Sicario movie, Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro film 2015

New Emily Blunt & Benicio del Toro movie Sicario is a taut, intelligent thriller, boosted by a stunningly steely female protagonist, which looses its edge a little in the complicated web of Mexican cartels.

Sicario film: Emily Blunt, Movie Reviews 2015

Dennis Villeneuve has a reputation for directing fractious and intelligent thrillers. 2013 saw him release Prisoners and Enemy – nervy tales of abduction and confused identity. With his newest release Sicario, movie director French-Canadian Dennis Villeneuve edges towards the blockbuster, with the the hitman movie honing his taut suspenseful style and his choreographic eye for action.

Sicario definition: 'Hitman' film review

Deriving its title from the Spanish word for ‘hit man’, the desert expanses of the Mexican-American borderlands make for an atmospheric backdrop. While the moments of action are absorbing, the intrigue unravels slightly with the increasingly tangled plot. The biggest draw is Emily Blunt (Edge of Tomorrow, Into the Woods). She has been going from strength to strength in recent years and here impresses as Kate Macer, a hard-boiled FBI agent sent in search of a drug lord. Accompanying her are a pair of inscrutable contractors: action-stalwart Josh Brolin (Inherent Vice, American Gangster) stars as a gum-chewing big-dog cop Matt Graver, while Benicio Del Toro (Che) completes the trio as the equally enigmatic Alejandro.

'A compelling story of uncertain motives and compromised intentions'

From this premise unfolds a compelling story of uncertain motives and compromised intentions, revealing the swarming complexity of the War on Drugs. The film’s focus is both macro- and microscopic, and the characters in Taylor Sheridan’s terse screenplay each find themselves embroiled in a conflict beyond their understanding. The tension certainly ratchets up, but after a strong build up the revelations towards the end of the film feel slightly underwhelming. The soundtrack, meanwhile, is suitably menacing; written by composer Jóhann Jóhannsson (The Theory of Everything), it lends much to the film’s atmosphere of sun-cracked portent.

Film releases Cannes 2015

Reinvigorating thriller tropes, the movie is an intense exploration of the contemporary landscape. Movie reviews 2015 described the film as serious-minded and unflinching, and it won plaudits at this year’s Cannes Film Festival 2015. Airing in UK cinemas from 18 September, Sicario has an edge over standard thrillers thanks to strong performances and a punchy but plausible female lead and it's certainly entertaining -- iust don't expect to be blown away by the plot.