History Film / Sicario

* ChekhovsGunman: Silvio's [[TwoLinesNoWaiting storyline]] seems to be completely removed from the main plotline. [[spoiler:That is, until he is revealed to be working as a [[DirtyCop mule]] for the Sonora cartel and is then used Alejandro as part of his [[TrojanHorse]] to infiltrate Fausto's mansion.]]

* ChekhovsSpeech: Alejandro warns Kate that the Mexican police convoy [[DirtyCop is not to be trusted]]. [[spoiler:One member of the Mexican convoy tries to kill Kate at the border crossing, and Kate is able to survive the assassination attempt.]]

* CrapsackWorld: Life on the U.S.-Mexico border is depicted as being dreary (especially in Juarez) and where the [[DirtyCop cops]] are either corrupt or fighting dirty in the War on Drugs.

* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: Alejandro's specialty.

* ShowerOfAngst: After the bust at the ''House of Horrors'', Kate is senn taking a shower at her apartment to clean herself of the blood of her colleagues killed in the [[StuffBlowingUp explosion]].

* GeniusBruiser: Alejandro used to be a prosecutor in Mexico before becoming a contactor.

* ByTheBookCop: Both Kate and Reggie try to accomplish the miission legally.

* StuffBlowingUp: The shed in the backyard of the ''House of Horrors'' explodes when cops try to open a trapdoor. The deflagration kills tow cops.
* TranquilFury: Alejandro never raises his voice [[during his confrontation with [[BigBad Fausto Alarcon]], the man who murdered his family.]]

** His torture of [[spoiler:Ted]] happens mostly offscreen, but we do see Alejandro roughing him up a bit and pressing his pinkie into his eardrum, causing [[spoiler:him]] a lot of pain.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler:Ted appears to be a NiceGuy at first, but as soon as Kate discovers he is affiliated to the cartels and attacks him, he drops the [[FauxAffablyEvil façade]] and attempts to stangle her.]]
* BlackAndGrayMorality: It is shown that drug lords, such as Fausto Alarcon, kidnap, kill and mutilate people on both sides of the boder to inspire fear and maintain control, but Matt and his team are not above shooting cartel sicarios in public or using torture to bring down the Sonora cartel. [[spoiler:Then it almost crosses into BlackAndBlackMorality when Matt tells Kate that his actions are going to help restore power to the Medellin cartel and that the goal was never to stop the cartels, but to control them.]]

* ColdBloodedTorture: [[NothingIsScarier Whatever Alejandro does to Guillermo to loosen is tongue]], it sure does not sound pretty.

* [[YouKilledMyFather YouKilledMyWifeAndDaughter]]: [[spoiler:Alejandro's motive to go against Fausto Alarcon]]

** BiggerBad: He is only one part of the Sonora cartel

** During the inital crossing to Juarez, Alejandro warns Kate not to trust the Mexican police force. [[spoiler:Sure enough, during the shootout at the border crossing, a Mexican SWAT member attempts to kill Kate behind her back, but she ducks out of the way and shoots back at him.]]

* VomitIndiscretionShot: Kate and her colleagues are seen throwing up onscreen after discovering the corpses hidden behind the drywall of a suburban house.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: [[spoiler:Alejandro's [[TheLostLenore wife and daughter]] were murdered at Fausto Alarcon's orders years ago.]]

** [[spoiler:[[DirtyCop Silvio]]]] is a [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] version in that he is not particularly evil. He loves his wife and son nevertheless.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler:Ted appears to be a NiceGuy at first, but as soon as Kate discovers he is affiliated to the cartels and tries to escape him, he drops the [[FauxAffablyEvil façade]] and attempts to stangle her.]]
* BlackAndGrayMorality: It is shown that drug cartels kidnap, kill and mutilate people on both sides of the boder to inspire fear and maintain control, but Matt and his team are not above shooting random thugs or using torture to get their way. [[spoiler:Then it almost crosses into BlackAndBlackMorality when Matt tells Kate that his actions are going to help restore power to the Medellin cartel and that the goal was never to stop the cartels, but to control them.]]

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Both [[BigBad Fausto Alarcon]] and [[TheDragon Manuel Diaz]] are shown to have families that they care about. [[spoiler:Fausto is clearly shaken when Alejandro murders his family without blinking.]]

* CIAEvilFBIGood: [[spoiler:Matt turns out to be from the CIA and he uses [[CowboyCop underhanded and illegal methods]] to get his way, while Kate and Reggie are from the FBI and try to [[ByTheBookCop follow protocol]].]]

** [[Spoiler:[[DirtyCop Silvio]]]] is a [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] version in that he is not particularly evil. He loves his wife and son nevertheless.

* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Matt and Alejandro do a lot of morally questionable things in their quest to bring down [[BigBad Fausto Alarcon]] and the Sonora Cartel. [[spoiler:Once Alejandro reaches Fausto for his [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge]], the latter proceeds to [[EvilGloating taunt him]] by asking if [[TheLostLenore his wife]] would approve of the man he has become.]]

* OneManArmy: [[Alejandro during his assault on Fausto's mansion.]]

* TheStoic: Alejandro never seems to show much emotion, in contrast to Matt's [[FauxAffablyEvil jovial]] personality.

* CIAEvilFBIGood: [[Matt turns out to be from CIA and he uses [[CowboyCop underhanded methods]] to get his way, while Kate and Reggie are FBI and try to go [[ByTheBookCop by-the-book]].]]

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Both [[BigBad Fausto Alarcon]] and [[TheDragon Manuel Diaz]] are shown to have families that they care about. Silvio is a [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] version in that he is a corrupt though not particularly evil [[DirtyCop cop]]. He loves his wife and son nevertheless.
* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler:Kate is left broken and betrayed after the movie's events.]]

* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: [[spoiler:Alejandro's motive all along. He seeks retribution against drug lord Fausto Alarcon for murdering his wife and daughter.]]

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Both [[BigBad Fausto Alarcon]] and [[TheDragon Manuel Diaz]] are shown to have families that they care about. Silvio is a [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] version in that he is a corrupt though not particularly evil [[DirtyCop cop]] and still loves his son.

* DownerEnding: Possibly the darkest out of all of Denis Villeneuve's movies. [[Kate is [[HeroicBSOD left broken and devastated]] by the horrors she has witnessed while [[FauxAffablyEvil Matt]] and [[HeWhoFightsMonsters Alejandro]] [[KarmaHoudini do not face consequences for their actions]]. Meanwhile, Juarez is still a warzone.]]

** [[spoiler:Alejandro's daughter was thrown into a vat of acid at Fausto Alarcon's orders many years ago.]]

* InfantImmortality: Horribly [[AvertedTrope averted]] both in backstory and in the film itself. [[spoiler:Alejandro's daughter was thrown into a vat of acid at Fausto Alarcon's orders many years ago. Alejandro himself shows no compunction about murdering Fausto's two sons[[ForcedToWatch before his eyes]] before killing him.]]

BlackAndGrayMorality: It is shown that drug cartels kidnap, kill and mutilate people on both sides of the boder to inspire fear and maintain control, but Matt and his team are not above shooting random thugs or using torture to get their way. [[spoiler:Then it almost crosses into BlackAndBlackMorality when Matt tells Kate that his actions are going to help restore power to the Medellin cartel and that the goal was never to stop the cartels, but to control them.]]
InfantImmortality: Horribly [[AvertedTrope averted]] both in backstory and in the film itself. [[spoiler:Alejandro's daughter was thrown into a vat of acid at Fausto Alarcon's orders many years ago. Alejandro himself shows no compunction about murdering Fausto's two sons[[ForcedToWatch before his eyes]] before killing him.]]
OnlyOneName: Alejandro
RoaringRampageOfRevenge: [[spoiler:Alejandro's motive all along. He seeks retribution against drug lord Fausto Alarcon for murdering his wife and daughter.]]

Official Trailer [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XLQ1bkSLDo here]].

The film stars Creator/EmilyBlunt, Creator/BenicioDelToro, Creator/JoshBrolin, and Victor Garber. It tells the story of Kate Macer (played by Blunt), an idealistic FBI Special Weapons and Tactics Teams agent, who is enlisted by a government official (played by Brolin) to aid in a joint task force tracking down an anonymous drug lord.