Some great film making but plot is hazy

Rating: 8/10 (20 October 2015)

First, the good stuff. The cinematography is spectacular. Angles , color , longshots..brilliant. Casting: excellent. Emily Blunt cast against type and it works. A female in a man's work, she is very credible as the do right agent looking for justice. Del Toro is the best bad man in film. Think No Country for Old Men - part 2. Just great. Not a big fan of Brolin but he was good. Audio a little difficult to hear at timesespecially his. The story is current and eye opening. Nothing makes you sit up straight like headless bodies hanging from street lights. Its quite unbelievable. The two stars I didn't give the film were because the plot was hazy. It was unclear what the mission was and what the relationships were between some characters. It would have made the film more enjoyable if the viewer had a clearer understanding of the background of the Juarez situation in real life and the working relationship between some of the federal governments agencies. The director may have assumed the viewer had more knowledge of the Mexican -USA drug problem than he/she does. Much of this info did come together later in the movie but I think earlier would have been more helpful. A very good movie