[Movie Review] Sicaro (2015)

Posted on September 25, 2015 by thegrandshuckett in Movie Reviews // 0 Comments

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Writer: Taylor Sheridan

Runtime: 121 min

Main Cast:

Emily Blunt as Kate Macer
Josh Brolin as Matt
Benicio Del Toro as Alejandro
Jon Bernthal as Ted

Review: by Chris

From its announcement I had high expectations for this film. A dream cast of some of my favorite actors with one of my favorite new-ish directors tackling the violent word of cartels? Yes please. As time went on and I saw more and more trailers, some of the enthusiasm fell to the waist side. I didn't get a great feel for the kind of movie this was going to be and the lack of information in said trailers had me worried that there wasn't much there. Thankfully my fears were silenced by maybe one of the best crime drama's I've seen in a long time.

After FBI agent Kate Mercer uncovers a shocking surprise during a hostage negotiation gone wrong, she is asked to assist an elite government drug squad in finding the real person behind it. Partnered with the mysterious Alejandro and his shady handler Matt, she enters the dangerous world of the cartel. What she experiences will change how she views her job as well as how she views herself.

What I Liked:

This is a beautiful movie. From aerial tracking shots of Juarez to night vision shots of the Texas/Mexico border, every shot and frame shows a passion and attention to detail. Director Denis Villeneuve once again teams up with the legendary director of photography Roger Deakins, and the audience gets one of the most gorgeous films made in recent memory.

The pacing. Wow, this movie was intense in the best ways. What are usually flashy, crazy shootouts in other movies, whenever guns were drawn here the stakes were clear. There is one scene in particular where the gun battle lasted less than 10 minutes, but there is a long wonderful set up that makes the stakes and consequences clear. Even knowing what was coming, I was at the edge of my seat.

Acting. Again, this cast is phenomenal. Josh Brolin was perfect as the shady “advisor” who just screamed sleaze as soon as he’s on screen. I didn’t trust a word he said the whole movie, from the way he looked at people, how he sneered his words or even took glee at some of the movies more brutal moments. Brolin just embodied the character. Emily Blunt is impressing me more and more with every new film she’s in. She brings a nuance to Kate that made her more than your typical “fresh out of water” character. She’s a woman who’s life is her job and even though she’s in the dark most of the film she still tries to do the best she can. As a perfect catalyst for the audience, she knows as little as we do and reacts to the reveals the same way the audience does. Del Toro brings a quiet menace to his Alejandro, being mysterious while at the same time being very honest in what he says/does. He doesn’t say much, but there is a power behind his actions and words. All this is saying nothing about the great supporting cast with some guest stars that some may be familiar from their tv roles. All playing their roles flawlessly.

The story. With a movie with so much being hidden from the viewer, it’s important how the reveals are teased and executed. This isn’t a movie about twists or crazy reveals, but a movie about hidden agendas and the REAL reason these characters are doing what they do. As stated before, we are the same shows as Kate, down for a ride that we are not sure where it will end up. Slowly the rules are set and for every mistake and triumph of Kate we all get closer to the truth. In a lot of ways, this movie can be a companion piece to 2000s Traffic. That movie being the beginning of the war on drugs and this movie showing the consequences of said war.

What I Didn’t Like:

Not much to be honest. Some of the landscape shots, while beautiful, did start to become redundant. Also, some elements of the ending kinda fell flat, but overall I cannot find too much I didn’t like about this movie.

Summary

A master craft of cinema, Sicario shows what happens when people take pride in their crafts. Everyone involved was at the top of their game, providing a thrilling, violent ride that doesn’t let up. It’s tense, beautifully shot, well acted, and brutal. A spiritual successor to Traffic in more ways that one, Sicario is a gritty display of the kinda battle being fought in the war on drugs, it’s not pretty, but damn it is compelling.

Sending