This film shoulda crossed the border - and stayed there.

Rating: 3/10 (29 February 2016)

Agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) becomes a member of an elite cartel assassination team who instead of taking out narco-thugs spends most of her time crying or spouting moralistic nonsense every time a bad guy gets roughed up or killed. Opposite this unbelievable heroine character are all of the white male characters who are portrayed as bloodthirsty, inept, government goons.
When I rented this on the night before the Oscars I noticed that it was nominated for 3 Academy awards. Was one of them "Consistent Stereotypes in a Motion Picture"?
Anyway, if you've watched the previews or read any reviews you already know the basic plot line so I'll spare that and just point out the most glaring "huh" moments for me...
1) Criminals aren't supposed to be smart but why pack 50 corpses into the walls of a suburban home when you are surrounded by miles of barren land where they could have easily been buried?
2) Why does the team make a perilous daytime prisoner extraction via convoy into Mexico, risking ambush at every turn when they could have easily flown in/out with one helicopter? I mean, the CIA can provide Gulf Stream jets and military transport aircraft for Brolins' character to luxuriate on but they can't get 1 helo for this mission?
3) Since Kate is clearly a badass who's been "kicking down doors since day 1" I guess it's necessary for her to instruct Iraq War vet and gal-pal Reggie on how to put on a body armor vest?
4) One of the back stories of the plot is provided by del Toro's stone-faced Alejandro Gillick (Columbian with an Irish last name?); a ruthless hit man who previously worked for the Medellin cartel. Apparently the before-mentioned CIA bufoons think it's a great idea to use this guy to take out all the Mexican drug lords so that their industry can be better controlled via proxy by more "reasonable" drug lords like him.
Truthfully, del Toro's character was the only one I really enjoyed. It's just too bad he didn't shoot Kate in the end. I guess she was spared because she reminded him of someone "very dear" to him? Whatever.