Emily Blunt is perfect in “Sicario”

With every movie I see her in, Emily Blunt solidifies her spot in my heart as the most talented person in Hollywood. “Sicario” does not change this one bit.

Set in various locations throughout the southern United States and Mexico, “Sicario” follows FBI agent Kate Macer, played by Emily Blunt, as she works with a group composed of several other agencies attempting to bring down a criminal cartel. However, as things start escalating, Kate begins to wonder if they are going about things in a just and true fashion.

In case “Prisoners” director Denis Villeneuve’s filmography, featuring the likes of 2013’s darkest film did not clue you in, “Sicario” is a heavy film. Of course no story dealing with the crimes of a Mexican drug cartel is going to read like the sequel to Barbie Fairytopia. Still the warning is a warranted one.

“Sicario” is a brutal film, though not indulgently so.

Standing at odds with agent Macer are agents Matt Graver and Alejandro Gillick,  played by Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro respectively. Both Brolin and del Toro give compelling performances, providing a tense complexity to the already peculiar dynamic within the group. Their characters remain a mystery for the the majority of the film, yet their personalities are not hindered by their secrecy.

While the entire cast was stunning, Emily Blunt really shines as Kate. According to interviews with Blunt, it was proposed at one point that her character be rewritten to be male so as to up the funding for the film by around a third. It is truly a miracle that this did not occur.

Kate, as a character, is not written as a tough person that just happens to be a woman. Rather, she is written very distinctly and very truthfully as a female. It is a level of honesty to the character that is unfortunately not common in film, and Emily Blunt absolutely sells it. “Sicario” would have been lesser had they changed anything about the character or cast anoybody else in the role.

One complaint I could see some viewers having with the film is that it is confusing. For the majority of “Sicario,” Kate is pushed through situations in which she is not in the know. As such, the audience is left in the dark for many events as the story unfolds piece by piece. However, this choice turns out to be an inspired one, bringing another level of depth to the story.

The mystery involved with “Sicario” is not something audience members might expect after watching a trailer for the film, but it is a good thing nonetheless. On top of the action and thriller based moments, there is this overarching confusion with regards to what exactly the people in this task force are trying to accomplish. When all of these elements come together, they make for a very strong movie.

In addition, “Sicario” comes off as a very truthful story. It deals with issues like corruption and morality in a way that most other movies are incabable. Also, it does not shy away from the violence committed both by the cartels and by American forces. Yet, it never feels like it is preaching on behalf of one side or another–Its ending does not provide a clear-cut good and evil. Rather, “Sicario” simply appears to be an honest representation of the world people like these live in.

There is a lot to like about “Sicario”. Though the film may be too heavy for some, it never feels heavy-handed. Instead, it an expertly-crafted piece of cinema that is absolutely worth watching.