Takes some patience but it's worth it.

Rating: 8/10 (25 October 2015)

If you want to see a Hollywood film that includes explosions, cheesy dialogue and cgi galore. Go see a different movie. If you want a well written, deep characterised and excellently shot film that fulfils it's directors purpose, see Sicario.
I didn't know much about the film when I saw it, other than the fact it was directed by the ever brilliant Denis Villeneuve. A man who has yet to disappoint me. So I had no predisposed reviews or feelings as was able to go into the screening unbiased.
The first few minutes grabbed me. It throws you directly into the plot of film, establishing some characters and relationships so you know the type of thing you're getting into. A good few minutes that leads up to where it gets interesting.
The following half an hour (to the average movie goer) seems like a pointless collection of dialogue, establishing shots and facial expressions of confusion, and admittedly it does drag on for about 5-10 minutes more than it should. This is why it takes some patience and some intelligence. Once you realise the intention of Villeneuve within this segment, you start to understand and appreciate what he's trying to achieve. As an audience, to be put in a position where we are just as confused as the main character, it is generally quite hard to follow and enjoy a movie. Sicario achieves this level of confusion but also allows the audience to continue being entertained.
From then on you're taking a roller-coaster ride of suspense and character interaction, during which it is never clear who the real good guys and bad guys are. The fact that this is kept in the dark throughout the film is something that movies tend to get wrong (apart from the few exceptions) and end up just leaving the audience with no one to relate to. Sicario isn't one of these films, it excels on all levels it hopes to achieve.