Sicario (2015) ***

Watching Emily Blunt in “Edge of Tomorrow,” it seems to me that she likes to play a badass. In “Sicario,” she plays a badass who is in over her head. In this neo-noir, we find her as FBI agent Kate Macer, highly competent and dedicated to doing things by the book. She is tapped to join a multi-agency team combating Mexican drug cartels. She quickly figures out that her team members, Matt (Josh Brolin) and Alejandro (Benicio del Toro), are probably CIA, and definitely willing to engage in non-traditional tactics.

As Kate and her FBI partner Reggie (Daniel Kaluuya) get drawn further into Matt and Alejandro's operation, they face a quandary. The good work they have been doing with the FBI has yielded few results in the war against the cartels, which seem to be importing more and more drugs and death across the border. Matt promises results that matter, bringing down the big bosses, but his methods, and the cross-border scope of his plan is increasingly problematic for Kate.

I enjoyed “Sicario,” although I found Kate's squeaky-clean attitude tiresome. Emily Blunt is the star, but the film is stolen by Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro. The best part of the film, however, is the cinematography during the famous tunnel scene. It's worth watching for that, and to see what an absolute terror Alejandro turns out to be.

3 stars out of 5