Deep, Dark and Tense

Rating: 9/10 (2 October 2015)

Sicario is gritty, dark and brutal. It is as intense as action-thrillers get. Like Emily Blunt's character, you just go along for this ride not knowing exactly what is going on or who to trust. All lines between right and wrong are blurred. The more that is revealed, the further we descend into this horrific world and the greater the tension grows. This is one of those rare films where you'll find yourself forgetting to breathe and blink.
Denis Villeneuve has just proved to be the most powerful director working in thrillers today. Incendies, Prisoners, Enemy and now Sicario. There is magic between Villeneuve, cinematographer Roger Deakins and composer Jóhann Jóhannsson.
Sicario grabs you from the opening scene, like an invisible hand that reaches inside your rib cage and squeezes. Just when you think it has let go to give you a little break, it suddenly squeezes harder than ever, forcing all the oxygen out of your lungs. It's not exactly a fun experience, it's a shockingly real thrill ride that takes you further than you expect these kinds of films to take you. The original tagline said it best, "The deeper you go, the darker it gets."