Review of Sicario (2015) by Googolendtimes — 10 Oct 2015

Few issues are as timely as the War on Drugs and "Sicario" - a mesmerisingly crafted and intelligently written thriller - impressed me with the courage of its bipartisanship. It is unflinching in its depiction of the violence and brutality of the cartels. At the same time, it readily admits that the War on Drugs has been, for all intents and purposes, a chaotic failure of its own ambitions. It is left to the audience to decide which of these two realities is more shocking.

This is a film with a solid narrative made spellbinding by its performances and direction. Kinetic, suspenseful and beautifully shot, the film is able to run deeper thanks to its actors. Emily Blunt is a capable and engaging lead. The drug war threatens to consume her innocence and the desperation of her resistance is heartbreaking to watch. Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro, meanwhile, both turn in career-best performances that ought to have it out for the Supporting Actor Oscar. Of the two, del Toro has the edge. Brolin is faultless, lending Matt's bravado and guile a sinister quality, but del Toro is imposingly hypnotic as the enigmatic Alejandro. He drifts around the action like a phantom until he springs into action with electrified intensity and the presence of a whirlwind. The final act belongs to him.