In The
Shadows
Denis
Villeneuve’s Sicario
is an immensely tense and gripping picture about the war on drugs.
Lead by an impressive cast including Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and
Benicio Del Toro, this thrilling narrative combines proficient
action, intense suspense, and beautiful imagery that will hook you
from start to finish.
In
celebration of Sicario being
released on Blue-ray, DVD, and digital platforms from February 1st,
2016 courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment we honour Benicio Del
Toro’s performance as the ethically questionable Alejandro by
examining other characters that fall into the realm of moral
ambiguity...
Alejandro
(Benicio Del Toro) – Sicario (2015)
Benicio
Del Toro’s BAFTA nominated performance as the mysterious hit man,
Alejandro, steals the show in Denis Villeneuve’s incredibly tense
drama about a task force searching to bring an end to a drug cartel
kingpin. We aren’t given much information about Alejandro from the
get go but it’s easy to see something isn’t quite right with the
character. As the story progresses his motives and intentions become
entirely clear, flipping what was originally perceived on its head
and leaving you to wonder whether what he is doing is right or wrong.
Robert
Miller (Richard Gere) – Arbitrage (2012)
Nicholas
Jarecki’s dramatic thriller, Arbitrage,
tells the story of Robert Miller, a distressed hedge fund mogul who
makes a number of morally questionable decisions in order to finalise
the sale of his firm. Ultimately Miller is a liar and a fraud that
uses those closest to him at his expense. However, despite all his
wrongdoings (and there are many) it is clear he is a man who deep
down loves his family and strives to right all financial wrongs
committed whilst handling his business. Richard Gere’s character
becomes so enthralling that you can’t help but sympathise with him
in spite of his callous nature.
Mark
Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) – The Social Network (2010)
The
combination of David Fincher’s direction, Aaron Sorkin’s
screenplay, and Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of the social media
magnate, Mark Zuckerberg, left most people questioning the Facebook
creator’s principles. The story is told through flashbacks from the
deposition hearings of two simultaneous lawsuits; one from two
brothers claiming he stole their idea and one from his former best
friend/co-creator of the site, who Zuckerberg essentially cut out of
the company. Throughout the film we see Zuckerberg’s rise to
notoriety with excessive hubris and blatant disregard for those
around him. Yet it is still easy to see something likeable in the
character, whether it is hunger to succeed, his inconceivable genius,
or that despite being sued, Zuckerberg refuses to tarnish his ex-best
friend’s image (the chicken incident).
Lt.
Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) – Inglorious Basterds (2009)
A
number of Quentin Tarantino’s characters can fall into that moral
grey space where you are not quite sure if what they are doing is
ethically correct or not. One that particularly stands out is Brad
Pitt’s Lt. Aldo Raine from Inglorious
Basterds. Raine and his team are tasked with
taking down the leaders of the Third Reich and, while the actions of
the Nazi party were undeniably horrific and deserved to be stopped,
it is the manner in which the lieutenant handles them which begs
moral ambiguity. Facial mutilations, scalping, and baseball bat
beatings are just a few of the ways Raine and the Basterds handle
Nazis who cross their paths, always smiling and seemingly enjoying
themselves whilst doing so.
Frank
Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) – Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Spielberg’s
take on the incredible true story of Frank Abagnale Jr. provides
another good character for moral examination. Frank was a young man
who deeply cared for his parents and it wasn’t until his family
life started to fall apart that he began engaging in fraudulent
behaviour. Despite all of his lies and crimes, it is still apparent
that at the root of Frank Abagnale Jr. is a boy who genuinely feels
sorry for his actions, loves his family, and desperately wants them
back. This is evidenced throughout the film from when he buys his
father a car, visits his mother’s house before being arrested, and
most notably, agrees to work for the FBI to catch other frauds.
Wade
Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) – Deadpool (2016)
The
highly anticipated Deadpool
will be out in cinemas soon and focuses on a character that is
untypical of most recent Marvel endeavours. Ryan Reynolds takes the
helm as the merc with the mouth (one that isn’t sewn together this
time around) and promises an ultra-violent, ultra-offensive, and
ultra-funny take on the superhero. The footage that has been
released suggests Reynolds lived up to his promise and has given
audiences a film with an unconventional protagonist whose intentions
are good but shows signs of immorality throughout.
