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[Films Critics] Sicario@jsxchemistry2406d

Few movies have ever surprised and pleased me as much as Sicario did when I saw it, because I basically thought it would be the typical overflowing action and meaningless movie where the only objective of the story was to entertain for a few minutes regardless of the message behind the plot, I couldn't be more wrong. Sicario, yes, is a film that includes many elements of action, but beyond that includes a tension and a drama so recurrent that traps us in the middle of a highly critical and stressful story where we do not really know what is going to happen, a story complemented with social nuances that highlight every police and investigative element that the film uses to give life to the incessant search for a drug trafficker, yes, Sicario deals with how a police group does all kinds of maneuvers to take down the leader of a drug cartel.

[Themoviedb](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/273481-sicario?language=en-US) # Sicario's plot places us in the middle of a money laundering investigation by a not very experienced agent who ends up disembarking in a narco-trafficking hunt where agents from different security agencies are involved to get by all means to bring down part of the criminal empire of a bloodthirsty capo who has taken part of the territory near the Mexican border, but who above all has a kind of blood debt with one of the "contractors" who is helping in the investigation, yes, in this apparent routine investigation into money laundering and drug trafficking we see the intervention of a very strange Colombian character, a man who seems to know a lot about drug trafficking and about the different ways capos use to move their money, drugs and employees. The intervention of this Colombian contractor is very important because he is the one who basically takes charge of the operations, pushing aside the agent who started all the investigation, releasing her to the background and above all hiding all kinds of critical information from her. #

[Themoviedb]() # The plot is developed under an atmosphere of investigation with suspense where we see the different movements and mechanisms of search for information that the Colombian contractor uses to get closer and closer to get the way to find the location of the capo they want to make fall. Throughout this investigation we see a lot of scenes that let us explore the evil game that drug traffickers and corrupt police officers play with people trying to find a better life crossing the Mexican border which gives a fantastic dramatic twist to the movie, because it adds that deep social contrast that few action movies get. The film shows us in detail the different ways that narcos use to pass their drugs and dirty money to the U.S. through needy people who serve as simple pack mules. #

[Themoviedb]() # Beyond the social and critical element that this film introduces by exploring the diverse situations that take place on the U.S.-Mexico border, the film never falls into that tedious intensity that seems to lengthen, in this film what we see is a countless number of situations delicately orchestrated to finally make sense, find and kill a bloodthirsty Mexican capo that terrorizes many people. #

[Themoviedb]() # This is a film that I liked very much because of the way in which manage to enhance a history of drug trafficking by adding very intense and emotional social elements that make us see the true behavior of these criminal organizations when carrying out their operations. Another thing that I found fantastic is the whole atmosphere of suspense and tension that the director managed to create through deep dialogues with closed shots where we see the interaction of characters that although partners seem to have different objectives, not to mention that each scene is perfectly complemented with a soundtrack that gives that extra touch to the performances making them stand out more and turning many of the simplest situations into memorable moments. So far this is one of Denis Villeneuve's best works on a creative level because it combines many plot, visual and sound elements to create a police opera prima. #

[Themoviedb](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/273481-sicario/images/backdrops?language=en-US) #

My Score: 8/10

# * **Movie URL:** https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/273481-sicario?language=en-US * **Critic: AAA**

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›Movie Review #43 - Sicario@josalarcon22426d
Here is my entry for the Triple AAA contest --> FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION (#01): "Favorite Directors" You guys should check it out and participate

Director of week #2: Denis Villeneuve.

Denis Villeneuve is undoubtedly one of my favorite filmmakers because of the way he always manages to incorporate a different creative touch to his productions no matter how simple or complicated the plots are, he always infuses them with visual and argumentative elements that make any kind of story stand out and become super entertaining. Today I want to share with you my opinion about a film that this fabulous director managed to endow with a drama and an intensity that make a story stand out that I'm sure that with another director would have stayed in a movie of action more than anything else, I'm talking about Sicario.

[Source](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/273481-sicario?language=en-US) # Sicario is a film that tells us in a super intense and addictive dramatic tone how a "simple" investigation of drug trafficking turned into a journey of revenge, corruption and social criticism towards the issue of the illegals who day by day cross the U.S. border in Mexico in search of a dream that may never come true. The film unfolds in stages allowing us to explore in a wonderful way the performance of the different characters involved in this kind of clandestine investigation where a group of agents are trying to find an effective way to bring down a capo of the mafia, a man who in addition to drug trafficking also uses innocent people for all kinds of atrocities. The whole story is masterfully developed through transitions created to build a great atmosphere of suspense around the characters because at first, we do not know the objectives that move each group of agents, yes, this is not the typical operation against a group dedicated to drug trafficking, here each situation is handled personally because the director manages to create a personal background around this conflict.
Undoubtedly the highlight of the film is the way in which Denis Villeneuve plays with different social and racial nuances to create a tense, heavy and suspenseful atmosphere where constantly our senses are put approves of how a seemingly simple investigation evolves and becomes a personal mission to kill and take revenge against a drug lord. The film does not show us even a little subtlety, each scene is intense, raw and full of a drama that highlights each action scene where the characters try to approach the capo to kill him.

[Source](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/273481-sicario/images/backdrops?language=en-US) # There is no doubt that the plot of this film is not the most creative, a group of agents who take advantage of the personal motivations of a former Colombian hitman to dismantle a drug trafficking operation regardless of the proper procedure, through the minutes we see how each time the operation becomes more clandestine through decisions that put at risk everyone involved, however all know and do not care, after all the general objective is the same, kill the capo. Despite not having too many action scenes, this movie succeeds spectacularly in transmitting a lot of intensity, the few moments of confrontation are created focusing on different angles that allow us to see the purest reactions of the characters so that all the scenes are highlighted no matter how simple they are. # [Source](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/273481-sicario/images/backdrops?language=en-US) # Without a doubt, Denis Villeneuve takes a story of drug trafficking and revenge and transforms it into an ode to intense drama and simple suspense, managing to combine scenes filmed from different closed angles with musical effects that take each scene to a level worthy of an award. This is one of the best-made films I've seen in years, as it manages to build a tense atmosphere around real characters with problems, characters who know what they're part of but still submerge in a complicated and extremely raw conflict. Few things I didn't like about this film, in fact I never get tired of seeing it because of its great performances and a soundtrack that make it above any similar attempt to bring drug trafficking to a more credible reality, in short a great film that manages to magically expose the personal touch of an extremely creative and different director. # [Source](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/273481-sicario/images/backdrops?language=en-US) #

My Review: 8,3/10
# * **Movie URL:** https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/273481-sicario?language=en-US * **Critic: AAA**
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›"Sicario" by Denny Villeneuve - movie review@godflesh2996d
Perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel, but Denny Villeneuve does not look at her often. Instead, the Canadian director turns the camera inward - towards the tunnels that run under the surface of the normal. Whether they will be religious psychopaths, labyrinths and spiders, or "simple" history of the Mexican drug cartel, the dark tone and the pessimistic message follow the characters, reminding them of the watchful eye of the black mower. The word "sicarius" comes from the Latin, which means a man with a dag and refers to Jewish groups at the time of Jesus of Nazareth, trying to expel the Romans from Judea. These murderers made quick and deadly blows with their sicae (small knives), then disappeared without success in the crowd. That's why some of the first quiet murderers who have appeared for centuries before the so-well-known assassins. The word was transferred to Mexico, where it almost retained its meaning. The only difference is that the murderer is already hired and it is unknown for whom and for what purpose he works. Dreams of freedom and justice are a myth, and every man seeks his own salvation.

Kate Meiser (Emily Blunt) works hard as an FBI agent while conducting minor actions against drug dealers in Arizona. In one of the houses she cleans, her team finds buried corpses. A little trace of horror, you've made your way out of the Mexican border. No one is prepared for what is happening. Kate gains the attention of Matt (Josh Brolin), who often smiles, wears flip flops and makes the impression of a man with a ready-made look. And the plan is ... to dramatically overreact. The shadow that follows them, the silent man without a past, is Alejandro (Benicio del Toro). He serves as a liaison ... that is, doing the black job. Kate is attracted to the mysterious man, who conveys both security and threats. Alejandro knows suspiciously a lot about the situation beyond the border. Even if you have not seen the work of Roger Deakins operator in the films of the Coen brothers and Sam Mendes have to throw only one look at the footage from above, revealing the desert landscapes of Mexico, while the shadow of the helicopter slowly crawling on them. Another example is the action in the tunnel, where, like the "Enemy number one," the night vision and the heat sensors are the only way we see the development of the action. Cameras hooked on cars and dozens of other creative ideas create Sicario's uninterrupted tension and lack even a dull shot. Dickins does not like being easy. Another main culprit for the atmosphere is Johan Johansson, who creates the suggestion of descending the stairs to the underworld, commensurate with that of ancient myths and legends. The theme in one of the most spectacular scenes - the entrance to Juarez, is called The Beast. Listen to her. There is no need to know all the horrifying stories that often appear on the news - the hundreds of missing women and children, and the scarred bodies hanging on gallows. Music and cinematic work do all the work. We are witnessing the slow descent into the unknown, where humanity is only a distant memory and no rules can save the victim from the trap of the silent murderer.

Above all, Sicario is a film about impotence. Kate does not change anything. All the time she is a simple observer who can watch how the clocks move, but is unable to understand the mechanism itself. The revelation that will reach the end of the film does not offer a solution to the problem, but only a resignation. The resignation that in this world of wolves there is no room for idealism or any progress. The film is another proof of why Denny Villeneuve is one of the best directors currently working (and his Blade Runner is masterpiece). After a steady build up to a car race, the episode unexpectedly ends in a jam. Surveying for Mexicans with vans, while nerve-wheel drivers drift around, creates a far more intense atmosphere than the chased persecution. The main word that can characterize a successful approach to the material is a "limitation". Alejandro tortured a captured man who hid valuable information. We do not see the torture itself, but we are horrified by the preludes. Alejandro enters with a tube of water and stands in the immediate vicinity of the captured. Or in another such scene - how he tortures a man by putting his swollen finger in his ear. Shootings and driving on the highway convoy of black SUVs immediately arouse associations with Michael Mann, but here no climactic scene with alien amount of bullets and explosives. The way Villeneuve finishes his film is surprising and far more interesting. From the general chaos, a new personal story emerges, slowly taking shape and finally blooming in the heat of revenge.

Sicario, due to his slower second action, is unlikely to like fans of criminal action. Because he is much more. Precise criticism of the unstable (like the border) relations between Mexico and the United States, dressed in a murderous atmosphere and strong images. Maybe it's one of the best movies before two years. If not the best, then definitely the most effective.

Image source: 1, 2, 3

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Director of week #2: Denis Villeneuve.