Who is really the killer in “Reptile”, the thriller available for a week on Netflix? We will explain everything to you !
Have you been tempted by Reptile, the Netflix thriller that we recommended to you when it was released? Signed by Grant Singer – director of music videos for The Weeknd and Sam Smith – Reptile is a true crime thriller about the murder of Summer (Matilda Lutz), a real estate agent brutally murdered in a house for sale.
The investigation, led by Tom Nichols (Benicio Del Toro), is a veritable web of deception. During his investigations, he discovers that corruption has seeped into the ranks of the Scarborough police force.
After meeting several suspects, including Will Grady (Justin Timberlake), Summer’s lover and employer, and disgruntled neighbor Eli Philips (Michael Pitt), Tom Nichols finally discovers the identity of the killer and why Summer was killed. Unfortunately, his discoveries put him in immediate danger.
When Nichols brings evidence against the killer and some corrupt members of his department to the police chief, the two men visit Captain Allen (Eric Bogosian) – incidentally the uncle of his wife Judy (Alicia Silverstone) – who has hidden the identity of the murderer all this time.
Unbeknownst to Nichols, the deception extends to the police chief, and Nichols is forced to engage in a shootout with his former colleagues before he can expose the entire plot. Full of false leads and twists, Reptile nevertheless leaves some lingering questions.
Daniel McFadden/Netflix ©2023
Will Grady is the murderer
In a rather confusing flashback, it is revealed that Will Grady killed Summer. When Nichols pursues another lead and tries to find out who Rudy Rackozy (Owen Teague) called so many times the day Summer was killed, it is not made explicit, but it is implied that Rudy called Will, that he is seen in another flashback standing in front of Summer’s body.
Will intended to pin the crime on Summer’s ex-husband, but unfortunately for him, Detective Nichols did his job too well and traced the cell phone back to Will.
Tom Nichols initially thought it was suspicious that Summer was selling houses without receiving a commission. As he dug deeper, he discovered that these sales were part of a drug laundering scheme concocted by Wally (Domenick Lombardozzi) and the majority of the cops in Nichols’ department.
Summer then began calling the FBI to tell them the truth about the shell company used to cover up this money laundering. But Will discovered what she was planning to do and murdered her before she exposed the mystery and brought down almost the entire city police force. A decision that cost her her life at the hands of her boyfriend…