French-Canadian director, Denis Villeneuve proved himself
with 2013’s thrilling Prisoners, as well as the underrated, and polarizing,
Enemy to be one of the most promising directors on the rise in Hollywood. His
new film, “Sicario” seemed to be right up in his alley a crime thriller
involving an investigation, and war of the Mexican drug trade. It’s had my
attention and excitement ever since it first premiered to rave reviews over at
Cannes Film Festievial, all the way back in May of this year, and the rave
reviews only expanded when it also premiered at TIFF a few weeks back.
Sicario stars an impressive ensemble cast with, Emily Blunt
(Edge of Tomorrow, The Devil Wears Prada), Benicio Del Toro (Traffic, Savages),
Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men, Milk), Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The
Wolf of Wall Street), Victor Gruber (Titanic, Argo), and Daniel Kaluuya
(Kick-Ass 2).
The plot centers around dedicated, idealistic FBI agent,
Kate Macer (Emily Blunt), who after one of her assignments goes terribly wrong,
is quickly tasked by a government official, Matt Garver (Josh Brolin), along
with the mysterious Aljeandro (Benicio Del Toro) to investigate the borders of
the Mexician drug trade, and ultimately lead them to finding an unknown Drug
Lord. Through series of events, Kate finds herself in way over her head,
beginning to question what side of the law is she really fighting for. Who can
she really trust?
With his previous films (Prisoners especially), Villeneuve
has shown a special talent when it comes to slowly building gripping suspense,
and after experiencing “Sicario”, I can’t think of too many directors working
today that can craft this kind of relentless suspense any better. A mesmerizing,
intense opening sequence really does a impeccable job in setting up a bleak,
somber tone, and had me already completely wrapped up in this film, on the edge
of my seat from the moment it gets going. A lot of people will be comparing
this movie to Steven Soderbergh’s “Traffic”, but for me it actually reminded me
a lot more of “No Country for Old Men”, and “Zero Dark Thirty”, in regards to
tone, and direction. It is a slow burn that takes its time, but it is one that
will get under your skin, whether it’s the brutality of the violence it
displays, or the ugly realistic journey into the world of the war on drugs it
explores , and demands your attention with one expertly well crafted set-piece
after another. Even in small portions where the film would begin to slow down a
bit in a more subtle scene, Villeneuve would quickly make sure you’re not
feeling too relaxed for very long, with yet another pulse pounding, incredibly
tense scene with hyper realistic violence. It says a lot when a movie can have
me feeling so unsettled, nearly sweating a few times from pure intensity, and
Villeneuve does that so well here like an experienced pro, with a plot that
takes numerous of unexpected turns, particularly in maybe the most riveting
climax of any movie this year. This isn’t a movie that is exactly meant for the
faint of heart, it’s brutal, dark, gritty stuff with always a feeling of such
dread, and it works for all the more effective.
The remarkable, Emily Blunt, has been on a pretty remarkable
career roll as of late, with her wonderful turn in last year’s sc-fi flick
“Edge of Tomorrow”, and with yet another great great performance here, she
continues to prove herself to be one of Hollywood’s most versatile actresses.
Kate Macer as a character is seemingly a bit of a walking cliché, we’ve seen
the tough, idealistic by the books agent who’s in way over their head many
times before, but Blunt brings that understated humanity, and vulnerability in
her performance needed for the audience to sympathize, and get engrossed in
Kate’s story, in what might be the finest performance of her career yet. The
script, written by Taylor Sheridan does a smart job in making the audience feel
as clueless, and in the dark to just what exactly Kate has gotten herself into
as Kate is herself, rather than spoon feeding everything to us. Kate goes
through a fairly complex arc, and questions what side is she really fighting
for, something Blunt emotionally displays beautifully. It’s an incredibly early
race, but Blunt deserves to be a candidate for a Best Actress nod this year.
Josh Brolin, is also terrific in one of his best performances in a while,
bringing the gravitas and occasionally even comedic relief to hot headed, Matt
Garver. Strong work also from Daniel Kaluuya, Victor Gruber, and Jon Bernthal
in a extended cameo all round up a great supporting cast. But, as truly
outstanding as Blunt is, as well as everyone else, it is Benicio Del Toro who
walks away stealing “Sicario”. Del Toro won an Academy Award back in 2001 for
his amazing work in “Traffic”, and I’m tempted to say, his work as the
mysterious Alejandro is perhaps even better. Del Toro already has the physical
presence to be utterly menacing, but he also just brings layers of nuances to
his role. You can sympathize with Alejandro as you sense there’s a tragic from
his past, but you also get the feeling the guy can totally turn the tables
within a split second, and it’s simply impossible to not focus on Del Toro as
he just owns the screen, with his character having the most engrossing arc, and
most fascinating to watch unfold. As of now in my own eyes, in a early race,
Del Toro should be a locked candidate in this year’s Supporting Actor race.
After their collaboration worked to great results with
“Prisoners”, Denis Villeneuve teams up again with cinematographer, Roger
Deakins, and it is a remarkable combo. This is a stunningly beautiful picture to
feast your eyes on, as expected always from Deakins, with some actually very
impressive imagery, and the detail provided to set locations is some masterful
accomplished work, to the point where the actual scenery starts to feel like
it’s almost becoming its own character in the movie itself, a nearly impossible
feat for most movies to pull off. Composer, Johann Johannsson provides a bleak,
riveting score, providing a beautiful fit to the film’s overall bleak tone, and
some dark themes. The screenplay, written by first time screenwriter, Taylor
Sheridan, is nothing short of sharpness with, well executed, twist and turns
throughout. It’s a rare success, when a movie can basically take a shift in
tone in its final act, and do it effectively, not causing the audience to feel
like they’re watching two different movies disguised as one.
Undoubtedly one of the most intense films you’ll experience
this year, “Sicario” isn’t maybe one I’d exactly recommended to the faint of
heart, or those who want to see a movie with at least a shred of “hope”, and a
clear definitive line of what is “good” or “evil”. That’s not to be found here
(as it really isn’t with any of Villeneuve’s previous films), which only ends
up adding to the realism, and the moral conflict these characters are put
through. But, it is a must recommendation for anyone looking for a riveting
crime thriller with wonderful craftsmanship, superb performances, engrossing
story, complex characters, and some of the most exhilarating set-pieces, I can
ensure that you’ll see from any movie this year. By the end of it, once it concludes
with a unforgettable final scene, I felt like I needed to take a really deep
gigantic breath, something probably only five other movies have ever done to me
in the past. That’s a testament to Denis Villeneuve as a filmmaker, who’s
quickly become for me one of the most exciting directors working today, and I
will sure be first in line for whatever he has next.
Final Rating: A
