So, I’m admittedly a huge sucker for movies that focus on the tactical, logistical elements of a story, particularly ones that throw in some cloak-and-dagger interpersonal drama and competing goals, but having recently rewatched the masterpiece that is Sicario, I wanted to write up my own review.
Denis Villeneuve weaves a wonderful tale as we follow Kate, an Arizona-based federal agent, as she enlists for a special “inter-departmental anti-drug task force”, the mandate and methods for which quickly spiral quickly out of her comfort zone. Josh Brolin provides small moments of levity to break up the pulse-pounding drama and moments of explosive action all throughout, but we are constantly feeling Kate’s emotions fraying as she finds herself firmly out of her own control.
The characters feel real, the story is tight, and everything is eminently believable. We see the cross-border drug trade from all sides, and while the focus is on the US agents trying to make waves against Mexican cartels, there’s plenty of emotional impact as we follow native Mexicans and their struggles being caught up in the mix.
Everyone gives a command performance, from the main characters to the supporting ensemble, and I think it’s a great study of trauma response, the limits of duty, and single-minded determination.
Though streaming services are free to disagree with me, I feel that this movie is a hard drama with moments of intense action, rather than an even split between genres.
Though you may have heard that this movie has a sequel (perhaps even subtitled Day of the Soldato), you can safely ignore those rumors. This movie has no (utterly terrible) sequel, and this movie needs no sequel. It wraps everything up in a way that feels complete, while simultaneously acknowledging that there is no end in sight when it comes to the chaos, the bloodshed, and the hurt inflicted.
Two thumbs way, way up from this armchair reviewer; it’s exactly the kind of movie I want to see more of.
