Intense, thoughtful, elegant, yet runs dry...

Rating: 7/10 (19 June 2018)

Do not be misguided by my headline, I loved this movie and Villeneuve's ability to give it such a gritty, realistic feel. It truly inspired me to think about my own moral values and what I would do under the circumstances of the characters portrayed. But it did not make me want a sequel.
This is not an angry review about Hollywood's inability to leave a good movie alone, it is simply about how this movie ended without the viewer wanting more. The ending was solid, but not enticing enough for me to truly believe Kate would do something about the corrupt government, and especially didn't beg me to wonder what Alejandro was up to next. This isn't a flaw, this was done on purpose. After all of the twists and turns, Sicario gives us an ending that leaves us comfortable with its resolution.
The acting was perfect, the writing behind it all was ingenious, and the directing was sufficient enough to pull out a film that makes people think about the story as much as the action.
My only complaint is the editing. Cut down that freaking night scene where they enter the tunnel a couple minutes so that I don't fall asleep watching glowing figures point guns at nothing. It didn't add to the suspense, the suspense was meant to be in the tunnel itself, where I ended up seeing only one cartel member already knifed to death on the ground. Then what the heck is Blunt's character doing after Del Toro's is already in Mexico? No idea, they chose not to bring her back until he's back in the US threatening to kill her.
7/10 for me simply because it was really great, with an ending of relief not having to go through more poorly edited action scenes. Villeneuve, stick to dramas, they are your cup of tea.