Sicario

As someone who actually lives in Mexico, and has a 12-men strong Policias Federales group parked just outside my office with machine guns and a freaking tank (yes, a small tank with 2 50mm turrets), and my fair amount of dead bodies seen around in Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon and Sonora, many kidnapped (and lost forever) friends, this movie is one of the best I've ever seen about the War On Drugs. The third act is too constrained, but understandable as this is a movie made for an American audience. I wonder if you guys can tell the difference between Mexico City (where most of the Mexican scenes were shot) and Ciudad Juarez or Nogales, because you can't film there at all. The situation here is worst than anybody can imagine, and I just have to look outside my window. I'm looking forward for the next movie with Del Toro's character.

Sicario has beautiful cinematography, score and some truly terrifying moments dripping with suspense. However, the plot falls flat on its face due to the obscure and secretive nature. Like Kate, we are taken for a ride and have been left much in the dark. But during the reveal, 3/4 into the movie, everything feels underdeveloped and overly simple. The visceral images of the victims of the cartel portray them as a new kind of monster not seen before in the drug wars, but the conclusion of the movie, delves back into overly used stereotypical images. Blunt, del Toro, Brolin and Kaluuya hold up their ends very well but the mediocre script eventually lets the movie down.