A FEW DECENT SHOTS IN THE DARK

Dennis Villeneuve established his reputation as a movie director of slow tempo, difficult life stories with some strong symbolism („Incendies”, „Enemy”, „Prisoners”). His movies are highly recognizable, but also often without a real conclusion and purpose.

„Sicario” is one of those movies with its painfully slow script about the DEA and FBI agents hunting Mexico drug cartel leaders in the border area between two countries. The characters represent just rough sketches, with Benicio del Toro stealing the show as a merciless support male role. Emily Blunt is really annoying and redundant  as a female lead, while Josh Brolin is actually decent when it comes to quality of his acting, maybe for the first time in his entire career.

Villeneuve's directing talent bursts out in two tense action sequences (entering Ciudad Juarez and border stakeout), but remains dormant in the second part of the movie, excluding the dining scene at the very end.

„Sicario” is one ambitious flick with no real coverage when it comes to quality.

SICARIO - 4/10

FOTO: thehofstrachronicle.com

NOTHING NEW

Mountaineering movies haven’t come a long way since genre’s first box-office smasher, „Cliffhanger”. If we exclude several European tryouts („Nordwand”), everything else coming from Hollywood was mediocre. „Everest” doesn’t represent an exception from that rule.

Story based on true events takes us on a final civil excursion on the highest peak in the world which several climbers won’t finish among the living. Besides the highly speculative script, the main roles fail significantly (Josh Brolin, Keira Knightley), while the better part of the casting remain unused (Jake Gyllenhaal, Sam Worthington). On the bright side, there are some merciless scenes and realistic portrays of climber’s final moments.

„Everest” offers nothing new to the subgenre and therefore should not be the subject of such a hype that followed it.

EVEREST - 4/10

FOTO: monkeygoosemag.com