Sicario

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
Sicario Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

Violent drug-lord battle is masterful but pessimistic.

R 2015 121 minutes
Rate movie

Parents say

age 16+

Based on 8 reviews

Kids say

age 15+

Based on 21 reviews

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate movie

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Sicario is a dramatic thriller about an FBI special task force dedicated to taking out drug lords in Mexico (the title means "hit man" in Spanish). It has a lot of strong, sometimes gruesome violence, with scenes of decomposing corpses, shootings, killings, fighting, bloody wounds, and explosions. A couple kisses and nearly has sex, but they're interrupted; the main female character is also shown in her bra. There's also some sex talk, as well as other strong language ("f--k," "a--hole," etc.). Drugs aren't readily shown, but characters sometimes drink or smoke a bit too much, and drug dealing is at the heart of the story. Though the material is intense and fairly grim, it's a masterful, often exhilarating movie with a complex, strong female lead character (played by Emily Blunt).

Community Reviews

rtgfc T.
rtgfc T. Adult
November 24, 2022
age 16+

This title has:

Too much violence
vxctor_
vxctor_ Adult
April 29, 2019
age 13+

Excellent Film, Dark Topics

Sicario is very action packed, the suspense is nerve recking, and the harsh reality that this films very dark. It tells the dark side of American justice involving Contractors who battle the cartel in Mexico Responsible for a bombing and running a cartel operations in Phoenix Arizona. It shows how the government denies and does things behind the American populations back in order for the greater good of the country. The Two main male Agents are very tact, intelligent, and cunning individuals who can get any task complete by any means necessary. Their work ethics are definitely admirable. The way they carry out jobs through violence is somewhat questionable if not over kill at times. Which can be a good topic to discuss actions and consequences.The female cop lead role is also a good role model in the way where she questions a lot of what they do morally and always aims to do the right thing when no ones watching, but her coping methods by smoking,and drinking are something you can discuss with your teens. I would definitely watch this movie with my teens and absolutely have no problem knowing morally what’s okay and what’s not.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In SICARIO, FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) and her partner, Reggie (Daniel Kaluuya), raid a house in Arizona, where they discover decomposing bodies hidden in the walls -- as well as hidden explosives; it's the work of powerful Mexican drug cartels. When the mysterious Matt (Josh Brolin) shows up and asks Kate to join a new task force dedicated to bringing the drug lords down, she agrees. And after meeting up with the even more cryptic Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro), she discovers that there's more at stake than she imagined: She's given misinformation -- or no information -- and the task force's missions never seem to be more than arresting or shooting random thugs. As time goes on, Kate realizes that she's only a small cog in a much larger, darker plan.

Is It Any Good?

Aided by Roger Deakins' glorious cinematography, director Denis Villeneuve delivers an essential movie for our times: brilliant, bold, and unflinchingly pessimistic, but still exhilarating. Using a great first screenplay by actor Taylor Sheridan, Sicario places viewers directly in Kate's shoes; the movie spends long minutes simply watching, observing events without explaining them. It creates a world of tense uncertainty in which our hero could be in danger -- or safe -- at any time.

For such a complex movie, Sicario also manages to be strongly visual, underlining physical spaces -- open, shadowy, unsafe, tight areas -- and frequently noting how small Kate seems compared to her colleagues. It also manages a strong visceral sense of human capabilities and frailties (exhaustion, hunger, etc.), making later scenes even stronger. Given this powerful framework, the actors all deliver exemplary performances, with Del Toro perhaps at the forefront.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Sicario's violence. Which parts were gruesome, and which were exciting? How did the movie achieve these effects? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • The main character seems to use smoking, drinking, and sex as ways to relieve stress. Is this healthy? What are the consequences? Are they realistic?

  • What does the movie have to say about law versus justice? What's the difference between the two? Does the end justify the means?

  • How do you feel about Kate? Is she a role model? What are her flaws or shortcomings?

Movie Details

Our Editors Recommend

  • Argo Poster Image

    Argo

    Taut political thriller based on real-life escape from Iran.

    age 16+
  • Munich Poster Image

    Munich

    Complex, powerful drama has intense violence.

    age 15+
  • The Manchurian Candidate Poster Image

    The Manchurian Candidate

    Classic Cold War satirical thriller stands test of time.

    age 13+

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate