A Decade Later, 92%-Rated Thriller Written by Taylor Sheridan Finally Finds Its Home on Netflix
The very first screenplay written by the creator of Yellowstone immediately entered the ranks of the most outstanding thrillers of the 21st century.
Up until his forties, Taylor Sheridan got by with acting lessons and supporting roles, and even considered taking a job as a ranch manager, but then he decided to spend his last $800 on the screenwriting program. The very first script he sent to studios was a hit.
It was Sicario, a thriller about showdowns between Mexican cartels and the feds, written in the wake of the drug war.
What Is Sicario About?
In a town on the Mexican border, police discover a house where a drug cartel has been killing its enemies; fifteen bodies are found walled up in the walls of a building on the outskirts of town.
Detective Kate Macer takes over the investigation, but soon she is sent on a more serious mission – a special unit has discovered where the cartel's strings are being pulled.
Together with two consultants, Alejandro and Matt, Kate heads to Mexico, where her idea of law will be put to the test, because in the war against the mafia, the only way to win is to become a reflection of the enemy.
Taylor Sheridan Worked on Sicario With Denis Villeneuve and Basil Iwanyk
The promising script was noticed by John Wick producer Basil Iwanyk, who entrusted its adaptation to Dune and Incendies director Denis Villeneuve.
The aspiring screenwriter insisted on unprecedented working conditions: no co-writers or script rooms, the producer and director approved all edits with him – in the end, they had a big fight over the finale, and since then Sheridan has been very meticulous about drawing up contracts.
Taylor Sheridan's Movie Is Not a Bloody Action, But a Suspenseful Thriller
Sicario is not a cop action movie, despite what you might think after watching the trailer or reading the synopsis. It is a tense psychological thriller that explores questions of lesser evil, permissible cruelty, and the lines that can be crossed in the name of the greater good.
Kill ten people to save hundreds. Break the law to end lawlessness. Who has the right to decide whose life is worth ending for the greater good? These are all questions that Villeneuve and Sheridan attempt to answer.
Even 10 Years Later, Sicario Is Still One of the Best Thriller of Our Time
Sicario proved one of the main features of Denis Villeneuve's work – he is much more comfortable with the duties of a director when he is not working on the script and acting as a craftsman, realizing someone else's story.
Sheridan's disorienting and confusing plot, coupled with Villeneuve's well-directed action sequences and the virtuoso work of Roger Deakins, a cinematographer who previously worked on No Country for Old Men and The Shawshank Redemption, made Sicario one of the most suspenseful thrillers of the 21st century.
Sicario Is Coming to Netflix
Beginning March 1, Sicario will be available to stream on Netflix.