Prior to their respective rise to fame in the entertainment industry (for the “Dune” and “Yellowstone” franchises), Denis Villeneuve and Taylor Sheridan worked together on a small thriller called “Sicario.” This ground-breaking 2015 film explored the battle against drug cartels from a novel perspective and gave audiences an incredible ride. “Sicario” launched a franchise and aided in advancing the careers of both filmmakers.
Here are some additional movies that will satisfy your cravings while you wait for the release of the newest installment in the “Sicario” saga, whose working title suggests an intriguing potential plot point. While some of these films share a writer or director with “Sicario,” others have actors from the film. They cover a wide range of genres, including horror, heist, neo-Western, and political thrillers. They all share the same components, though, which contributed to “Sicario”‘s surprising success. If you enjoyed “Sicario,” you ought to see these films.
A Quiet Place
We don’t blame you for thinking that a low-budget, PG-13 horror film has little in common with “Sicario.” However, “A Quiet Place” from 2018 is shockingly similar. Emily Blunt plays a key role in both. Both forgo conventional action sequences in favor of an underlying sense of foreboding. Additionally, both fully utilize the film’s sound design to transport audiences to their unsettling, frequently hostile universes.
According to “A Quiet Place,” alien beings have wiped out the majority of humanity and would destroy anything that makes even the smallest sound. The surviving live in utter silence, barely making ends meet. The movie centers on a family following a tragedy: Lee (John Krasinski, who also serves as director), Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Regan (Millicent Simmonds), and Marcus (Noah Jupe). Knowing that less is more, Krasinski skillfully creates tension. This nearly wordless film is flawless, demonstrating that often the most horrifying monsters in movies are the ones you can’t see, but you can be sure they can still hear you.
Civil War
If you liked “Sicario,” there is another movie about soldiers who attempt to maintain their morals but end up getting mixed up with everyone else. “Civil War” by writer-director Alex Garland imagines a tense situation in which the US has entered a new civil war. The movie centers on two photojournalists, the optimistic Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) and the disillusioned Lee (Kirsten Dunst), who are trying to document the battle. We witness the cost the two are prepared to incur in order to record the truth as they traverse the devastated countryside.
2024’s “Civil War” flips all we know, much like “Sicario” makes the familiar seem foreign to viewers (for example, with its opening shot of bodies concealed in a suburban home’s walls). With its slow pacing and ominous atmosphere, this film will appeal to fans of “Sicario.” It is light on action, but when the slowly building suspense finally explodes into violence, it is too hypnotic for you to look away. It will also shake you to your core to watch the American heartland turned into a war zone. The film, like “Sicario,” poses the question of whether it is possible to observe such horrors without taking part in them.
Enemy
In “Enemy,” Jake Gyllenhaal’s character, Adam Bell, a history professor, meets a man who resembles him identically. The suspense only grows when Adam goes in search of his doppelgänger, particularly since Adam’s double is quite eager to meet Adam’s girlfriend (Melanie Laurent).
In addition to drawing you in right away with its spooky threat, the 2013 movie somehow makes tarantulas seem much more unsettling than they already are.In two captivating performances, Gyllenhaal uses his body alone to help viewers differentiate between these two very identical personas.
Despite being in a slightly different genre than “Sicario,” “Enemy” is clearly directed by the same person because of the manner he allows the plot to develop. Denis Villeneuve keeps you guessing and teases you with little tidbits of knowledge. It’s arguably among the best slow-burning films available. Similar to “Sicario,” “Enemy” is a difficult film that could require a second viewing to completely understand its perplexing conclusion. But its genius is there.
No Country for Old Men
A Texas man (Josh Brolin) finds a suitcase full of drug money and decides to keep it for himself; a dangerous hitman (Javier Bardem) is sent to retrieve the suitcase; and a bewildered sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) is helpless to stop the inevitable violence that unfolds in this Oscar-winning neo-Western, which was directed by Joel and Ethan Coen.
“No Country for Old Men” possesses every element that had made “Sicario” so potent. It portrays a mysterious hitman who follows his own rules and a bright-eyed law enforcement officer who quickly finds themselves in over their heads (Bardem’s character may be the cinematic cousin of Benicio del Toro’s sicario). Yes, and Josh Brolin is also featured. Brolin gives the part the same badass gravitas as Matt Graver, even though Llewyn Moss lacks his charisma.
Since the universe of “No Country for Old Men” is populated by wolves, the villain in this movie truly prevails, just like in “Sicario.” The 2007 picture also features a number of unsettling images of the American West that would be perfectly appropriate for that movie.
Prisoners
In “Prisoners,” the families of two youngsters are heartbroken when they disappear in broad daylight from their Pennsylvania suburb. Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), the father of one of the girls, decides to take matters into his own hands because he believes Detective Loki’s (Jake Gyllenhaal) police inquiry isn’t going far enough. Keller quickly kidnaps Paul Dano, a potential suspect, in order to question him, but his attempts at vigilante justice quickly go too far.
If this 2013 film seems familiar to you, it’s because it was directed by the same person as “Sicario.” Denis Villeneuve is the director of both films, and you can see the parallels between their somber photography and their convoluted storylines. Alejandro, who will stop at nothing to exact revenge on his wife and daughter, may be compared to Hugh Jackman’s desperate father. There aren’t many films that can make you feel as dreadful as “Prisoners.”
Sicario: Day Of The Soldado
If you enjoyed “Sicario,” you should start with its sequel, “Sicario: Day Of The Soldado,” which came out in 2018. It isn’t as complex as “Sicario,” but it’s still a good film. You see a lot of Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and particularly Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro) in the sequel, despite the absence of Kate Mercer (Emily Blunt). Once more called upon to “stir the pot,” Matt and Alejandro attempt to incite conflict between two rival cartels by kidnapping the kingpin’s daughter, Isabela Merced, and then blaming it on the opposing gang. But when the kidnapping fails, Alejandro chooses to shield the girl instead.
Although Denis Villeneuve is replaced as director by Stefano Sollima, screenwriter Taylor Sheridan returns to create a twisted neo-Western that allows Benicio del Toro to display a more vulnerable side.Brolin, however, is so charming that you nearly forget about his character’s moral failings.”Sicario: Day Of The Soldado” is a gorgeous thriller that is still worth seeing if you can overlook the film’s ending, which was obviously meant to set up a sequel.
Syriana
Although “Syriana” is about the oil trade rather than the drug trade, it shares many similarities with “Sicario.” This 2005 film by writer-director Stephen Gaghan (who also wrote “Traffic”) delves deeply into the murky secrets of the oil industry through a network of interconnected narratives. Among its characters are a CIA agent (George Clooney) who unearths a disturbing conspiracy, an oil consultant (Matt Damon) who transforms a personal tragedy into a business opportunity, and an emir’s son (Alexander Siddig) who aspires to succeed his father and steer his country’s energy industry in a new direction.
Similar to “Sicario,” the film uses a well-known cast to make an otherwise independent picture more appealing to a wider audience. Emily Blunt’s character is portrayed by George Clooney as a devoted government agent who discovers the extent of the corruption. Despite not being as gripping as “Sicario,” “Syriana” makes up for it by delving into the more sinister aspects of global politics.The corruption and backroom negotiations that underlie U.S. foreign policy are exposed in both films.
Whether depicting Middle Eastern leaders attempting to achieve what is best for their people or goat-herders on a highway, “Syriana” makes sure to examine global issues on a personal level. It also finds empathy for people who might seem too distant for the average moviegoer to even consider, which may remind viewers of poor Silvio (Maximiliano Hernández) getting caught in the crossfire in “Sicario.”
The Town
In this heist film, Doug (Ben Affleck, who also serves as director) and James (Jeremy Renner) kidnap hostage Claire (Rebecca Hall) after a bank robbery goes awry. Doug chooses to continue watching Claire when they release her, in part because he wants to make sure she doesn’t know too much and in part because he has fallen deeply in love with her. Claire eventually begins to feel the same way for him, but she is unaware that Doug is her former abductor and that his boss is considering permanently stifling her.
Despite being set in Boston rather than on the border between the United States and Mexico, Affleck’s 2010 thriller shares similarities with “Sicario.” Both films provide a complex depiction of organized crime and examine the reasons why good people could become involved with it. Those who enjoyed the gripping automobile convoy scene in “Sicario” will also love the cramped car chase scene through Boston’s streets.Of course, “The Town” has a lot more to offer if you were interested by Kate Mercer’s accidental romance with the man (Jon Bernthal) who was attempting to murder her.
Traffic
Are you looking for another morally dubious look at the drug trade? You need look no farther than Steven Soderbergh’s 2000 picture “Traffic.” It has several parallel plotlines. In one, Michael Douglas, who ran as a “hard on drugs” politician, finds out that his daughter Erika Christensen is hooked to narcotics. In another, Jacob Vargas and Benicio del Toro, two Mexican police officers, attempt to apprehend a drug cartel. In the meantime, Catherine Zeta-Jones, a lady, discovers the true source of her affluent husband Steven Bauer’s wealth.
In fact, his performance in “Traffic” is on par with “Sicario” as one of the greatest Benicio del Toro films ever made. If you enjoyed him in “Sicario,” you’ll love him in “Traffic.” The most remarkable thing about “Traffic” is how it maintains its attention to detail while maintaining such a broad perspective.It examines all facets of the drug trade, including traffickers and consumers, drug lords and their families, and it connects these disparate narratives to demonstrate how, at a systematic level, they are all related. The movie shows how pointless the “war on drugs” can be without ever resorting to didacticism.Although “Traffic” is a difficult movie to see, it is a strong one, and in that way, it is similar to “Sicario.”
Training Day
“Training Day,” a grim look at crime in Los Angeles, will appeal to “Sicario” fans. Ethan Hawke plays Jake Hoyt, a motivated rookie police officer in this 2000 movie who is being trained by Denzel Washington’s character, narcotics officer Alonzo Harris. Alonzo brazenly takes advantage of Jake’s desire to join the squad, which is so strong that he will do anything Alonzo asks of him. After just one training day, Jake begins to realize that his tutor might not be looking out for his best interests.
Like Kate Mercer in “Training Day,” Jake must decide how to follow your morals when it appears that defeating the drug cartels at their own game is the only effective method to fight them. (In fact, “Training Day” even includes a quote about wolves that is similar to Alejandro’s statement at the conclusion of “Sicario.”) The film, which was directed by Antoine Fuqua, keeps spectators on their toes, much as Alonzo keeps Jake on his toes.
It’s impossible to tell if Denzel Washington’s character is kidding, but Alonzo always grabs your attention. It’s no surprise that Alonzo Harris is regarded as one of the most likable villains in film history, as he shares many traits with Josh Brolin’s corrupt police officer from “Sicario.” Although Denzel Washington is far superior to King Kong, the characters from “Sicario” are remarkably similar.
Wind River
On Indian Reservation Wind River, a U.S. The body of a lady (Kelsey Asbille) is discovered in the bush by Cory, a Fish and Wildlife agent played by Jeremy Renner. Cory attempts to investigate this incident, which is far more complex than it first appears, with the assistance of rookie FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen).
Fans of “Sicario” will enjoy everything about this film, from the eerie opening shot to the final gunfight. “Wind River” (2017), written and directed by “Sicario” scribe Taylor Sheridan, features a dynamic akin to Kate and Alejandro. Jane, who has no idea what she is up to, will remind viewers of Emily Blunt’s role since she will do everything it takes to apprehend the guilty party. Cory, meanwhile, has elements of Alejandro in him, as evidenced by his practical attitude and incredibly sharp survival abilities.
Despite having a completely different setting from the dangerous deserts and cramped city streets of “Sicario,” this movie has a similar vibe, with its protagonists merely attempting to survive in a harsh world.
Zero Dark Thirt
The film from 2012 does for the “war on terror” what “Sicario” accomplished for the “war on drugs” by transforming the subject into a suspenseful thriller that defies easy resolution. The search for Osama bin Laden is chronicled in Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” through the perspective of fictitious CIA agent Maya (Jessica Chastain). Maya thinks bin Laden is still active and has power, despite the fact that many Americans believe he is no longer involved. It will ultimately take her nearly ten years to persuade others to join her endeavor.
Jessica Chastain’s portrayal of a resolute young agent who is tempered by her task is captivating.The film’s unwavering realism will appeal to “Sicario” fans, particularly during the dramatic nighttime raid scenario.”Zero Dark Thirty” undoubtedly captures the experience of this ten-year manhunt, even if it misrepresents some aspects of the real narrative.Few films better depict the chaos of a global CIA operation than this one, so if the movie looks anticlimactic, that’s intentional. Similar to “Sicario,” this movie questions if apprehending the villain is the only way to solve the problem.
