Lightning Review: Sicario

Synopsis
FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) is recruited by Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) to assist in a task force trying to take down a drug lord who operates around the border of US and Mexico.

Review
Going into Sicario, I was expecting more of an action movie, not the crime drama that it was. I mention that because I think it skewed my expectations for the film. I thought it was going to be some action-filled, shoot-em-up fest. Instead, it is much more quiet and meticulous than that. There is action, and when the action happens, it really revs up and gets sensational. However, the film is composed mainly of the many quieter moments in between these high octane and intense scenes. A lot of time is spent with Kate Macer to get to know her and get inside her head. Emily Blunt does a great job. Although, as good as Blunt is here, Benicio Del Toro is the stand-out performance of the film. He is mysterious and you never know quite what is going through his head.

As I mentioned, the pace was slower than I was anticipating but Sicario still did a fantastic job of keeping the tension. The audience is just as in the dark as Macer is throughout the film about what her purpose on the task force is. I constantly found myself excited to see what was going to happen next, especially when it came to Alejandro, Del Toro’s character. Cinematography isn’t something I bring up very often in a review but I would remiss not to mention it. This film has some breathtaking shots.  Every shot makes sure you can see everything you need to see and you are focused on what you need to focus on, whether it’s a broad shot from above or a close up. In terms of action, it does well to keep the action visible and in frame, even during the hectic moments. Sometimes it can be fun when a movie ends up being not what you predicted and still manages to be a fun ride.

Rating
4/5

Trailer

Cast & Crew
Dennis Villeneuve – Director
Taylor Sheridan – Writer
Johann Johannsson – Composer

Emily Blunt – Kate Macer
Benicio Del Toro – Alejandro
Josh Brolin – Matt Graver
Victor Garber – Dave Jennings
Jon Bernthal – Ted
Daniel Kaluuya – Reggie Wayne
Jeffery Donovan – Steve Forsing
Raoul Trujillo – Rafael
Julio Cedillo – Fausto Alarcon
Hank Rogerson – Phil Coopers
Bernardo P. Saracino – Manuel Diaz
Maximiliano Hernandez – Silvio
Kevin Wiggins –Burnett
Edgar Arreola – Guillermo

---

I’ve started expanding Drew’s Reviews to social media (slowly but surely).  First up is Google+! It’s the least used, I know, but I gotta start somewhere.  So if you want to get my reviews and other posts on Google+, follow me here.  Right now it’s pretty bare but I will slowly expand on it soon.  I hope to see you there! 🙂

Cheers.