Sicario

Slow and boring. The whole point of the movie is that you never quite know what's going on, which is supposed to build tension and suspense...but if you replay in your mind the actual events, you see there is not much to the story, and definitely not two hours' worth. The first 90 minutes truly drags. What a waste of acting talent.

A great story, with a great lead in Benicio Del Toro, whose story nicely balances that of Emily Blunt's "lead" character. Her FBI agent is slightly less believable (and not just because she's so tiny with muscle-free arms), but because she rose to such rank being so very naive and remains so horrified at what she encounters. Not what one would expect of a described "thumper" and battle-tested professional. Yet, that somewhat odd contrast is really needed for the dark weightiness of Del Toro's Alejandro and makes the movie work. You realize that the end game was going to happen with or without her. Overall, also a thoughtful film about the US infrastructure supporting (and yet fighting) the trade in illegal drugs and drug consumption. The high body count is unsettling, but it is as horrifyingly peripheral, as in real life. For all the political rhetoric, there really are folks fighting a war on drugs...and probably will be for hundreds of years to come. Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Broadway, middle America...every snort, sniff and injection costs lives somewhere else. Or, maybe, this is just a really solid movie...either way, enjoy!

Overall disappointing, neither really commercial nor arthouse.... Nothing new, been there done that. Actors deliver solid work. Technically solid enough. Some scenes and visual concept have a artificial touch and break necessary hard and real tone. Story and character development weak. Story concept and pov disappoints sophisticated viewers. Some naiv and non-credible story elements & twists. Main protagonists disappoint, too naiv, not credible... Watch TV series The Bridge (US version) instead...