Reality or Fiction? Inside SICARIO with Benicio Del Toro
UP&CLOSE with Edgardo Ochoa
In Mexico, sicario means hitman.
But in the world of Denis Villeneuve’s SICARIO, the word carries a much heavier weight — one rooted in reality, moral ambiguity, and survival.
In this UP&CLOSE conversation hosted by Edgardo Ochoa, actors Benicio Del Toro and Maximiliano Hernández reflect on the film’s unflinching portrayal of the war on drugs and the human cost that lives between borders, power, and silence.
This is not just a conversation about a movie.
It’s a conversation about truth.
“Fiction or reality?” – The answer is immediate — and unanimous.
Maximiliano Hernández is the first to respond, grounding the film in lived experience rather than cinematic exaggeration.
While SICARIO is a fictional story, he explains, it is deeply rooted in real environments, real pressures, and real consequences — especially in border cities like Juárez and Nogales, where violence, power, and survival intersect daily.
Benicio Del Toro reinforces the idea:
The film is not based on a single true story, but many of its moments are drawn directly from real aspects of the war on drugs. The result is a narrative that feels disturbingly authentic — because it reflects systems that already exist.
Playing Characters You Don’t Agree With
One of the most powerful moments in the conversation centers on a line delivered by Del Toro’s character late in the film — a line that suggests this brutal reality is not temporary, but permanent.
Benicio is clear:
He does not agree with the philosophy behind it.
But as an actor — and storyteller — he understands it.
Playing characters like Alejandro means stepping into uncomfortable logic: the belief that fighting fire with fire is the only option left. It’s a worldview born from desperation, not righteousness.
Del Toro references the idea that “an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind,” reminding us that SICARIO does not glorify violence — it exposes it.
The Mexican Perspective: Survival Over Morality
For Maximiliano Hernández, the emotional core of SICARIO lies in the Mexican side of the story — not as criminals or villains, but as people navigating impossible choices.
During his research, one detail stood out above all else:
economic reality.
Police officers and state officials in Mexico often earn wages that make stability nearly impossible. Supporting a family, ensuring safety, or planning a future becomes a daily struggle.
In that environment, Hernández explains, survival becomes the driving force.
When surrounded by sharks, you either adapt — or you get eaten.
It’s not an excuse. It’s context.
And context is what SICARIO refuses to ignore.
Alejandro: The Man Between Systems
Benicio Del Toro’s character, Alejandro, exists in the gray space between justice and vengeance.
He is not a lone wolf by accident — he is part of a covert system that uses whatever — and whoever — it needs to reach its objective. That includes alliances with the CIA, manipulation of law enforcement, and even exploiting idealism, as seen through Emily Blunt’s character.
Alejandro becomes the sicario not because he wants to — but because the system demands it.
It’s a role born from grief, loss, and the collapse of moral certainty.
Film Credits: SICARIO
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Starring: Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin
- Supporting Cast: Victor Garber, Jon Bernthal, Maximiliano Hernández
- Genre: Crime / Thriller
- Studios: Lionsgate, Black Label Media, Thunder Road
