Unrelenting Suspense

Rating: 7/10 (21 December 2015)

This movie is certainly an interesting one, though it's not for everyone. On a technical level, the movie is very proficient, but the atmosphere it creates is both is biggest asset and weakness.
The actors all do a great job making their characters feel very dimensional; they feel like they have pasts and lives outside of the events of the movie. Benicio Del Toro does an extraordinary job portraying a steely, reserved hit-man, his precision over the course of the movie being very captivating. Emily Blunt is also a standout, having the arguably tougher role of portraying a by-the-book officer who refuses to compromise her morals. I've seen others deriding her performance because of their dislike for the character, but Blunt does a magnificent job and helps elevate the movie.
How much you will enjoy the movie is heavily based in how you interpret it's characters. If you believe that ends justify the means, then you will love Del Toro's character, and all he represents, while despising Blunt's. However if you believe that it's important to do things the correct, legal, and moral way, then you will appreciate what Blunt's character represents, and more likely get more out of the movie.
Another strong aspect of the movie is the music, which does a perfect job conveying a suspenseful mood. Whether it's a subtle humming or ambient thumping that builds over time, it makes you feel the tenseness that the characters do. Similarly the cinematography is breathtaking. It's wonderfully varied, makes great use of darkness and color, and is easy to follow along with. The shots match what the character's feel, whether it makes you feel on edge or on like a calm to a cold degree.
However how much you appreciate all these aspects is heavily dependent on if you enjoy the atmosphere of the film, which is a cold/distanced one. All of our characters are basically closed off people, which can make it difficult to connect or empathize with them. The plot isn't anything unique or especially captivating, so if you don't find the characters interesting and appreciate the movie's callous, unrelenting demeanor, it won't be enjoyable. The movie doesn't shy away from how it presents its subject matter, which makes it more difficult to get into, but all the more enjoyable if you do.
Overall I enjoyed the movie, though I don't think I'll ever watch it again. However, I am glad to have experienced, and would recommend it to others.