Sicario delivers an unflinching critique of the naivety of American foreign policy. Villeneuve sets out to dismantle its bleak binary mindset that if someone isn’t your friend, they’re your enemy.
Kate is the audience’s surrogate; her journey reflects the confusion and disillusionment faced by those who approach morally messy situations - like wars - with black and white expectations. By the end, Kate’s distress mirrors our own as we’re left with the bitter realisation that complete justice is unrealistic. This realisation stems from our ongoing encounters with the murky pragmatism of Alejandro and Matt, characters who represent the broader moral ambiguities and compromises necessary in war.
