An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
- Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 15 wins & 157 nominations total
Raoul Max Trujillo
- Rafael
- (as Raoul Trujillo)
Maximiliano HernƔndez
- Silvio
- (as Maximiliano Hernandez)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhile Benicio Del Toro's character is frequently silent in the movie, he initially had more lines. "In the original script, the character explained his background several times to Kate," Del Toro said. "And that gave me information about who this guy was, but it felt a little stiff to have someone you just met fifteen minutes ago suddenly telling you what happened to him and who he is." Working with director Denis Villeneuve, Del Toro began cutting some of his dialogue to preserve the mystery of who his character is; Villeneuve estimated they cut 90% of what Del Toro was originally intended to say by screenwriter Taylor Sheridan. Like Del Toro, Villeneuve saw power in stripping the character down to a brooding silence, stating that dialogue belongs to plays and "movies are about movement, character, and presence, and Benicio had all that."
- GoofsIn the sequence following the arrests at the bank, it is stated that something illegal may have occurred that the IRS would be needed to figure out. Making daily deposits of 9000 dollars to avoid the cash transaction reporting limit of 10,000 dollars is a crime known as "structuring". Any law enforcement officer familiar with the narcotics trade would know this.
- SoundtracksHalf Empty
Written by Wyatt Earp and Keith Gattis
Performed by Keith Gattis
Courtesy of Pioneertown Productions
Featured review
Villeneuve's Best Film. Gritty, Stark, In Your Face & Head Thriller
Sicario is a film one never forgets. Brutal horror of a Mexican drug cartel tracked down by a wily and savvy Intel Agency Contractor (Josh Brolin) with an American Cowboy my-way-or-highway playbook, two FBI agents (Emily Blunt and Daniel Kaluuya) about to get a first-hand indoctrination into the front-line multi-agency specialty-team of drug-lord hunters, and a mysterious Mexican subject-matter advisor (Benicio Del Toro) bent on delivering his version of justice and personal revenge set the stage for one Hell of a ride over the border - the brilliant subtlety of the scenes and editing serves only to magnify the plot and action.
Stunning Cinematography highlights the scenic beauty of the country besieged with the contradicting brutality of the Mexican drug trade in the "land of wolves". Eerie moody music and superior sound editing escalates the tension that builds throughout. Genius editing creates a droning non-stop flow of that tension, an essential element to the success of any thriller.
Sicario was compelling evidence in 2015 (one of the best and most competitive years of the new Millennium for film releases with 'Spotlight' and 'Bridge of Spies' also in the same year) that Denis was one of the industry's very best newly emerged Directors - one who was most-likely to put out future films on an epic Hall of Fame level. His 2016 film 'Arrival' was an interesting follow-up to Sicario, taking him into the sci-fi realm with an intelligent screenplay and once again moody cinematography and editing.
However, his 2017 film 'Blade Runner 2049' derailed his momentum with its often too-long droning scenes and lack of effective story-boarding, sending us a confusing message.
The 'Dune' trilogy is now Villeneuve's main focus, and its first episode not clearly indicating whether Sicario was Denis' crowning achievement or a taste of greatness that lay ahead in the remaining Dune entries. Dune 1 was hoped by many sci fi fans to be an all-time sci fi achievement in film, but in many ways disappointed, and was more like an extended trailer for the epic ("sets the stage" as Denis later stated). Dune's catch phrase at the end of Dune "It's only the beginning" may be an indication of much greater things ahead - Let's hope it is that, and not a warning.
For now at least (early July, 2023), Sicario is clearly Denis' best film - a MUST-SEE movie.
NOTE: The realistic and brutal violence of this film and situations are intense, and NOT appropriate for those under 16 (or those easily affected by such).
If one wonders why the USA puts forth so much effort in the War on Drugs on and over our Southern border, this film illuminates the rationale in clear stark light.
šš
Stunning Cinematography highlights the scenic beauty of the country besieged with the contradicting brutality of the Mexican drug trade in the "land of wolves". Eerie moody music and superior sound editing escalates the tension that builds throughout. Genius editing creates a droning non-stop flow of that tension, an essential element to the success of any thriller.
Sicario was compelling evidence in 2015 (one of the best and most competitive years of the new Millennium for film releases with 'Spotlight' and 'Bridge of Spies' also in the same year) that Denis was one of the industry's very best newly emerged Directors - one who was most-likely to put out future films on an epic Hall of Fame level. His 2016 film 'Arrival' was an interesting follow-up to Sicario, taking him into the sci-fi realm with an intelligent screenplay and once again moody cinematography and editing.
However, his 2017 film 'Blade Runner 2049' derailed his momentum with its often too-long droning scenes and lack of effective story-boarding, sending us a confusing message.
The 'Dune' trilogy is now Villeneuve's main focus, and its first episode not clearly indicating whether Sicario was Denis' crowning achievement or a taste of greatness that lay ahead in the remaining Dune entries. Dune 1 was hoped by many sci fi fans to be an all-time sci fi achievement in film, but in many ways disappointed, and was more like an extended trailer for the epic ("sets the stage" as Denis later stated). Dune's catch phrase at the end of Dune "It's only the beginning" may be an indication of much greater things ahead - Let's hope it is that, and not a warning.
For now at least (early July, 2023), Sicario is clearly Denis' best film - a MUST-SEE movie.
NOTE: The realistic and brutal violence of this film and situations are intense, and NOT appropriate for those under 16 (or those easily affected by such).
If one wonders why the USA puts forth so much effort in the War on Drugs on and over our Southern border, this film illuminates the rationale in clear stark light.
šš
helpfulā¢263
- Instant_Palmer
- Jul 5, 2023
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Sicario: Ranh Giį»i
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $30,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $46,889,293
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $401,288
- Sep 20, 2015
- Gross worldwide
- $84,997,446
- Runtime2 hours 1 minute
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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