Sicario

A brilliant and brutal portrayal of Mexican drug cartels and the extremes to which Northamerican forces go to destroy and control them. There is no single main character; rather, a number of them orbiting within systemic forces that can both save and punish with equal measure and without compassion. Emily Blunt, James Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro give powerhouse performances. The cine- matography by Roger Deakins delivers images - particularly of landscapes and movement - that are somehow familiar and other- worldly at the same moment. And the music...Johann Johannson, the Icelandic composer, delivers a score that a times will make you curl into a ball to protect yourself from what is coming. The intelligence of this movie makes it bearable to watch, but it isn't easy. Don't say I didn't warn you. Rated 'R'.