Tightly made thriller that keeps the audience involved

Rating: 7/10 (16 January 2016)

In the lead up to the Oscar nominations being announced this year there was talk of 'Sicario' possibly sneaking in for a Best Picture nod. I held off seeing it until after the announcement for this reason. After seeing it I'm surprised it was really ever considered a contender. That's not to say it's a bad film, it's just not really the type of film that would often find itself nominated (even with the now extended field). For me it often came across as a film more intent on style over substance. Every character had to be ice-cool and every line had to be delivered so suavely that it took the air of realism out of a lot of scenes.
Oscar-worthiness aside though it's a very watchable and enjoyable film. Josh Brolin and Emily Blunt are terrific, but the real movie stealer is Benicio Del Toro (and I don't often like him in films). He doesn't have a lot of lines but when he does you listen, because whatever he said is either going to be very cool or very important - or both.
A film dealing with the Mexican Cartel is always going to have its share of violence, but I never thought 'Sicario' delved into gratuitous levels. Hats off to director Denis Villeneuve for his handling of what can be a tricky balance to find. The movie has an air of mystery around it that keeps the audience wondering and there's never a boring scene in between things. It's a beautifully shot and very well made movie that won't disappoint audiences anywhere.