One of the most recent Netflix originals,Reptile, soared to thetop of the streaming services chartsas it became the most streamed film on Netflix. The excellent Benicio Del Toro (who also co-wrote the film) and several other familiar faces, such as Justin Timberlake and Alicia Silverstone, star in Grant Singer’s feature debut. While the slow-burn crime drama has received mixed reviews, it has certainly proved to be popular among viewers.
Netflix’s originals are known to be hit-and-miss, and often, the views don’t translate to great reviews. But one thing that is a constant is the issues the majority of Netflix originals have. AndReptileshares the same problems that countless other Netflix originals have had before it.
Benicio Del Toro Shines in Underwhelming Thriller
When it comes toReptile,the mixed reviews are justified. There are some things to like about the film, but it is easy to see why some people have been critical of the Netflix original.Benicio Del Toro’s performanceis by far the most likable thing about the film. We have become accustomed to del Toro’s brilliance, and his performance inReptileis no different. He pretty much carries the film on his back. His fascinating portrayal of a hardened detective keeps you interested for the entirety of the runtime. His performance proves to be more gripping than the actual story that is unfolding.
Del Toro’s performance is most likely the reason whyReptilebecame the most streamed film on Netflix. He makes the film watchable and gives the viewer an interesting performance that is often absent from the vast majority of Netflix originals. But, despite his best efforts,Reptileis still just a mediocre film. It is a solid outing forGrant Singer on his feature debut. The entire cast does a decent job, even the polarizing Justin Timberlake. It isn’t a bad film whatsoever; it’s fine. But, being just fine is the issue.
We get the usual detective investigating a murder type of film that we have seen countless times. Which, again, is fine. Not every film has to be groundbreaking and innovative. But in the case ofReptile,it just feels like more of the same, except with several problems that hold the film back. Even though it is a slow burn, there are times when it is just moving along way too slowly to the point where it becomes dull. This is usually when Benicio Del Toro would work his magic and drag you back into the film. Not only was hethe stand-out performance, but he was also the only character that was fleshed out and interesting.
Related:Reptile: Who Is the Killer, Explained
While the rest of the cast didn’t exactly do anything wrong, their characters felt disposable and unimportant. They come across as one dimensional, and we only see surface-level kind of relationships between Del Toro’s protagonist and the rest of the characters. This just leaves you not caring about any of them and results in the twists being fairly obvious due to how predictable every character is.
However, to Singer’s credit, he does try to make the film as mysterious as possible. There are several little sub-plots throughout the film that at first come across as intriguing but ultimately lead nowhere. It feels as though there was a lack of focus on what was and wasn’t important to the film, and it resultedin aReptileendingin a slightly confusing and frustrating manner. These problems aren’t unique toReptile. Every film has problems. ButReptile’s problems are compounded by the fact that the vast majority of the film is underwhelming, which has been the case for plenty of Netflix originals. And just like most other Netflix originals, it seems likeReptilewill fade away to one of those okay films that never really get remembered or spoken about.
Netflix ‘Originals’
The number of Netflix originals seems to be constantly increasing, possibly because of wanting to keep up with other streaming services or because of other titles leaving. Either way, Netflix originals make up a large portion of the streaming services content. And it often feels like these films are being treated like just content rather than a film. It looks like the goal is to pump out as much content as possible in the hope that some of them are hits. And it doesn’t seem to be working. These Netflix originals are the furthest thing from the original. Even some of the best ones are just okay. Nothing more, nothing less. And the bad ones don’t seem to ever even enter into any discourse.
Related:15 Best Netflix Original Horror Movies to Watch Right Now
Of course, there are exceptions, likeRoma,The Irishman,All Quiet on the Western Front, and a few more. But thetruly quality Netflix originalsare few and far between. The hundreds of others are some of the most forgettable films ever made. A lot of the time, the idea of a Netflix original seems interesting but then ends up being tonally and stylistically the same as every other underwhelming Netflix original. The vast majority of these films feel sterile and are devoid of any innovation or creativity.
From the increasing amount of Netflix originals, you would expect a bit of variety, but even if a film’s subject matter is completely different from another, they still all feel strangely alike, as if there was some formula to making a Netflix original, which is a shame, especially when you waste great performances from the likes of Benicio Del Toro in such uninspired films. Unfortunately, it feels like Netflix originals are just all about the numbers. They will always have a place. They are watchable. They are easy viewing or something to have on in the background. And while not every Netflix original has to be a hit, the current state of things could and should be better than it is.
