Knife Cuts Both Ways

Rating: 10/10 (8 November 2015)

"Nothing will make sense to your American eyes," Kate Macer is told as she prepares to cross into Mexico with intelligence agency co- workers as well as mercenaries. Despite her ample intellect, fitness, good heart and sufficient experience, she begins to think this statement may be true. Explosions become implosions. Inflicted wounds cut just as deeply inside. On her "team", the mercenaries may be more trustworthy. The people who sent Kate in harm's way, for reasons known only to themselves, may be no different from those who kill at will, and with impunity. In fact they may be worse.
The film, nearly as good as its brilliant and brutal sister - Incendies, reveals the dark underworld and raw truths of the cross- border drug trade. There is profound depth here. Explosions are not merely physically happening on screen, they occur in the characters, in the twists and turns of the story and in shattering the preconceptions of viewers. It is a world where violence knows no distinction between the guilty and the innocent. It is one that will never be stopped by force. It is remarkable that any nation even tries. Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin enhance the story with wonderful performances. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival 2015.