See it at the Movies

SICARIO

Joyce and Don Fowler
Posted 10/8/15

***1/2

(Brutal, Tense,

Drug Cartel Movie)

“Sicario” means “hitman” in Mexico, and there are a lot of hits in this two-hour movie.

The brutal movie opens with an FBI raid in an …

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See it at the Movies

SICARIO

Posted

***1/2

(Brutal, Tense,

Drug Cartel Movie)

“Sicario” means “hitman” in Mexico, and there are a lot of hits in this two-hour movie.

The brutal movie opens with an FBI raid in an Arizona border town, where 42 dead bodies are found in the walls and basement.

Agent Macer (Emily Blunt) is shaken by the experience and agrees to join a task force dedicated to breaking up the drug cartel and getting to the top drug lord … by any means possible.

Macer is once again shaken by the tactics used by the task force leaders (Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro), who believe that the ends justify the means, torturing and killing everyone they come in contact with.

Most of the action takes place in Juarez, a poverty stricken, dangerous city, where it is hard to separate the bad guys from the good guys, if there are any good goys, and that includes the cops.

Del Toro plays a bitter man, whom we learn is carrying a lot of baggage and eventually wants revenge for being terribly wronged.

Brolin’s character is scary in a different way, as he challenges Macer to the limits, forcing her to join in their ugly quest using completely unconventional methods.

Those methods lead to much bloodshed as the task force works its way to the top dog.

One scene is filmed with infrared cameras in the tunnels connecting Mexico and the USA, giving a very eerie effect.

“Sicario” is not an easy movie to watch. If extreme violence bothers you, you may wish to skip it. It does raise many moral issues concerning the war on drugs and how far to go to stop the flow.

Rated a big R, with violence and profanity.

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