DIRECTOR: Denis
Villeneuve LEAD CAST: Emily Blunt,
Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber SCREENWRITER: Taylor Sheridan
PRODUCER: Basil Iwanyk, Thad
Luckinbill, Trent Luckinbill, Edward McDonnel, Molly Smith EDITOR: Joe Walker MUSICAL
DIRECTOR: Jóhann Jóhannsson GENRE: Drama, Crime Thriller
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Roger Deakins
DISTRIBUTOR: Lionsgate LOCATION: United States RUNNING TIME: 121 minutes
Technical assessment:
4
Moral assessment: 2
CINEMA rating: V18
MTRCB rating: R16
After an
operation in Arizona that led to the discovery of hidden corpses who
are apparently victims of cartel violence, FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt),
a specialist in hostage recovery/kidnapping cases, is recommended by her boss,
Dave Jennings (Victor Garber) to CIA Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) to aid in the
escalating war against drugs. Led by consultant Alejandro “Medellín” Gillick (Benicio Del Toro),
the team sets out on a dangerous and heavily militarized operation back and
forth across the US–Mexican border. The team uses one of cartel leaders, Manuel
Díaz (Bernardo Saracino) in tracking the Mexican drug cartel kingpin Fausto
Alarcón (Julio Cesar Cedillo). Kate discovers that Alejandro is a lawyer whose
family was murdered by the cartels. Fired by his own mission of revenge, they
are out to destroy the very head of the cartel at all cost, even if it meant
going against the books of legal operations. Kate is bothered as this is not the kind of operation she
expects; she suspects that she is being used to cover-up for something illegal.
Sicario is a riveting and gripping film on the
violence in the border. Emily Blunt delivers a solid performance as the
conscientious and idealistic FBI agent whose principles are challenged as she
goes through the muddy waters of morality in the border. Benicio del Toro’s
strong screen presence is as haunting as his character that denotes deep
sadness and dangerous revenge. The director, Denis Villeneuve, is able to blend
all the elements of an art film to come up with a depiction of a dark world
where violence prevails and all systems, legalities, moral principles are
tested and questioned. The cinematography, production design, sound and music
are all well-orchestrated to create that eerie feeling as audiences are invited
to be part of a dangerous and dark world that no one would want to visit even
in their nightmares.
The
border is a place no one would want to go but everyone would want to pass as it
promises paradise on the other side. But for Sicario, a word that means “hitman” in Mexico, the border is just a
place where violence is both the rule and the law. In its totality Sicario
says there is no real hero in this situation—not Kate who is a mere observer
and a conscience shaken FBI agent amidst the havoc and violence happening
around her; not Alejandro, a callous character who against his better judgment
is driven by anger to cling to his dubious, illegal, unethical, and evil ways—all
in the name of revenge first, and for the greater good, second. Can evil stop evil? That is a gray area for Sicario, a film that screams out loud
that evil exists and something must be done, and yet snorts that “there is
nothing we can do”. A character
holds on to what is right in spite of the overpowering violence and moral
turpitude in society, implying that there is always hope for change. The dark theme and graphic violence in
the film are suitable only for mature audiences aged 18 and above.
