Sicario (2015)

Sicario (2015) is an American action thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Taylor Sheridan. Set in Chandler, Arizona, it follows FBI Special Agents Kate Macer and Reggie Wayne as they lead a raid on a Sonora Cartel safe house, where they make a gruesome discovery. During the operation, two police officers are killed by an explosive booby trap. As a result of her performance, Kate joins a Joint Task Force run by CIA Officer Matt Graver and former Mexican prosecutor turned CIA-trained assassin Alejandro Gillick. Together, they aim to locate and capture Sonora lieutenant Manuel Díaz, who is hiding in the United States. The team consists of Delta Force operators, Deputy US Marshals, and CIA personnel who journey to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico to extradite Díaz’s brother Guillermo. However, their plans are interrupted when they are ambushed by low-level cartel hitmen while crossing the El Paso–Juárez border; fortunately, the Americans swiftly eliminate the threat.

During the intense conflict, Kate is compelled to take the life of a Federal Police officer and is visibly disturbed by the extreme violence. Upon returning to the United States, Alejandro subjects Guillermo to torture in order to extract information about the cartel’s use of a tunnel near Nogales, Sonora for drug smuggling. Meanwhile, Kate confronts Matt and discovers that their true objective is to disrupt Díaz’s drug operations in order to track down his boss, notorious drug lord Fausto Alarcón. Feeling unsettled by this revelation, Kate turns to Reggie for support and asks him to join her on her mission. The task force executes a successful raid on a bank used for Díaz’s money laundering scheme. After obtaining crucial financial evidence, both Kate and Reggie are eager to initiate legal action against Díaz but are instructed by superiors to halt their efforts in order to preserve the ongoing operation. In an attempt to unwind after their intense day, Reggie introduces Kate to Ted, a Phoenix Police officer.