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The guns are out from the get-go of this beautifully brutal action-thriller; sights trained on both us the viewers and our surrogate Emily Blunt without fail throughout this film. Blunt plays Kate Macer, a badass FBI fish in a small pond. She’s competent and by-the-book, busting kidnapping cases in Arizona. But after a particularly gruesome mission that turns out to involve more nefarious criminals, she is “selected” to “volunteer” for a Department of Defense mission to crack down on the Mexican drug cartel. Blunt is thrown into the deep of the large pond, as Department of Defense consultants played by Josh Brolin in flip-flops and a mysteriously broody Benicio Del Toro begin a series of shrouded missions to create chaos and turn screws on cartel leaders.

“The border is just another line to cross.”

What follows is a movie of crossing lines. Rules are broken. State sovereignty is violated.  Families are divided. Borders are crossed. Innocents are shot point blank. And baddies are creatively tortured, allowing new baddies to ascend.

Speaking of torture, I can safely say I’ll never think of a “wet willie” the same way again.

This is no brainless action movie, however. This isn’t John Wick, a movie that I enjoyed as creative shoot-’em-up. Characters and scenes are given room to breathe and display multiple facets as they play off each other. Josh Brolin really has a twinkle in his eye as he swaggers through this film, confident in his plans. Del Toro is perfect, but his low-energy burn isn’t unique to this film. I think many will praise him, deservedly, but it really is Blunt’s character who demands our attention. Along with a flawless accent, she manages to combine both toughness and vulnerability in equal measure. It also isn’t a gorefest, though it certainly earns it’s R-rating — the violence is visceral and real, though sometimes taking place off camera with the music doing the work.

Interspersed between a series of very earned action surprises, Johann Johannsson’s score is subtle and spooky. There is a sense of dread to many of the scenes a la “True Detective’s” first season at times, though this lacks any hints of the supernatural. The cinematography is oftentimes beautiful, with long shots of desert and mountains; a fitting contrast for the colorfully violent Juarez, Mexico portrayed in the film.

Rumor has it, this movie is already getting a sequel. Now that I’ve seen it I know why: visceral action, real drama, and a killer cast make it a no-brainer. And once I heal from the wounds this movie dealt me, I’ll be ready.

Reviewed by: Chad Toney on September 25, 2015