Dir. Denis Villeneuve
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)
“You will not survive here. You are not a wolf… and this is a land of wolves now.”
Step this way brave soul, Sicario will assault your senses with a terrifying, heavy-duty insight into the human cost of America’s war on drugs. Sicario is a kinetic overload of horrific situations and palpably dangerous action scenes which blow the doors off the dark operations being carried out – beyond the view of the regular news channels.
"everyone turned up in the same fancy dress!"
From the second FBI agent Kate Macer's (Emily 'Edge of Tomorrow’ Blunt) team uncover a sickening discovery whilst on an anti-kidnapping raid in Arizona, all bets are off as to just how deep the rabbit hole goes in terms of where the investigation will lead.
Director Denis ‘Prisoners’ Villeneuve introduces an effective and constant feeling of threat that hangs heavy over every scene. It makes watching Sicario an emotionally draining experience as you get to witness the actions of shadowy players - on both sides the fight.
This is a front-and-centre seat alongside Macer as she joins a group of elite agents headed up by Matt Graver (Josh ‘Inherent Vice’ Brolin) on the trail of a notorious cartel boss Manuel Diaz (Bernardo P. Saracino).
"say goodbye"
It’s a truly nail-biting ride as the carnage escalates and the lines of right and wrong begin to get very blurred as the team that includes the brutally unorthodox Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro), cross many moral boundaries in order to finally make a difference.
If Sicario tells viewers anything – it’s that no-one can be truly clean in a war where loyalty can be bought and bloody revenge is a part of the day-to-day dealings. There are disturbing images here that will stay with you long after the credits roll but the material will also challenge your inner sense of ‘justice – at what cost?’.
"boom"
When the world becomes lawless – such as it is depicted in the border area stretching between the U.S. and Mexico – who can we turn to? Indeed, we might feel angry and ashamed that there seems to be a need for clandestine forces fighting for the ‘good’ of law abiding citizens but Sicario will leave you questioning everything as those on the front lines are faced with no option but finding a way to survive…
"just your average trip into town..."
Blunt is superb in the lead - a female dropped into a high end macho shadowy world who holds her own in the face of terrifying odds... Sicario is a fine companion piece to The Hurt Locker or Homeland in the cannon of female fronted conflict espionage thrillers.
Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:
öööö
(4 - Shock and awe film making of the highest caliber! )
Awesomeness öööö – strong action and searingly brutal scenes
Laughs ö – very limited mirth
Horror öööö – nasty and grim in places
Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - are we lost if fighting fire with fire is only option?
"it means 'hit man'"
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