Sicario (15)

Directed by Dennis Villneuve
Starring Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin

On the trail of Mexican drug cartels, FBI agent Emily Blunt is drawn into a dangerous world by mysteriously enigmatic Josh Brolin and even more strange Benicio Del Torro. The world is murky and violent, you are never quite sure who to trust and there are twists and turns aplenty!
This film has some staggeringly great set pieces and memorable gruesome moments. Genuinely surprising and beautifully shot by legendary DP Roger Deakins, however for me the narrative was very muddled. Yes, that great shoot out in a traffic queue was original, the opening raid extremely surprising and the plot is never predictable. Blunt is good, as always, but brings none of her usual vivacity to the stoic character of Agent Kate Macer and is the ONLY named female. Big fail on the Bechdal test! Apparently her character was originally written as a male and it appears they did little to alter the script. Her gender is irrelevant to the plot. Is that progress? Or is it just an indicator of a film that isn't really interested in characters, more in actions and consequences of getting involved in the drugs trade.

A good film but over praised by critics in my opinion.

7/10

October 2015


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