SICARIO
Special Presentation D: Denis Villeneuve. U.S. 121 min. Sep 11, 10 pm, Princess Of Wales Sep 12, 11 am, Elgin. See listing. Rating: NNNN
To cut off a tentacle of a vicious Mexican drug cartel, an Arizona FBI agent (Emily Blunt) volunteers for a Homeland Security task force and winds up neck-deep in the mire of the war on drugs – which seems awfully personal for the men (Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro) leading the operation.
Like Villeneuve’s Prisoners, it’s a stock thriller ramped up considerably by intelligent direction and committed performances – but unlike that film, it has a script that doesn’t spin out into silliness and a minimum of scenery chewing.
Instead, it’s a raw, muscular movie with terrific work from Blunt and Del Toro, quietly debating urgent moral questions between stunning set pieces.
