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

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DARK MULTINATIONAL GORE

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Cary Fukunaga is one superb moviemaker. Mix of cultures in his genome obviously led to some very interesting intertwining of the preferable styles and genres, mixing thriller with the noir.

However, in ”Sin nombre” everything is not noir, but pitch black. Subject of a renegade gang member trying to run from Salvador to the States is sometimes just too gruesome to watch, without any ray of hope until the very end.

Cinematography and action are really good and the concept that revolves around the freight train carrying immigrants is just great.

”Sin nombre” is a hefty and heart-chilling thriller for those with the stomach to take it.

SIN NOMBRE - 6/10

ART OF DARKNESS

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Alejandro Gonzales innaritu is the man of the cinema. Every single one of his flicks is a small masterpiece and ”Biutiful” doesn’t fail to achieve the greatness of its predecessors.

This time, the main role goes to the back streets of Barcelona and its inhabitants, Chinese and African immigrants fighting for survival. Amongst them is the terminally ill man (fantastic Javier Bardem) with the rare gift of seeing the dead ones before they go to the heavens.

Photography is just plain amazing and as with every good Mexican director (Del Torro, Cuaron), moments of horror are there as well. Script is just too heavy for a reiterative watching of this quality flick.

”Biutiful” is just another one of those Innaritu’s ”biutiful” movies.

BIUTIFUL - 8/10