Sicario

“You are not a wolf, and this is the land of wolves now” Probably the defining thriller of the last 15 years for me. The subject matter just lends itself through Villeneuve’s execution to a complete masterclass of scintillating tension, geopolitical intrigue and character. Ambiguous high stakes missions within operational grey zones. It’s like peering behind the curtain of a reality we desperately tell ourselves doesn’t exist, with the key to its brilliance being told through the eyes of a disillusioned Kate. A scathing battle with morality, where the lines between good and evil become increasingly blurred for her and the viewer, the deeper we are pulled into the rabbit hole. Every frame propelling the picture forward through covert actions shrouded in darkness. Deakins operating at the highest level of cinematic photography, purposeful, enthralling image capture that feels fluidly in sync with Denis’ vision and intended viewer experience. Josh Brolin knocks it out of the fucking park here. A deceptively charismatic architect of chaos. Detached from ethical emotionality, manipulating Kate’s idealism. Projects authority but is just another cog of institutional amorality. The real needle mover though is Benicio Del Toro. His character of Alejandro is one of my favourite anti-hero’s ever put to screen. Steals every scene. Each line of dialogue is felt. A presence that radiates immeasurable unpredictability from the darkest voids, yet moves with a calculated purpose. Calm and assured. That restraint almost makes his eventual path feel inevitable. Like fate rather than choice. Goosebumps inducing performance. Not many films I would consider PERFECT genre exercises. Sicario however stands firmly among them. * “Time to meet God” *