Today’s quick review: Sicario. After a string of successful raids against the Mexican drug cartels, FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) is chosen to join an interagency task force led by Matt Graver (Josh Brolin), a government spook with dubious intentions, and aided by Alejandro (Benicio del Toro), a quiet man with a checkered past. The goal of the task force is to take down the cartel leadership, but Macer soon begins to doubt their extreme methods.
Sicario is a gritty crime thriller from director Denis Villeneuve. Sicario depicts the shady side of the American government’s war against the Mexican drug cartels, as seen through the eyes of a by-the-book FBI agent who finds herself in over her head. The movie features sterling direction, a talented dramatic cast, and an unpredictable story. However, its bleak tone and convoluted plot make it a film that will only appeal to certain viewers.
Sicario makes for an uncomfortable watch. The graphic depictions of cartel violence give the movie a disturbing edge, one that most action movies lack. The film is packed with moral ambiguity, forcing Kate to chose between methods she finds abhorrent and letting the cartels run rampant. As the stress mounts, Kate begins to crumble and the mysteries surrounding Matt and Alejandro deepen. Sicario makes for a compelling drama, but an unusually heavy one.
Those who can brave the heavy tone will be treated to some excellent cinematography. From moment to moment, Sicario is tense, dangerous, and engaging. The story is carried by a trio of skillful performances by Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio del Toro. Blunt gives the movie its humanity and its moral center, however tenuous, while Brolin and del Toro are just the right kind of menacing: valuable allies and terrifying enemies all at once.
Fans of the serious, violent side of the crime genre will want to give Sicario a watch. Casual viewers will be turned off by its dark content and puzzle-like plot, but those willing to stomach the grime and piece together the story will appreciate the film’s top-notch execution. For a similarly bleak, similarly engrossing crime drama, try No Country For Old Men. For another serious look at the drug trade, try Traffic.
7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for impressive craftsmanship; your score will vary depending on your taste in storytelling.