Featuring an all-star cast of Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin, Sicario is a nail-biting, heart-pounding thriller. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Sicario tells the story of how one promising FBI agent Kate Mercer (Emily Blunt), is enlisted by the CIA to help take down the Mexican drug cartel.
The task force is led by the enigmatic Alejandro (Del Toro), alongside the charming Matt Graver (Brolin). Their target is Manuel Díaz, one of the cartel’s most notorious hitmen. During the undercover operation, Kate begins to questions Alejandro’s motives and her involvement in the case.
It’s an unforgiving look into the vicious drug trade in Mexico, with a story that is truly gruelling and twisted. Providing a swift punch to the gut during its second half, Villeneuve manages to present an eerily realistic portrayal of Mexico and its drug problem, with Taylor Sheridan’s screenplay keeping viewers on their toes throughout.
Whilst it seems like Kate Mercer is the main focus of Sicario, Del Toro’s captivating performance as Alejandro takes centre stage. He’s been firing on all cylinders in the past few years, but Sicario really makes the most out of Del Toro’s wonderful acting abilities.
Despite this, Sicario does boast Blunt’s finest role to date. Whilst she shined in the superb sci-fi action movie, Edge of Tomorrow, she provides viewers with a sympathetic, incredibly developed lead here, like nothing beforehand. She presents forth a believable character, which is thrown into a world of mystique and unimaginable horror.
Sicario runs at a steady pace of just over two hours, and it features the most intense traffic jam in cinema history. Fantastically edited, the task force is on the hunt for one Manuel Díaz’s men, with the fear that any one of the cars stuck on the road may be holding armed criminals, who are ready to take out the CIA in any way possible.
Heavy themes of morality come into play during Sicario, and Kate Mercer’s journey throughout the film is riveting. The final sequence alone is enough to send shivers down the spine, with Del Toro displaying some of his finest work.
It’s beautifully shot, featuring some of the best cinematography of last year by Roger Deakins, who is renowned for putting together some of the most stiking shots in cinema history. Having worked on The Shawshank Redemption, The Big Lebowski, and Skyfall, Deakins can now add yet another grand accomplishment to his list – as Sicario is simply stunning, stylish and unforgivably raw.
Villeneuve’s previous entry, Enemy, was criminally under looked when it was released early last year. Thankfully, Prisoners and Sicario have now established him as a director to look out for. He has presented a masterclass in filmmaking, with a taut, intense, and wholly enjoyable thriller.
SICARIO / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: DENIS VILLENEUVE / SCREENPLAY: TAYLOR SHERIDAN / STARRING: KATE MACER, BENICIO DEL TORO, JOSH BROLIN, VICTOR GARBER, JON BERNTHAL / RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 1ST
