Denis Villeneuve unveiled his drug war thriller “Sicario” at the Cannes Film Festival, premiering a muscular saga that plunges deep into Mexico only to reveal more about the other side of the border. Emily Blunt stars as an FBI agent enlisted to a task force led by a cocky CIA operative, played by Josh Brolin. They’re joined by a mysterious Columbian played by Benicio del Toro. In clandestine raids into Mexico and other illicit activities, they attempt to bring down a cartel boss. A bleakly violent thriller, “Sicario” is the Quebecois director’s second collaboration with the revered cinematographer Roger Deakins. Like their 2013 kidnapping drama “Prisoners,” it’s heavy with allusion to the morality of employing violent military tactics for the sake of American safety.
