Sicario

After the horrific discovery of multiple homicides performed by a Mexican drug cartel, FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) is pulled into a world of shadowy alliances and clandestine paramilitary operations that she doesn’t understand.

Becoming part of a government task force, she witnesses firsthand the violence of the cartels as well as the depth of their influence. As her involvement grows in this war against drugs, so too do her suspicions about her fellow agents (Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro) and the legality of what they are actually trying to achieve.

There is an overwhelming sense of oppression about Sicario, be that the daunting hellish landscape, grim subject matter, a soundtrack filled with constant sub-harmonic rumbles, gruesome murders, a carefully drip-fed plot, or callous antiheroes -everything conspires to keep the audience experiencing a heightened sense of tension throughout the run time. Only after the final credits do you begin to experience any sense of relief, which is exactly as it should be. This is riveting cinema that uses every trick at its disposal to keep the audience poised in suspense, and it is an oddly rewarding experience because of that.

Sicario delights in foiling expectations, keeping every card close to the chest, playing them at the appropriate time. The result is that our information is limited. Like Macer, we are plunged into a world we do not understand, operating on different rules than we are used to, but we are aware of the violence that could erupt at any moment. There are not the expected heroes, or even romantic antiheroes here; instead we delve into a clandestine world of blurred political lines and grey morality, all with a war of shadows, threatening to go hot at any minute.

Emily Blunt brings a lot of depth to a character who is just a shade or two off a cipher. Although there is not much stated about Macer, other than her job, and lack of her personal life, Blunt imbues the character with a sense of just righteousness and moral strength while still maintaining her humanity.

Macer’s growing trepidation as she works out the stakes at play during the operation mirrors the audiences own, but it’s Benicio Del Toro that ultimately steals the show. His broken and damaged Alejandro is an arrow loosed at the target. His quiet caring demeanour is quickly shed for something more calculating and dangerous when appropriate. Del Toro’s performance is riveting, and carries much of the final act.

This is a rich and complex film that will likely benefit from multiple viewings, with each time revealing an element in its meticulous construction. The first time, however, is a tense and almost overpowering experience, and one that is well worth savouring.

Originally published in X-Press Magazine