Item: Sicario
Rating: 7.9
Author: NextFlicks

Sicario follows an idealistic FBI agent who is enlisted by a government task force for a covert mission at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico. Excellent thriller.

In a world where chaos often reigns just across the peaceful line of a border, Sicario takes us on a journey into the lawless frontier between the U.S. and Mexico.

With Benicio Del Toro in a leading role, the film doesn't shy away from the dark truths that lie in the heart of the drug war.

Through Taylor Sheridan's gritty narrative and unapologetic storytelling, Sicario takes a peek at the underbelly of a conflict where the line between right and wrong gets blurry.

What Is Sicario About?

Sicario delves into the grim reality of the drug wars ravaging the U.S.-Mexico border. Idealistic FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) is part of a government task force aimed at bringing down a notorious drug lord.

Along with Agent Reggie Wayne (Daniel Kaluuya), they discover a horrifying scene of dead bodies in a Sonora Cartel safe house, which, after an explosion, claims the lives of two more officers.

Kate is then enlisted into a special Joint Task Force led by CIA Officer Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and Alejandro Gillick (Benicio Del Toro), a former Mexican prosecutor now operating as a CIA hitman. The goal is to apprehend Manuel Díaz (Bernardo Saracino), a lieutenant of the Sonora Cartel, hiding within the US borders.

The task force heads to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico to extradite Díaz's brother, Guillermo, but unwittingly walks into an ambush leaving the operation on shaky ground.

It's only then that Kate understands the real mission which is to get to the cartel boss of the operations, the drug lord Fausto Alarcón. With each revelation, Kate's resolve is tested as the line between legal justice and dark retribution blurs in the harsh reality of the drug war.

At its core, Sicario is a film about control and revenge. Nothing is as it seems and the world Kate Macer inhabits is more grey than black & white. This allows the tension to build as she finds herself facing more and more moral dilemmas without really knowing how to deal with them.

Sicario Official Trailer

Is Sicario Worth Watching?

With plenty of political undertones, Sicario holds a mirror to the brutal and often overlooked realities of the drug trade. It doesn’t glamorise the violence or offer easy solutions, making it a gritty reflection of a very complex issue faced by both nations.

That said, Sicario is not for the faint of heart. It is violent and bloody and doesn't sugar-coat the harsh realities of a war where there are no winners.

Benicio Del Toro delivers a captivating performance as the intense and shadowy Alejandro, a man driven by a personal vendetta. As always, he is as solid as a rock in this movie and adds a layer of depth that really does make it a compelling watch.

Emily Blunt as Kate Macer provides a stark contrast to Del Toro’s Alejandro. Her struggle with the dark realities she's plunged into highlights the cost of the escalating war against drugs.

The meticulous attention to detail in every shot, the eerie silence punctuated by a haunting score, and the palpable tension in every scene is a testament to director Denis Villeneuve’s mastery.

His ability to build a suffocating atmosphere of dread, while keeping the audience engaged, is what sets Sicario apart from other films in the genre.

All that said, this film is still a grim watch. And while the story is told through Emily Blunt's eyes, particularly given that it is a male-dominated profession, her character feels a bit flat compared to Del Toro's.

Plus, you have to really follow the story carefully because at times it's a little convoluted and tricky to follow. Otherwise, it's another stellar crime thriller that fills the time nicely.

How Many Sicario Movies Are There?

In total, there are two films in the series but a third is possibly in development.

The second film, Sicario: Day of the Soldado was released in 2018 with Brolin and del Toro reprising their roles.

However, when it comes to the third film, it looks like we may have to wait quite a long time to get it and that's if it even gets made.

Tentatively called Sicario: Capos, it is rumoured to be a the script stage but has definitely not gone into production yet.

Taylor Sheridan wrote the scripts for the first film and the second with Black Label Media financing and co-producing the movies. Whether they will all team up again for Sicario 3 remains to be seen.