‘Night of the Sicario’ Review
Stars: Natasha Henstridge, Manny Perez, Costas Mandylor, Addison Kendall, Roberto ‘Sanz’ Sanchez, Juan Carlos Diaz, Carol Florence, Dan Kern, Jerry Carrier, Robert Torres, Jann Ellis, Chengusoyane Kargbo, Martin Peña, Amanda Diaz, Trevor E. Dickerson | Written by Ernesto Melara, Matthew Eason | Directed by Joth Riggs
Don’t you just love false advertising? I went into Night of the Sicario expecting Die Hard in an old-people’s home and you know what? That’s not exactly what I got!
Night of the Sicario, no relation to ANY other of the Sicario films – in fact this also goes by the title Blindsided, tells the story of Taylor Ward (Natasha Henstridge) who runs an old peoples home/senior centre that’s under lockdown thanks to an incoming hurricane. In the middle of the night DEA agent Cole Bennett knocks on the door asking for shelter for his wards – a shot Francisco Fuentes and his daughter Amelia. They were being taken to safety, as Francisco’s wife Teresa is set to testify against a Colombian drug cartel, but were ambushed by the Sicario hired to find them at any cost.
Of course it’s not ALL about preventing Teresa from testifying, oh no. It turns out these Sicario want a code to access the cartel’s cash and they think Amelia and her father know it. Unfortunately Amelia’s father dies from his wounds, leaving Amelia in the care of Ward – who, along with the seniors in her care, will do anything to keep her safe… and not just from the Sicario.
OK, so I said the film was falsely advertised and, if you’ve seen the trailer, it has been. The trailer seemingly promised an action-packed film pitting Ward against the invading Sicario. But instead what we get is more of a character study – of Ward, of her seniors and even of Amelia; all with the underlying theme of faith. In fact I might go as far as saying Night of the Sicario is more a faith-based thriller. It’s an odd combination: inspirational speeches about God, discussions on faith and belief, and hired killers trying to kidnap a child. With Henstridge’s character finally, inspired by her seniors, taking the fight to the oppressors rather than sitting back and waiting for things to happen. By which time the film is almost over!
Night of the Sicario is honestly like watching a Christian take on Die Hard. No sex, no swearing, but still with plenty of all-American gun violence and bloody ass-whoopings! It’s a strange dichotomy and one that doesn’t really work. Even moreso given that most of the film actually focuses on the seniors and their relationships, with each other and with Ward, rather than anything else!
Totally unrelated to 2015’s Sicario or its 2018 sequel (I can’t reiterate that enough), Night of the Sicario is out now on digital from Altitude Films.
