This picture was a total surprise to me. I heard nothing about it before seeing the trailer. I'm a sucker for realistic portrayals of special forces, black ops, task forces, SWAT, etc. Add to that Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro and the Director of PRISONERS, Denis Villeneuve and I was in! This looked to be a fantastic picture. And it was also photographed by the brilliant Roger Deakins.

SICARIO lives up to that trailer and to its pedigree. It is a dark, gripping tale about the U.S. Government's attempt to deal with the hugely powerful drug cartels.  

Emily Blunt gives a solid performance as the leader of an F.B.I. Hostage Rescue team who is recruited onto an elite task force. She is the eyes and ears of the audience through whom we experience the story. She is also the moral compass and conscience of the picture.  

Josh Brolin is in top form as the head of this task force who recruits Blunt. He is smarmy and charming and just sheer fun to watch whenever he is on screen. Great performance.

Benicio Del Toro steals the picture as the mysterious Alejandro. At first you don't know what to make of him, but he seems willing to educate Blunt up to a point. As the story unfolds you learn more and more about him and who he is and why he is doing what he is doing. Del Toro is always a compelling actor, but this is some of his career best work.  

There is definite conflict about Brolin's character, his goal and his methods. Blunt is by the book and constantly questioning what they are doing and if they legally can do it. Considering the subject matter, I found myself siding with Brolin and Del Toro.

Taylor Sheridan's first produced screenplay is outstanding. This is smart, you better keep up storytelling. There aren't spoonfuls of exposition. The bits of exposition are usually in meetings and in mission briefings, which is where it belongs. The story does not follow a formula and takes you on a journey to some very dark places. Villeneuve's pacing is very deliberate at times to contrast the more kinetic sequences, but it is certainly never boring. You are always in the grip of the story, eager to see where it is going.

I hesitate to call it action, but the combat sequences are well staged, gritty and realistic. They are also incredibly tense and edge of your seat. There is nothing over the top, no ridiculous photography or editing, just a very real depiction of the violence. And considering some of the extreme moments in the picture, Villeneuve depicts them clearly but with great restraint.  

Hopefully the title Sicario does not keep people away. This is a one of the year's best pictures about an important subject. It is incredibly compelling and beautifully made. I can't recommend it highly enough.