Enforcing the Law While Being Kept in the Dark

From left: Daniel Kaluuya, Hank Rogerson,
Victor Garber, and Emily Blunt in "Sicario"

Recently, director Denis Villeneuve has brought moviegoers highly effective and thought-provoking thrillers: “Prisoners” and “Enemy.”  With these films, he has shown his wonderful ability to instantly draw us in with the deep sense of mystery he presents.  

He does this once again with his crime thriller, “Sicario.”  Equipped with an impressive cast, intriguing story, and tense direction, Villeneuve uses his latest film to bring the audience into a murky world of drug cartels and the law enforcement officials trying to stop them.

While raiding a home suspected of involvement in drug-cartel activity, Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) and her FBI Special Weapons and Tactics team lose two officers.  Soon after, she is recruited by CIA Special Activities Division officer Matt Graver (Josh Brolin), who tells Kate that they intend to go after the cartel that is responsible for the deaths, including finding the boss of the cartel.  They are joined by Matt’s mysterious partner, Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro), and although Kate agrees to join, Matt refuses to disclose too many details about their mission.  Not too long into the job, Kate begins to question the nature of what she has signed up for.

Similar to her work in 2014’s sci-fi thriller “Edge of Tomorrow,” Emily Blunt brings a fighter sensibility to her performance.  Although you might not learn much about her character’s background, there’s an effectiveness to that mystery because we eventually get to know who Katie is as a person by how she responds to being part of a job that’s shrouded in secrecy.

Benicio del Toro’s character seems to be a man of a few words, but his performance still holds terrific power.  We’re not entirely sure what his character’s deal is, but his enigmatic demeanor constantly has us guessing what role he plays in the mission of bringing down the cartel.  With his stern face and soft, yet commanding voice, del Toro achieves in making sure audiences keep a sharp eye on him.

As with many movies he works on, the cinematography by Roger Deakins (who worked with Villeneuve on “Prisoners”) is a highlight.  The best of the film’s photography includes the smooth camera movements as we follow Matt’s team when they drive through Juárez, Mexico on one of their missions, as well as the night-vision cinematography during the climactic drug-tunnel scene.  With these shots, we’re absorbed into the film and its pulse-quickening scenarios.

The screenplay by Taylor Sheridan makes this Kate’s story every bit as much as Alejandro’s, but withdraws the details concerning him until the final half hour where we learn the truth about his work.  Keeping these secrets places us in the same position as Kate as we constantly attempt to figure out what exactly Matt and Alejandro’s intentions are for bringing down the cartel.  Although the story may seem like a typical drug-cartel movie, there is more to it lurking beneath the surface, particularly in what we see during the final half hour, which is what really makes you think as soon as the credits roll.

Denis Villeneuve has quickly become a top director of modern thrillers, with “Prisoners,” “Enemy,” and now “Sicario,” all because of his ability to create a tense atmosphere throughout each of his movies.  He has a tremendous talent in keeping the viewer hooked while watching his films, always having us asking ourselves where exactly we will end up.  For these three films, you feel like sitting in your seat for a few minutes after the end so you can begin to think about what you just saw.  For any filmmaker, that’s a true gift.

Final grade: A