From Cannes: "Sicario" a Raw Look at the Drug War

At first glance a far departure from the typical arthouse fare of the Festival de Cannes, Denis Villeneuve’s American action-thriller “Sicario” (Spanish for “Hitman”) presents a dark, provocative message about the war against the Mexican drug cartels that earns the film a solid position as a contender for this year’s Palme d’Or. Villeneuve smartly utilizes explosive action sequences like the film’s introductory scene very sparingly and to strong effect; he chooses to highlight the oftentimes unseen consequences of drug violence through the perspective of protagonist Kate Macy (Emily Blunt).

Macy, an FBI agent who specializes in kidnapping, becomes involved with a covert domestic CIA operation against the drug cartels led by the enigmatic Matt (Josh Brolin) and cold-blooded Alejandro (Benicio del Toro). Macy’s confusion throughout the first half of the film is a stand-in for the audience’s—she questions the motive of every step of the operation, from a prisoner transport across the border in Ciudad Juárez to the illegal freezing of a known drug lord’s financial assets. Matt and Alejandro’s ultimate goal is unclear, and their fast and loose tactics draw the ire of Blunt’s frank and by-the-book character. Taylor Sheridan’s script deftly keeps the audience in the dark as well, leaving one to question the legitimacy of the operation as bodies slowly pile up with no reasonable explanation.

The film’s central question is that of morality in the drug wars: how does one properly combat a massive organization that regularly resorts to the horrific tactics of kidnapping, torture, and execution? In Matt’s opinion, until 20 percent of the American population stops purchasing illegal drugs, the next best option is to try to maintain some semblance of control—even if it means resorting to measures some may find distasteful. Blunt and del Toro deliver compelling performances that explore the problems with both sides of this argument, and the audience sees at the film’s conclusion that del Toro’s dead-faced character has no trouble making a descent into hell. Blunt’s character is also forced to make a tough decision, but Villeneuve leaves final judgment with the viewer. Regardless of one’s leaning, “Sicario” leaves an indelible reminder of the daily horrors that occur just south of the border—one that forces the viewer to confront seriously a national problem under a new light.