Sicario really packs a punch

Rating: 9/10 (13 March 2016)

This gritty, violent thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve, the mastermind behind 'Prisoners' and 'The Place Beyond The Pines' sets a grounded story during the U.S/Mexican drug wars heightened in the U.S border where crime against society runs dangerously rampant and drug cartels dominate the streets. The film places Emily Blunt in the role of Kate Mercer, an idealistic DEA agent who volunteers for an operation to infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel. Partnered up with veteran DEA agent Matt Graver (played by Josh Brolin) and Alejandro Wilson (played by Benicio Del Toro) who is seeking revenge for the murder of his wife and child, Kate travels through the brooding streets of El Paso in search of the cartel, only to witness harrowing events that while busting the suspects connected to the cartel. As Kate and her team dive deeper and deeper into the operation, she is faced with the grim reality of drug trafficking business and the complexities of capturing the cartel. As explained the title card during the opening credits, sicario is the Spanish word for hit-man.
This thought-provoking thriller could be just your average action popcorn flick taxed with tense action sequences and special effects. However, it has a lot more thoughtful elements to bring to the table than flashy action set pieces; and it certainly digs deep. The film presses the story in the violent underworld of drug trafficking and the apparent corruption lead in the law enforcement, including characters who have blurred lines between right and wrong. This all begins with the opening scene set in Chandler, Arizona where a team of DEA agents are making a drug bust that results in an operation gone terribly wrong with innocent lives lost. Then there's a shot showing Emily Blunt's character in the shower washing off the blood resulted in the incident. These first ten minutes really set the tone of the film, and it gives a clear picture what the story will be diving into. From that point, the story focuses on the characters and their experiences drawing into the drug busting operation, and the scenes to follow get pretty violent and grim without being overly excessive. The characters are crucially developed and stand powerful throughout the picture, particularly Benicio Del Toro's character who is significantly complex, serves as a turning point for the story during its climax.
Roger Deakins has been one of the most respected cinematographers in Hollywood, despite his lack of Oscar landings, and he delivers powerful cinematography this film. Each scene from start to finish to shot superbly and fits well with the atmosphere. The biggest gem comes with the characters driving through El Paso where we are treated sadistic views of the crime-ridden streets including four decapitated bodies hanging from an overpass and corpses mutilated and covered in blood. This scene is very difficult to look at, but makes crucial sense to the plot's dreary atmosphere. The performances are also quite the attention grabbers. Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro are both fantastic in their roles, and deserve immense amount of praise for their striving commitment they put in their characters.
Sicario stands high as one of the best films of 2015 and perhaps, one of the best films of this decade so far. This film is exuberantly shot, very well acted, and paints an authentic picture of the reality of drug wars that go on in the U.S/Mexican border. Yes, the film is violent and difficult to watch at times, but at the same time, one that deserves your attention. It also shows a strong signal that director Denis Villenueve has a bright filmography ahead of him.