If you went to see a movie early last November it was more than likely The Martian. Which, don't get me wrong, was a great movie. So I don’t blame you. However this means you probably didn't see Sicario which was, to me, the superior film. Now I’m not saying I didn't enjoy Matt Damons performance, the hilarious script, or the idealistic pro-NASA world it took place in. It just lacked the depth and artistic qualities of Sicario. On top of the Martian coming out around this time you may have missed Sicario because it wasn't marketed heavily so you didn't know much about it, was rated R, looked too grim, or all of the above. But you really should have.
Sicario stars Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro and is directed by Dennis Villeneuve. This movie kills it in the technical categories. Great cinematography from 13 time Oscar nominee Roger Deakins (and you thought Leo had it bad) mixes with the soundtrack of Jóhann Jóhannsson to create a very bleak atmosphere for the film. Villeneuve cuts the scenes together in ways that create tension so raw the theatre really only needed to provide an edge to your seat. A great example is when their convoy is returning from Mexico back into the U.S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU9L_MAfp3c
The great part of this film, however, are the characters. Emily Blunt’s delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as an idealistic FBI agent, Kate, dragged into a conflict that extends across agencies, borders, and moral lines she never thought she’d get close to. All of this to help Brolin and Del Toro (who was also Oscar-worthy I should mention) in their task force bring down a Mexican cartel. Del Toro’s character, Alejandro, has an aura of mystery surrounding him which adds to her discomfort. Brolin plays, Matt Graver, the leader of the task force who has all the charm and charisma of a John Wayne cowboy and the trustworthiness of a snake. Kate constantly finds herself in stressful, anxiety inducing situations with these two where she has no control. As the film goes on her her characters blue shirts fade to grey as the audiences outlook on the situation worsens.
Great movies get us attached enough to characters that we care about what happens to them. You probably cared about Mark Watney in The Martian because he was funny, charming, handsome— well he was what I imagine Matt Damon is like in real life. However it was an easy prediction to say he was getting off the planet by the end. You just wanted to know how. In Sicario, I cared about Kate (Blunt) because I had no idea what was going to happen to her. She's not the action hero we’re used to. She was real. We like to imagine we would be the badass Del Toro plays in those situations but in all reality we’re not.
A final aspect of this film that sets it apart is the commentary on the War on Drugs. Few films have talked about what that phrase popularized by Richard Nixon really looks like in the real world. Villenuvue knows this and bring us into the situation by using Kate as the viewer. We learn all new information when she does. Kate, like many Americans, has very little understanding about the scale of the situation. She's idealistic and simply wants to stop the bad guys from hurting the good guys. However, as the film unfolds Kate realizes her powerlessness in the face of an ever growing monster. Just like the powerlessness of the government in the War on Drugs. As long as millions of Americans want to snort, inhale, and consume illegal drugs the best the government can do is contain the fire. Nothing will show you the depressing reality of the situation better than Sicario.
A movie with great characters, Oscar-nominated cinematography and soundtrack, raises awareness of an issue in an entertaining manner, and has you on the edge of your seat? If I haven't sold you by now you probably don't like movies very much. Which you should. Movies are awesome. You should really expand your film palette and Sicario is a great place to start. It’s on your radar now. So go watch it! Then tell me why The Martian is better.
