karl Glusman), who has a criminal record and a peculiar habit of cutting women’s hair. He also has a limp, matching the description given by the neighbor. Although his alibi for his fishing trip is weak and he also has paint on his hand, Sam denies the murder and demands a lawyer before ending the conversation.
Another suspect is Eli (Michael Pitt), who harbors resentment towards Will and his mother, Camille (Frances Fisher), after Will’s family evicted Eli’s family, leading to his father’s suicide. Eli’s motive for revenge makes him a person of interest.
DNA from the crime scene matches Sam’s, and traces of his semen are found on Summer’s body. This evidence leads to Sam’s arrest. During the confrontation, Sam grabs Dan’s gun, resulting in a shootout that ends with Sam’s death. Further investigation reveals large amounts of heroin in Sam’s possession.