And the Oscar goes to ...

Rating: 8/10 (7 October 2015)

,,, Benicio Del Toro.
This reviewer usually spends very little time in his reviews making Oscar predictions because usually the power and impact of a film is independent of any subsequent awards, so why bother...? Making an exception here. Leaving aside the compelling semi-documentary direction from Villeneuve (PRISONERS) and the other excellent performances, Del Toro doesn't merely "star" in this picture, he HAUNTS it. It is not until you leave the theatre that you realize he is often in the shadows, or often not in the scene at all, yet for the entire film you have been subconsciously keeping track of when and where his character appears. That, my friend, is star power.
Also, if they gave an award for films that deal in Moral Ambiguity, this film would get that too. This is perhaps not the forum for such a discussion but the point is aptly made that there is as much moral ambiguity (and sub rosa activities) in the so-called War on Drugs as there was in Nazi Germany. One wonders if we will have to wait another half-century for the truth to come out...?