Review of Sicario (2015) by Doctor S — 05 Aug 2017

Young idealistic swat team door kicker gets more - and less - then she bargains for after she volunteers to join a DoD drug war task force led by a maverick smartass with a murky agenda. Even more mysterious is the presence of a steely-eyed South American who seems to wield almost as much authority over the team.

Sicario delivers a potent sobering message about the modern war on drugs, while also serving as they 'Don't Go To Mexico' PSA. Soundtrack contributes a palpable sense of foreboding with it's repetitive low tones more The music score contributes a palpable sense of foreboding with its repetitive low tones more befitting to a science fiction horror movie.

Richard Deakins' camerawork captures the deep southwestern landscape in eye-widening fashion. Many tension laden sequences, the best of which may be a prisoner transport from Nogal u many tension laden sequences, the best of which may be a prisoner transport from Nogales back to the USA which has the audience scanning every pedestrian and car seat for trouble through each city block.

The cast is solid led by Benicio del Toro who looms largest with danger reflectted in his cagey demeanor. My lone gripe is with Emily Blunt's naïveté, and especially how dumb her reactions are to learning some unsavory truths.

What did she possibly think would happen following her threats of exposure? Clearly the smart move would be to play along with your mouth shut, then srab your superiors in the back in your report later, just as they had done to her in the field.