Taylor Sheridan and Denis Villeneuve are among Hollywood’s most revered talents, known for their significant contributions to film and television. Sheridan, the mastermind behind critically acclaimed films such as Hell or High Water and Wind River, has also built an impressive portfolio of television series. His noteworthy works include the immensely popular Yellowstone along with its spin-offs, 1883 and 1923, as well as other engaging series like Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, and Landman. It’s remarkable how Sheridan has crafted such a diverse array of high-quality shows in a relatively short time.
On the other hand, Denis Villeneuve has carved out a reputation as one of the premier directors of our time. With a body of work that includes critically acclaimed films such as Prisoners, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and the two-part adaptation of Dune, Villeneuve has established himself as a master in cinematic storytelling. While his strengths lie predominantly in the science fiction genre, he also exhibits keen expertise in thriller and crime narratives.
Analysis from a Special Ops Perspective: Sicario’s Accuracy
Bob Keller’s Evaluation of Sicario’s Border Scene
In a recent assessment, former United States Army Special Forces and Delta Force operator, Bob Keller, shared his thoughts on the border crossing scene from Sicario. The film features a talented cast, including Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio del Toro, and Daniel Kaluuya, and garnered widespread acclaim upon its release, with an impressive 9 out of 10 rating from ScreenRant.
Although Keller acknowledged the film’s overall quality, he expressed reservations about the realism of certain elements within the border crossing scene. In a video for Insider, he critiqued the decision for the special ops unit to traverse a busy road rather than a more discreet desert route. He also noted concerns regarding weapon handling depicted in that scene. Nevertheless, Keller assigned the border crossing an accuracy score of 7 out of 10. Below are his insights from that review:
Unrealistic. Not gonna happen, or shouldn’t happen. If it does, you sucked at planning. Yeah, so they were going in to extradite one of the drug lord’s brother to get him out to bring him back to the United States. Could it happen? Yes. I mean, there’s things that happen at the unit that you might not know about. I can’t actually say, ‘Yes, I know of this happening.’ But if you did have unit guys on that OP, they wouldn’t be going out on those vehicles. You’re probably going to go across the desert, you’re not gonna go across the border where everyone’s at. Like why not get him in a helicopter and then fly out?
Finger on trigger, holding a gun. Not good. Just typical in all the movies, right? Like just what is so wrong about the movies is the weapons handling, which his is on the trigger right there and he’s not pulling the trigger, or he’s not engaging. Finger should always be off the trigger.
Watch the full video analysis hereWatch the full video analysis here
Reflections on Keller’s Assessment of Sicario
Sicario Remains an Exceptional Film Despite Critiques
While the border crossing scene may not have received a perfect score, Keller himself recognized its intrinsic entertainment value. It is, in fact, among the most gripping sequences in the entire film. The insights of someone with real-life experience in special operations make for a fascinating critique. Ultimately, Sicario is a formidable film that showcases the remarkable collaboration between Taylor Sheridan and Denis Villeneuve. Their partnership has resulted in cinematic brilliance, and fans are eager for future collaborations.
Source: Insider