Sicario- Review

I'm an avid lover of action and war films, I love the adrenaline and I love feeling as though I've been peeled off my couch and placed straight into the conflict. I've noticed that there are a lot of films out there that do fall short of expectations, falter with a quivering plot that is only 100% action and not enough plot line. But for me, Sicario went above and beyond. There's emotion, suspense, action and some amazing cinematography. Considering that it's also another film by Dennis Villeneuve, there's a nice colour palette to accompany it too.

Throughout the entire two hours, I was on the edge of my seat and in short, it explores the seemingly never-ending cartel war and the bloody deterioration of Mexico. It also references the highly feared Medellín and Juárez Cartel.

This film also showcases some of the biggest personalities. It would be incredibly hard to single out just one character who stole the show. Let's talk about Emily Blunt first. For someone who has seen some incredibly violent deaths and hasn't changed her shirt in awhile, she looks stunning. She's an FBI-agent gone black op and from analysis, plays by the book; meaning that she holds herself and others accountable for anything that takes place. While incredibly strong-willed and after having her morals put to the test, she provides some naivety and humanistic responses to the callousness of Mexico's underworld. A very intelligent move as it helps build that empathy an audience feels and brings out the vulnerable side that stony-faced operatives commonly hide.

Benecio del Toro plays the role of Alejandro Gillik, a mysterious dark horse with a quiet yet deadly demeanour. His tightly-wound persona continues to unravel as the film continues on and further builds that high suspense that we started with.

Josh Brolin's character Matt Graver, a CIA agent is more so unknown. There isn't much to his backstory nor is anything evidently revealed, however his role is very solid and relies heavily on carrying the dialogue throughout.

From the first few seconds in, this film is strong. The tension is already inches thick and the suspense begins with a build up of a powerful and heavy score. I like films that start up strong and stay consistent. It's the kind of film that has your jaw permanently clenched for the duration and even after, becomes difficult to let go of. There are scenes of such high intensity, aided by the score that you know are going to be followed by silence and then a loud sound out of nowhere. It can come across as quite frightening but it's so enjoyable and really captivates that 'calm before the storm' ideal.

To make a special mention of the cinematography, there's one scene that I loved and is embedded in mind. There's a beautiful dusk with the last pieces of orange fading away into the darkness as the agents walk across the screen. A really beautiful attribute given by Roger Deakins.

This film has everything. Shock value, violence, intensity, suspense and is really such a powerful audio-visual experience. The drug war isn't anything new, but the way in which this film explores it and invests so much detail into it makes it appear like never before.

Score: 9.5/10.