The Sicario films, nothing comes close

Submitted by danielhol t3_1203ic6 in movies

I can't really explain it.

I absolutely love both films.

There are multiple scenes in both films that seem to scratch an itch in my brain.

The scene from the first film where they're crossing the border, the music throughout that whole 15 minute scene, the dialogue, camera work, the team work, all of it. You legit feel on edge the entire time, but you're also confident in their abilities to get the job done.

Then in the second film, when they gear up and they're moving the daughter of the cartel leader. The set up in the false safe house. It's just so brilliant.

Ugh I can't explain it, I've tried watching a bunch of other films in that genre of black ops and nothing comes close.

To be honest, Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro just absolutely amped up the films, they played the parts so well. That might be what it is, but until the third one comes out, I can't find anything similar.

Does anyone have any suggestions that come close to these movies? I guarantee I've already seen them but I'd love to hear some suggestions!

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kneeco28 t1_jdfjg4x wrote

Just limiting to the 21st century: Pretty much all of Villeneuve 's movies, Wind River, Hell or High Water, No Country, Drive, The Town, The Departed, American Made, Drive, Killing Them Softly, Miami Vice, Collateral, Man on Fire, Training Day, The Way of the Gun, City of God. Maybe some Matthew Vaughn or Guy Ritchie.

Then there's a lot of 20th century stuff, certainly Heat. And Traffic for the Del Toro parts.

There's a show on Amazon too, ZeroZeroZero.

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MrTeeTee23 t1_jdfl8td wrote

I loved how del Toro’s character killed it in the 3rd act… he went from being a relative bystander to Blunt’s and Brolin’s characters to just dominating the film. The music in the whole flick was top notch. I couldnt stop thinking how much of a bad ass del Toro’s character was after watching it. Great movie, it is mos def one of the best movies I’ve watched in the last 10 years.

With regards to other similar movie suggestions, the screenwriter for Sicario, Tyler Sheridan has done some great work in Hell or High Water or Wind River.

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redmandolin t1_jdfmkgp wrote

I don’t count the second film, i think Villeneuve really elevated the script on screen to the masterpiece it is, something day of soldado lacked. If you read the original script it’s just not as impactful.

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Chazzledazzle13 t1_jdfmwty wrote

Replying to kneeco28 (#2,327,755)

Villeneuve just has a way with gritty interesting storytelling. I really enjoy watched films through his lens. I remember watching Prisoners with my dad when I was 15 and I was blown away and just well he told that story. His success with Dune and Blade Runner don't surprise me at all. It's going to be fun to watch his career continue to grow moving forward.

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Vicious_Circle-14 t1_jdfqccd wrote

I haven't watched the second one. I really liked the first one but my one complaint is their mission seemed so easy. Nothing went wrong, he managed to get into the dudes house with ease.

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danielhol OP t1_jdfwsri wrote

Replying to kneeco28 (#2,327,755)

Thanks for the suggestions!

I'll take a look at the ones I haven't seen. From that list I haven't seen five out of all the films you listed.

I'll have a watch and report back, thanks.

Also, City of God (recommended it to a friend but they didn't want to watch because of subtitles lol) Heat, The Departed, The Town are 10/10, never watched Traffic but will add it to my list!

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Wandering_Weapon t1_jdfxdl7 wrote

Agreed that Brolin killed it, he plays a fairly realistic CIA:SAD guy. That scene where the Texas police (state troopers?) Are briefing the joint ops guys is also incredibly realistic and pretty funny. That film had some top notch advisors helping the screenplay.

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danielhol OP t1_jdfxljk wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#2,328,631)

Damn.

I mean, I get the whole Kate is through the looking glass with the whole black ops stuff, but it just felt so boring to me. I mean, they set out that the film is under the radar black ops, dirty work that no one sees that we all know goes on.

But as an informed FBI agent, she just felt too goody goody.

I mean, she keeps the film morally in check in terms on the plot, but everytime she kept repeating how it was wrong etc I just rolled my eyes.

I mean I do get it, but it didn't seem to fit the film.

But tbh, without her, it doesn't emphasise what the black ops guys are doing is wrong/illegal.

I do see your point, and tbh, if she didn't highlight how their actions are "wrong", I guess I wouldn't of seen the sequel as "oh shit, this world is dark".

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danielhol OP t1_jdfyxql wrote

Replying to Vicious_Circle-14 (#2,328,527)

In my opinion the second one is amazing.

I think you enjoy it much more if you're invested in Matt and Alejandro's characters. Their black ops romance lol.

Yeah, I can see that.

Although, the whole plot in the first film was to cause enough noise to bring the main guy in to the light so they could get him.

Yeah, Alejandro single handedly handing out vengeance on the bad guy and his family wasn't in line with the rest of the film, where they're all in properly commanded groups.

But tbh, I think it was to justify how much Alejandro and his family suffered at the hands of the bad guy, hence him being this super bad ass who was hell bent on revenge and had the skills to back it up.

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FranceSucksSoBad t1_jdfzegb wrote

Replying to danielhol (#2,329,282)

I think Kate's viewpoint does more than just highlight the morality as well. It's interesting to see how all of the newfound experience effects her at the end considering how strong her moral barometer was shown to be.

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Tim_Drake t1_jdg3o2p wrote

Replying to danielhol (#2,329,431)

You think they make a third?!

And I absolutely agree the Sicario scratches an itch that I have rarely found since! ZeroZeroZero comes extremely close and at times tops Sicario.

It’s directed and written by the team who did Gomorrah!

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Tim_Drake t1_jdg3z5f wrote

I would throw in Triple 9, Den of Thieves, Brooklyns Finest, Street Kings, The Drop, Dark Blue, and Narc.

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Tim_Drake t1_jdg7qht wrote

Replying to Haunting_opinion90 (#2,330,216)

Richard Gere was so dark in that movie! Ethan Hawke was also a powerhouse!

Street Kings I feel was actually a big push for Keanu to get back into action films! He was perfect in that role! Loved Forest Whitaker speech at the end!

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Haunting_opinion90 t1_jdg80ai wrote

Replying to Tim_Drake (#2,330,237)

I need to go back and watch it i almost forgot hawke was in it! He’s always in some good cop flicks! I did love gere in it it was nice seeing him in something different like that. Whittaker was great and definitely a great speech! I also loved the guy from house in it he was good

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mechaiineramen t1_jdgy522 wrote

Replying to danielhol (#2,329,282)

Bro, that's gjr ENTIRE POINT of Sicario. The whole movie is a morality tale and it's meant to bring up questions about the morality of the drug trade, how we police it, the illegality of it, questions about the CIA, about torture, about revenge, about working in the dark and answering to no one. All these things. That's why it's such a good movie made by a master director. You finding it boring says a lot about you and your ability to think about these things.

Benicio literally tortures someone for information and everyone around him is fine with it. You apparently are fine with it or don't wanna think about it. He murders an innocent wife and children and you are fine with it or dont wanna think about it, or how he hijacks a driver and murders him too. Or how all of that is sanctioned by the US Government and how the one person who knows it's fucked up in the movie is forced at gunpoint to sign off on it and say everything was fine and went according to plan.

You don't wanna think about that? It doesn't fit the film? That's what the film is about. That's the entire point. It's not some lame action film like the sequel and that's why the sequel sucks ass and has a 61% compared to Sicarios 92%.

And WE all don't know how things like this go on. Ask anybody. Your average person doesn't know about shit like this or want to admit it or really have any kind or clue. They might nod their head and agree with you if you bring it up but they don't actually grasp anything you're talking about. And that's why this movie was written. That's the entire point. It does a WAY better job of tackling those issues than the generic sequel.

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danielhol OP t1_jdh9l0i wrote

Replying to mechaiineramen (#2,332,357)

"You finding it boring says a lot about you and your ability to think about these things."

Okay, a few things here.

I said that she keeps the film morally in check and that without her, the film doesn't shine a light on the bad and illegal stuff going on in the world. If I didn't have the ability to think about these things, I wouldn't of made that point.

Secondly, I think it's naive to say that people don't know this sort of stuff goes down. I would take a guess and say that you are probably aware that a lot of shady shit goes on around the world. There's literally thousands of films, TV series, video games and books that touch on this subject in a number of different ways. And the reality is that this stuff does go down all over the world, there's bad guys, and bad guys to fight the bad guys.

And in terms of "I'm fine with it or don't want to think about it", I don't know how you can read my mind but no, I don't think that these things that happen in the world are morally right or justifiable under the guise of 'cool black ops shit', but I can however acknowledge that it goes on in terms of the films narrative. I don't really understand how you can say that to a stranger on the internet, I mean, are you doing anything in your life to think about and make changes on the subject of torture, the drug trade? If so, great, but I highly doubt it, so that's kind of a put your money where your mouth is statement to say to me that "I'M fine with it".

I agree that it is a morality tale, but sometimes you don't need someone to hold your hand throughout the film to state or constantly show you that what's going on is wrong or immoral. That's what frustrated me about Kate in the film, her consistently every ten minutes reminding the audience that what's going on isn't okay just felt like pandering at times. That's my only very small complaint about the film.

In the second film, I cannot fathom how anyone could watch the film and not think that you know what they're doing is illegal or immoral. The scene where Alejandro guns down that politician or lawyer in the street should immediately jump out at you. I mean, if you placed Kate or someone who had to play the role of the morality police in the second film, I highly doubt it would of been a better film.

And to be honest, the fact that Kate is defeated in the first film and there isn't someone in the second film doing the same thing speaks volumes more to me in terms of morality, because it shows that this is a constant revolving door in the world of endless violence and immoral acts and that there aren't enough morally "good" people like Kate who can get high enough (position wise) to stop these sorts of things from happening or make real change.

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