Sicario

This movie could be subtitled: The Spook, The Ghost and The F.B.I. Agent. Don't let that subtitle fool you: it is a very scary but sincere movie about the drug war. I agree with some of the criticism about Emily Blunt that she plays a very flimsy character, she's not as strong as she was in Edge of Tomorrow with Tom Cruise, but this is a very different movie too. Yet this female agent, she plays, catches on very fast and realizes quickly that she is being isolated from the op and treated indiferently. And I enjoyed this movie a great deal mainly because of her. I've notice her before in films: she is fun to watch but only if you appreciate good acting. And yes, the movie has some faults with it, mainly with the dialogue: it's hard to hear everything being said, and some of the lines doesn't seem to make any connections with one another, and there's the overuse of abbreviations: such as D.O.D, D.O.J, and A.I.C. (A.I.C. by the way stands for Army Intelligence Command.) But a badly made movie can go very badly very quickly right from the beginning where people would shut it off or walk out of the theater. What really saved this was Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro and the interaction between them. These two are some of the best facial-expression artists in Hollywood today. And their characters are each being treated indifferently in their own special way. Yet they clash with one another, emotionally, and almost brutally without doing any real harm. And speaking of flimsy, it's Benicio Del Toro's character's strong presence that makes everyone else around him look weak or odd. That's because Benicio Del Toro plays The Ghost. A very dangerous man (protected by higher powers) is commonly referred to as a "ghost" in Spanish culture because they move with such ease at night, and when one attacks they leave everyone dead in their wake. Such as Geronimo, so named by the Mexicans in his day because he snuck in bandit camps and killed quietly. Knowing this about The Ghost he plays one can appreciate the interaction between him and Emily Blunt's character toward the end. As weak and flimsy as she is, she makes him feel like a man for once, and he hasn't felt that way in a very long time. With that being said, he also wants her out of his way. Right from the start, Emily Blunt's character, Kate, realizes quickly she is being isolated from the op the moment she steps in the private jet and Josh Brolin's character, Matt, lies down: the so called D.O.D Adviser. Where she thought she was going to be apart of a very important mission she starts to second guess why she's there. Del Toro's character, Alejandro, scared her the moment he stepped into the plane. If that was an agent being pulled from the field, like her bosses had told her, he was one very scary dude. Unlike Matt, he didn't lie down to go to sleep, he sat up and alert. He was also better dressed than Matt, and when it comes to dress, women notices everything: this was no ordinary agent. I have to give Emily Blunt a five star performance because everything you need to know about those two men came across her face, brilliantly. But why were these two men treating her differently? She 's an F.B.I Agent, was it because she was a woman? Yet, being a woman, she is picking up on everything around her and she caught Alejandro in a moment of weakness when he woke suddenly from a nightmare and scared the bejesus out of her. If the plane wasn't in the air, she would have most likely jumped off: she was truly frighten. But she also had the womanly ability and charm to calm him as he suddenly woke and looked around, trying to figure out where he was at. Everything you need to know about those three people and the mission was brilliantly played out on the jet and the facial-expressions of Del Toro's character, Alejandro, and Emily Blunt's character, Kate. And right away she knew everything around her was way over her head. All that was reenforced at the briefing at A.I.C. She was surrounded by law enforcement yet none of the men wanted to know who she was or why she was there. In fact, when they broke from the meeting, the men damn near walked over her and she felt small, weak and useless. They also avoided Alejandro: instead of joking around with the likes of Matt, and walking over Kate, they walked clear around him. The only two who were left were her and him. But at least Alejandro didn't try to lie to her, and when she discovered he didn't come from the field but Colombia, she knew, as a F.B.I Agent, there were only two things that came out that country: drug lords and murderers. Right away, Kate questioned who she thought was her boss, Matt, and asked if both of them were C.I.A. Her direct confrontation clearly caught Matt off guard. Matt did lie to her telling her both were D.O.D Advisers but she refuse to believe a very scary guy like Alejandro -- whom well-armed policemen walked clear around, was anything but a well-paid, well-dressed, murderer. That fear was reenforced at the bridge: she was so scared she jumped from one seat to the other in the van when Matt told the men to go get those guys in the cars and Alejandro shot with no hesitation and killed unmercifully. When they came back to the Army base, Kate had to catch her breathe, getting out of the van, and once again jumped all over Matt and called him a "spook" right to his face. But who in the hell is that? referring to Alejandro. Yet the beauty of the film, while Matt kept lying to her, Alejandro kept treating her with the up most respect and went out of his way to protect her, not once but twice, for what she did for him in the plane: calming him when he came out of his nightmare that one wonders: if she hadn't been there on the jet, when he was suddenly jerked from that really bad dream back to reality, would Alejandro have pulled out his gun and start shooting at phantoms all around him? That respect Alejandro had for Kate kept building into the picture, and the relationship between the two kept moving into a love for one another starting in the bathroom scene: the two were having a conversation with each other like a husband and wife might have. And the director leaves that impression on us the two could easily fall in love but couldn't because who they are in relations to law and the ongoing drug war.By the way, the second time he saved her was near the last scene.After Kate went up "the wrong tunnel" and caught Alejandro kidnapping a Mexican cop, he shot her equipment which made her fall. Alejandro told her "to catch her breathe and get back up there." Which she did, almost like a dutiful wife. In fact, Kate was catching her breathe a lot in this movie because she was way over her head in something that she didn't quiet understand that it was scaring the hell out of her at every turn. Going by the book, like good agent, wasn't helping her in any way, shape or form. Alejandro told her early on to "keep an eye on the time" -- time, being, the one true factor in this film. Instead, she found herself stumbling out of the "house of horrors", coughing and gagging; took a crazy ride in and out of the belly of "the beast", bumped into a "spook", ghost, and cops on-the-take who clearly wanted to kill her. Not to mention her trusted partner took her to the "Wild Pony" where she suddenly found herself surrounded by cowboys that she didn't really know were there. Even her long-time partner was a cowboy. Time was the one thing she wasn't paying any attention to. Even Matt threaten her in a ditch, that resembled a grave, she was standing in, and told her it would be a mistake if she went public about their mission. And if wasn't for Alejandro she would probably already be dead in that grave-looking ditch. But no one was touching Kate, not even the C.I.A. When Alejandro was through with his mission, he came back with the paper Matt needed to be signed that "everything went by the book" and warned her "not to stand on balconies" for a while. And although Alejandro pointed a gun at her to get her to sign that form, he had no intention of killing her. He so loved and respected her, he gently wiped the tears of fright from her face, and Kate, again, like a dutiful wife, reluctantly signed it.Black eyed and used, she sat there in the dark for while.With all that to consider in this film, what did you make of that last scene between them? Kate standing on the balcony and Alejandro below her looking up. Did that remind you of a classic story in some odd way? It certainly wasn't "by the book" of Shakespeare with her beaten, bruised, used, scared out of her wits, with a gun in her hand. To me, anyway, it was emphasizing this was also a classic lecture to those still hooked on drugs. I know there's a lot of boos and thumps down on this movie, but the acting is so very good, you can't miss it. The movie also has a strong message and when there is a message buried in a film like this it generally takes a few more looks at it in order to uncover the truth and how it all fits together. You may not know what's really going on at first, but all you really have to do is watch Emily Blunt's reaction to everything.This is probably hers and Del Toro's best work yet. I do hope they make a part two. Please. I love these actors.

Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro are just awesome in this, and Emily Blunt was very believable. Worth the watch, glad to have it in my collection.

Great movie.. outstanding and great price

Josh AND Benicio? You won't be disappointed.

First of All, there is a common thematic thread that not only focus's on the what's happening on both sides of the Border, it's a eye-popping narrative about how these deadly events have merged and spilled over ... into the Southwest US and beyond. It's Version 3 of the novo Mafia. If you have seen 'End of Watch' ... you get that the story-line is not only in Present time, but is predicting what the the Future is bringing, as it applies to Mexico's/Latin America Drug cartels, and the interventional methods of our federal law enforcement agencies (DEA, ICE, FBI, etc), their own internal fallacies; and whether our Southern borders matter or not ... it becomes obvious that the "border" is constantly fluxing North & South ..."Sicario" tells the story of an idealistic FBI agent names Kate (Blunt), who is enlisted by an elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico. With the "guidance" of a mysterious agent Alejandro (Del Toro) and her superior Matt (Brolin), and influx of intrigue and morals will shake Kate to her very core.As with Other Reviewers have posted so succinctly ... to which I am totally 100% in concert with ... that - “This film is profane, violent and second guesses what is right and wrong. Del Toro’s performance is award worthy. He’s scary as hell, yet his character is modulated and highly-focused. His scenes with the equally good Blunt, as the idealistic agent, are some of the best I’ve seen this year. In fact, the movie is one of the best I’ve seen all year. The pace is relentless, the tension excruciating, providing a fast moving thriller. Technically the film is well done as well. An excellent musical score by Johann Johannsson elevates the tension and Roger Deakins cinematography is perfect as usual. But the movie is more than excellent entertainment. It may come later, but the film should raise questions about our ethics and morality in these events”.- Mr. Benicio Del Toro is downright magnificent. As Alejandro, he delivers his best performance since "21 Grams." A dedicated sensation that calls back to all types of performances such as Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men" or Gene Hackman in "The French Connection." You won't be able to take your eyes off him. Josh Brolin utilizes every ounce of his charm that has made him one of the most sought after actor's in the business. A memorable, though understated and undervalued character that you do want more clarity about. Other cast members like Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Donovan, Victor Garber, and especially Daniel Kaluuya are given their fair share of opportunity, which all take well.Staging, costuming, sets, cinematography, and lighting are all perfect. Some airborne shots in particular stand out as both daring and stunningly original, clearly showing just how harsh the landscape is, while managing to propel the story forward - without showing anyone, no less. This part of the movie is in the "As good as it gets" category.Besides the spectacular airborne shots, one of my other favorite segments was when the Mexican Federal Police in Pick-ups running their routes through the Streets of Laredo ... I mean Juarez. I managed to feel every bump along the way. Totally realistic!Sicario's own score manages to build or maintain tension quite successfully in other parts of the movie. while remaining low-key.IMO, this is much more of a drama than it is a thriller. It's certainly not just an action movie. Support Casting is exactly what it needs to be - good in general, and great when a minor character is the focal point - but look closely at how much Benicio del Toro manages to do with no dialogue (silent presence with a 1000 meter stare), while physically static. Simply amazing!In summary, being from NM and previously redacted to Southern Arizona before, I have my own real-life Experiences to draw from, that have marked my opinion's about the Reality of living day-2-day in High-Risk Environments, that cuddling Couch Potatoes & Troll's residing in Northern latitude's/zip codes are profoundly Clueless about. You have experienced Combat or you haven't ... it's pretty clear that Sicario is Right On Message ...so Pay Attention People.Sicario, like End of watch is a dire WARNING for and to those who are not paying attention, or simply don't care; of what's not only happening, but also what's Coming ... even my Paisan's are taking notice ... and we should.Sicario is an action/drama/Ethics movie ... but, our Reality is a violent world.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0162LLAQS/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0

One of my favorite movies. If you haven't seen it, you definitely should.

It was a rental

画質・音質共に良好。ヒロインの不安と不信に満ちた眼差しが不穏な空気を醸し出す。音楽も良い。日本語字幕はないが、レンタルなどで内容を把握しておけば問題なし。４Kでコレクションしておきたい一作。

This is an absolutely jaw dropping 4K release. Mastered from a native 4K DI, the level of detail in the image is like a sensory overload. But it’s the high dynamic range that gives this release an overwhelming edge over the 1080p HD Blu Ray - gone are the murky shadows, and they are instead replaced by shadow delineation that is breathtaking to watch. Take for instance the scene where two characters are watching a firefight in Juarez from the roof of a building at dusk. The light filtering through from the sun just over the horizon cuts across the scene to give the image clarity. This is lost in the 1080p HD Blu Ray and all you get are dark shapes and explosions. If you are a fan of this film, this is a must own release to get the most out of the gorgeous photography, which just adds a whole new dimension to the viewing experience.

日本で販売しているものには英語字幕がなかったのでこちらから購入しました。届くまで一カ月近くかかるとのことでしたが半月程で来ました。包装紙のよれよれは当たり前ですがしかし値段も安く、また中身がキレイだったので大変満足しています。

Interesting movie!

„Nothing will make sense to your American ears, and you will doubt everything that we do, but in the end you will understand.“Nachdem die junge FBI-Agentin Kate Macer bei einer Drogenrazzia in Arizona eher zufällig dutzende Leichen entdeckt, allesamt fein säuberlich in Plastik verpackt und in den Wänden des Hauses versteckt, ruft das eine behördenübergreifend agierende Taskforce auf den Plan, die den mexikanischen Drogenkartellen den Kampf angesagt hat. Der etwas undurchsichtige Geheimdienstler Matt Graver leitet diese Operation und will Kate als Verbindungsglied zum FBI unbedingt mit dabei haben. Als diese sein Angebot annimmt hat sie noch keine Vorstellung davon, worauf sie sich mit Graver und dessen externen Berater Alejandro eingelassen hat…Ich kann gar nicht oft genug betonen, was für ein begnadeter Regisseur der Frankokanadier Denis Villeneuve doch ist. Seine Filme Polytechnique, Incendies, Enemy und Prisoners sind allesamt grandiose Werke, spannend, düster und oft nur schwer zu verdauen. Sein neuester Film Sicario bildet da absolut keine Ausnahme, so pessimistisch und gnadenlos wie es hier zur Sache geht. Nach einem Amoklauf an einer Hochschule, Jahre und Generationen überdauernden Kriegsverbrechen, seltsamen Doppelgängern und entführten Kindern thematisiert Villeneuve nun also den aufreibenden und frustrierenden Kampf amerikanischer Behörden gegen die mexikanischen Drogenkartelle, denen auf legalem Wege kaum beizukommen ist und die immer einen Schritt voraus zu sein scheinen. So ist Sicario entsprechend seiner Thematik auch ein zutiefst ambivalenter Film geworden, der Grauzonen auslotet und nicht nur jegliche moralischen Grenzen verschwimmen lässt, sondern sie mit zunehmender Laufzeit einfach auflöst. Indem Villeneuve die FBI-Agentin Kate Macer zum erzählerischen Dreh – und Angelpunkt in seinem desillusionierenden Abgesang auf Recht und Unrecht macht, gelingt es ihm auf einfache, aber ungemein effektive Art und Weise, den Zuschauer sofort und unmittelbar mit einzubeziehen. Ist sie anfangs noch fest verankert in dem Glauben, richtig zu handeln und gewillt, die Drahtzieher, die Hintermänner der Kartelle, zu erwischen, ebenso moralisch integer wie idealistisch und nicht minder ahnungslos wie der Zuschauer selbst angesichts der sich überschlagenden Ereignisse, so stellen die folgenden Erlebnisse ihre moralischen Vorstellungen nicht nur mehr und mehr in Frage, sondern auch gleich völlig auf den Kopf. Sie ist die Eintrittskarte für den Zuschauer in diese verkommene, grausame und kaum vorstellbare Welt voller Gewalt. Sie fungiert als moralischer Kompass in einer Welt ohne Moral, wodurch zunehmend ihre Hilf – und Nutzlosigkeit demonstriert wird. Mehr als eine Randfigur in dieser Operation wird Kate nicht werden, ein Spielball höherer Behörden als der ihren, leicht zu manipulieren aufgrund ihrer reflexartigen Rechtschaffenheit und genau deswegen überaus nützlich ohne es zu wissen. So ahnungslos wie sie ist, so verunsichert, ängstlich und machtlos, repräsentiert sie den Zuschauer selbst und wird zur Projektionsfläche für unsere eigenen Empfindungen. Zudem wirkt sie überaus menschlich und authentisch gerade weil sie eben überfordert ist mit den Ereignissen und ihren inneren Konflikt nicht ohne weiteres gelöst bekommt, wenn die bittere Erkenntnis auf sie wartet, dass sie Teil von etwas geworden ist, dessen Methoden sich kaum bis gar nicht von denen der Drogenkartelle unterscheiden.Villeneuve findet zusammen mit seinem Kameramann Roger Deakins dann auch nahezu perfekte und unglaublich ausdrucksstarke Bilder für Sicario. Deakins, der nicht nur auch schon Prisoners hervorragend einzufangen wusste, sondern auch der Stamm-Kameramann der Coen-Brüder ist und folglich beim fulminanten No Country for Old Men bereits ein vergleichbar düsteres Setting in Staub und Hitze auf die Leinwand bringen konnte, leistet wirklich ganz hervorragende Arbeit. Lange Einstellungen dominieren den Film, die Enge und Weite zugleich vermitteln, und manchmal quälend langsam daherkommen, dann aber auch wieder sehr dynamisch und regelrecht explosiv ausfallen können, wenn das Erzähltempo es erfordert. Insgesamt ist Sicario einfach grandios inszeniert mit seinen ständig wechselnden Perspektiven und Blickwinkeln und allein die Tunnelsequenz ist ihr Geld schon wert, erinnert diese doch in ihrer unsäglichen Spannung sehr an das Finale im grandiosen Zero Dark Thirty von Kathryn Bigelow. Zudem bietet Sicario mit einer Fahrt in einem schwerbewaffneten Konvoi über die mexikanische Grenze rein nach Juarez und wieder zurück eine der spannendsten und vibrierendsten Szenen seit sehr langer Zeit. Solcherlei Szenen sind herausragende Spitzen in den 121 Minuten, die der Film dauert, aber Sicario ist von der ersten bis zur letzten Minute und sogar in seinen augenscheinlich ruhigen Momenten enorm spannend und intensiv geraten und lässt den Zuschauer ebenso wie seine Protagonistin beinahe nie wirklich zur Ruhe und zum Durchatmen kommen. Der Score des Isländers Jóhann Jóhannsson, der wie Roger Deakins ebenfalls schon bei Prisoners mit an Bord war, fügt sich dann dazu nahtlos in diese spannungsgeladene Inszenierung ein. Verstörend, bedrohlich und unterschwellig brodelnd unterstreicht er die richtigen Stellen und stellt sicher, dass einem die Schwere der Handlung in Sicario auch jederzeit bewusst ist. Den Rest erledigt dann die fantastische Besetzung rund um Emily Blunt, die ihre Kate Macer wirklich ganz hervorragend anlegt und sowohl ihren anfänglichen Idealismus wie auch ihre später immer deutlicher zum Tragen kommende Verunsicherung und letztlich ihre betäubende Machtlosigkeit in jeder Szene spürbar macht ohne dabei aufgesetzt zu wirken. Ihr wohnt eine faszinierende Natürlichkeit inne und man kauft ihr diese Rolle vollkommen ab, so authentisch gestaltet sie die junge FBI-Agentin als genau die passive Schlüsselfigur, die sie letztlich auch ist in diesem rätselhaften und kaum zu durchschauendem Konstrukt aus Zuständigkeiten, Kompetenzen und Politik. Und eben jene Rätselhaftigkeit wiederum verkörpern dann Josh Brolin als Matt Graver und Benicio Del Toro sogar noch mehr als der lange Zeit überhaupt nicht wirklich einzuordnende und geheimnisvolle Alejandro. Brolin füllt seinen Matt Graver so sehr mit ätzendem Zynismus, das er wahrlich nicht besonders sympathisch wirkt. Das bereits vor geraumer Zeit völlig desillusionierte Produkt eben jenes aussichtslosen Krieges, der dort im amerikanisch /mexikanischen Grenzland geführt wird, das verbitterte Gegenstück zur idealistischen Kate und vielleicht ein kleiner Ausblick auf ihre Zukunft. Alejandro dagegen ist noch einmal eine ganz andere Liga, mysteriös, wortkarg und die wohl am wenigsten durchschaubare Figur in Sicario, deren eigentliche Motivation sich erst zum Ende hin offenbart. Benicio Del Toro erweist sich als die perfekte Besetzung für den abgebrühten, kaltschnäuzigen und eiskalten Alejandro.Mit Sicario ist Denis Villeneuve ein weiterer herausragender Film gelungen und der Regisseur unterstreicht auch hier mühelos, dass er zweifellos zu den momentan absolut besten seines Fachs zählt. Film um Film dreht er ein kleines Meisterwerk nach dem anderen. Er zeichnet in seinem jüngsten Werk ein sehr realistisches, schonungsloses und ausgesprochen pessimistisches Bild eines Krieges, bei dem es keine Sieger wird geben können. Um dies zu unterstreichen, findet er immer wieder extrem brachiale, zynische und erbarmungslose Motive, und gestaltet Sicario unglaublich desillusionierend. Es ist vielleicht nicht sein bester Film, denn das ist für mich aufgrund seiner emotionalen Wucht, Tragweite und Dringlichkeit immer noch Incendies, aber Sicario ist dennoch verdammt starkes Spannungskino der Extraklasse und ohne jeden Zweifel auch einer der besten Filme im letzten Jahr, der sich mühelos in die Top 3 meiner Lieblingsfilme 2015 hätte schieben können, hätte ich es doch nur früher geschafft ihn anzuschauen.