The man, the myth, the legend has pulled off another masterpiece in the Villeneuve film, Sicario. Roger Deakins works with some recurring themes in this piece but also implements his well-known style. Sicario centers around a moral gray area, a blurred line of right and wrong. Using the lens’s focus, Deakins creates a moral slight-of-hand with the CIA agents; Focus here but not there. Secondly, the use of reflections, especially in mirrors, signifies how we the audience should contemplate our own moral boundaries as it relates to the characters.
An Ode to the Classics:
A tribute to the classics Citizen Kane, Psycho, and 8½.
The Land is a Character
The sheer vastness of the northern Mexican border looms on the minds of the characters and audience. It becomes an ocean of chaos that no one man can control. Take note of the use of layers and the vanishing point.
The Use of Focus
Practicals in the Frame
Deakins’ classic use of practicals in the frame is abundant throughout, Sicario. It adds a natural feeling to the lighting that sucks you further into the scene.
The Motifs of Reflection
Honorable Mentions
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