Moral dilemmas abound in 'Sicario'

Rating: 7/10 (4 July 2017)

The Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for a large part of drug trafficking across the United States' southern border and the FBI that is responsible for pursuing them are front and center in Denis Villeneuve's thriller 'Sicario.' The cat-and-mouse chase that is widely known by many but understood by few makes for an interesting plot, but it's really the politics, red tape and difficult decisions that need to be made that are explored in the film.
In 'Sicario,' an up-and-coming FBI agent named Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) is summoned to support a multi-agency effort to weed out a kingpin drug lord on the El Jason border - an effort led by Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and a chameleonesque Mexican agent played by Benicio Del Toro. As the sting gets underway, Macer quickly learns things are not quite how they appear on the surface, and through the process she is tasked with acting on her principles or what others believe is the appropriate thing to do. This set of moral dilemmas is what increases the interest level in 'Sicario,' rather than the action sequences that dominate the screen time.
The film's strengths are namely the screenplay, cinematography (including earning an Academy Award nomination) and acting performances, particularly when it comes to Blunt, Brolin and Del Toro. The tug-of-war between the dueling priorities among the U.S. team's side makes for an exciting premise from an acting standpoint, as there is a lot of tough talk and tense situations that must be navigated. There are plenty of twists and turns before we get to the climax, and it's fair to say the resolution will leave many questions among audiences.
'Sicario' is the kind of thriller that will fly under the radar but still be held in high regard among fans of the genre.