SICARIO
US, 2015, 121 minutes, Colour.
Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Jon Bernthal, Victor Garber, Jeffrey Donovan, Daniel Kaluua.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Sicario is strong stuff, in a good, if dismaying, sense.
In 2014, there were reports from Mexico about the murder of over 40 students and the disappearance of their bodies. Blame has since been laid on the authorities in the town where were they killed, the Mayor as well as some police.It seemed like a headline at the time: how could 40 students just disappear? The opening sequence of this film shows how it could be alarmingly true.
Sicario is the word used in Mexico for hitman. The film has the advantage of having been co-written and directed by Canadian, Denis Villeneuve. He was nominated for an Oscar for his powerful French-language film, Incendies in 2011, a story of Palestine and Canada at the end of the 20th century. He also made a powerful police investigation film, Prisoners with Hugh Jackman and Jake Gylenhaal (whom he also directed in an enigmatic short feature in which Gylenhaal two characters who became interchangeable, Enemies). This is his first Hollywood film but he does not seem to have been restricted in any way by interfering producers.
And the central character is female, an FBI agent, Kate, played with a blend of steel and vulnerability by Emily Blunt. She is involved in the opening sequence, an FB I raid on a suspected dealer’s house only to find no one at home except a man who seemed to be guarding a wall – and when the wall was broken down, bodies were found as were many others concealed in corridors throughout the house. Information is given that this was the work of a respected Hispanic- American businessman who was linked to a major cartel.
Enter some mysterious agents, especially Josh Brolin as a rather laid-back, cheerful agent who is combining in operations with a lawyer from Columbia whose wife and daughter have been killed by the cartels, Benicio Del Toro, to go from El Paso into neighbouring Juarez to capture a suspect and interrogate him (not without pressure and touches of torture) to reveal information about the cartel bosses. Kate is invited to come along, observing, somewhat alarmed at the personalities and the tactics, but a successful mission although it leads to an ambush and day huge shootout on the freeway before the border controls back into the US.
But that is only the beginning. There are plans to entice the Hispanic- American back into Mexico by creating trouble that he has to handle their and then confronting him and getting him to lead them to the overall boss. It is no spoiler to say that this mission is achieved – but the interest of the film is in how it is achieved, the role of the seemingly quiet, eyes-shaded, Benicio Del Toro, with touches of revenge. The film also shows how Kate is involved, disregarding some warnings from the agents, who are CIA, of course, which leads to dangers for herself, especially in the final action within a tunnel under the Mexican -American border.
Nor is there an easy ending, especially with pressures on Kate’s conscience about the mission and how it was carried out.
Those who like action features will find plenty to draw them in, strong, well-paced, sometimes disturbingly violent. But, all the time, there is much to provoke the moral conscience of the audience, questioning the role of the agencies and their methods, questioning the role of American agencies and their interventions in other countries, and personal moral dilemmas for those who become involved.
1. Contemporary drama, issues, North America, law, drugs, violence?
2. The title, the explanation of the Jewish hunters of the Romans? Mexico and its translation as Hitman?
3. The American locations, Texas, the Mexican border, the fence, the terrains, Mexico, the cities?
4. The photography, the vistas of Mexico and the US, close-ups of the towns? Editing, pace? Visual style, like the night lens vision? The musical score, ominous?
5. Audience awareness of the drug situation in North America, the role of the cartels, the history, the role of the CIA, FBI, DEA, the local police, the Mexican police? Laws, action by the book? Action outside the regulations?
6. The impact of the initial raid, the focus on the faces, the armed forces, crashing into the house, the raid, shooting, the dead man guarding the wall, the
victims behind the wall, in the corridors, over 40 victims, the officers being sick? Jennings, in charge, Kate and her presence, action, the effect? Reggie and his past in Iraq, his presence, being sick, action?
7. The meeting, Matt and his jovial presence, Kate and Reggie sitting outside, Katie invited in, the questions about her background, the group and their choice of her, her wanting Reggie as associate? The drive, the plane ride, Matt sleeping, the sudden arrival of Alejandro, his sleep, his nightmare and shudder? In El Paso, crossing the border, into Juarez? The plan, the officials, the detail, the highways and the cars, crossing the border, being joined by the local police, the escort, the target, Kate and her observing, Matt and Alejandro, the action, the return, the surveillance of the cars, the gunmen, getting out, shooting, Kate shooting, getting the prisoner back?
8. The refugees, the group, the interrogation, Alejandro only under wanting those who came by Nogales, the interrogation, pinpointing the tunnel, the visuals?
9. The plan, Manuel Diaz as the criminal, allegedly legal, responsible for the killings? Disturbing him, getting him to return to Mexico, his leading them to the head?
10. Kate, the puzzle, Reggie and his reaction, this something Matt and Alejandro, demanding that they be fully informed?
11. Matt, his personality, bluff, smiling, the CIA background and its secrecy? Relationship with Alejandro? Watching him and the interrogation, the torture? Getting the information? Talking with Kate and Reggie? Matt warningher not to go to the bank, disobeying him, the consequences? The mission, his activity, with Alejandro, the interventions, Kate going into the wrong tunnel? The achievement in the mission?
12. Alejandro, first impressions, someone, alone, his emerging as the key figure? Background in Colombia? On the plane, sleeping, his appearance, the dream and his jump? His past in Mexico as a prosecutor? His mission, discussions with Kate, orders? The taking of the captive in Mexico? The interrogation, the water, the torture? The story of his wife and her head cut off, the daughter in acid? Giving the information to Kate, saving her from Ted, the mission, in action, location of the tunnel, his finding Sylvia the drugs, forcing him to drive, the GPS backup, his ruthlessness, killing Silvio, confronting Diaz, getting him to drive to the mansion, killing him? Entering the house, shooting the guards, the family dinner, talking, about the children, shooting the wife and children, shooting the head? His return, getting Kate to sign the document, the pressure on her, Kate not shooting him?
13. The sequences in Mexico, the local policeman, at home, his son playing soccer, his wife and the cooking, the meals, life with his son, the other police, his serving as a courtier, transporting the drugs, in the tunnel, the encounter with Alejandro, his explanation about his family, driving, ordering Diaz out of the car, his being shot? The final sequences of the film, Mexico, the children, the mothers, children playing soccer on the rough ground, comment on Mexico, the way of life?
14. Kate and Reggie, becoming involved, the local issues, tracking the man to the bank, the laundering of the money, the cash being taken, Matt and the
interview with the manager, information about laundering? The video camera, everybody being watched?
15. Reggie taking Kate to the bar, the meeting with Ted, genial, his past sports career, the drinks, talking, the advance, Kate going home, the sexual encounter, seeing the rubber band and making the connection with the cartel, the two fighting, Alejandro saving Kate? Taking Ted, torturing and getting the information?
16. Reggie and Kate, the experience of the mission, the discussions with their boss?
17. Kate and signing the document, the secret missions, regulations and acting by the book or not?
18. The audience identifying with Kate, her action, intentions, her response to the methods, the final pressure on her?
