There’s never been a killing like this. And officer Tom Nichols is not quite sure where to start.
It’s not that there aren’t any leads for the Scarborough killing of realtor Summer Elswick; there are just too many.
Let’s start with the boyfriend, Will Grady. He was the first person to come across the body—and the guy who just so happened to have had an argument with Summer the night before.
Then there’s the ex-husband, Sam Gifford. He steals the hair of women for his art projects and might not be quite as over Summer as he appears to be.
Finally, there’s Eli Phillips, a man whose life was destroyed by the Grady family (with whom Summer is closely connected) who wants to get his revenge on them through any means necessary.
It’s enough to make any detective paranoid, and Tom is no exception. But he’s got a reason to be paranoid: Because as this murder mystery starts to unravel, so too will Tom’s whole worldview.
Despite growing pressure and increasing threats, Tom remains steadfast in pursuing justice for the murdered Summer. Even as his world falls apart, and even when he has a chance to back away from it all, Tom refuses to quit until the case is closed. Tom’s wife, Judy, remains committed to helping him solve the case, too.
Additionally, Tom is a humble man. At one point, he’s told that he will be awarded the Medal of Valor for his part in stopping a criminal. But he says that he doesn’t want it, since he doesn’t want a medal for ending a man’s life.
We’re told someone is at church. A man is called “the devil.” Someone references horoscopes.
We see a woman in her underwear, and we see a couple of women in one-piece swimsuits. A man kisses a woman’s neck from behind, hoping that she’ll say yes to having sex. A guy smacks a woman on the rear. We hear a reference to an orgasm.
We’re told that traces of semen have been found in a female corpse (though we’re later informed that it was from a consensual encounter). A couple of affairs that have been taking place come to light. Tom suspects a man has been having an affair with his wife and threatens the man. Several women wear clothing that exposes cleavage.
A man tries to convince Tom to pick a woman to have sex with, but Tom tells the man that he’s married. A married couple discusses how each of them lost their virginity before they met. Someone gives a naked blow-up sex doll to another person for his birthday.
A man and woman kiss. A man talks about getting his sperm tested for fertility reasons. A painting of an angel shows of the woman’s breasts. Someone says that she likes all things French, including “French kissing.”
Several men get shot and killed, each death complete with its own graphic splatter of blood. One man bleeds out, and another victim is shot and apparently survives. Still another victim (of sorts) is shot and killed in a dream sequence.
We also see the blood-covered body of someone who was stabbed more than 30 times. There’s news about a man who committed suicide. We hear the raspy breathing of someone as they die.
We hear a reference to rape (in the context of an inappropriate joke). As that conversion grows to its punchline, a gay man in the joke protests, saying “I think Mr. James knows how to rob a train.”
Tom recovers from a bloody wound on his hand.
The f-word is used nearly 40 times, and the s-word is used about 15 times. We also hear “a–,” “b–ch,” “d–n,” “h—,” “p-ss” and “t-ts.” God’s name is used in vain three times, including one instance that’s followed by “d–n.” Jesus’ name is used in vain six times.
The police confiscate 13 kilograms of heroin from a man, and we later see them grab a bunch more from another bust. A man is said to sell heroin and cocaine, and another guy uses those drugs. A drawer is filled with (what appears to be) marijuana. People smoke and drink alcohol.
Men place bets on the results of a medical test. Two people tour a home to take photos of where the woman died. A man cuts off some of a woman’s hair to steal it.
Most of the characters in Reptile have something hidden in their shells. But cracking those shells open inevitably results in some carnage.
The film takes inspiration from the real-life slaying of Canadian real estate agent Lindsay Buziak; accordingly, we witness dramatized elements from that horrific act on the fictional screen. Characters die in bloody acts of violence. But even apart from that, we’ll also deal with a plot that’s centered on drug dealing, some sexual quips and a lot of heavy swearing.
This murder mystery successfully pulls off some tense scenes while fumbling others. Reptile’s use of dramatic music felt a bit overdone at times, especially when many of these scenes built to nothing. Perhaps it was a decision made to make the viewer feel the tense paranoia that Tom feels throughout the film, but I ended up just being annoyed by it.
Reptile might eventually shed its scaly layers of mystery by the end of its over two-hour run, but that won’t happen before you’re struck by its venomous, content-filled bite.
Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”
