10 Best Benicio Del Toro Movie Performances

You'll find no movie that better utilises the skills of Benicio del Toro. Not only is Sicario one of the very best films of the 2010s, it's also one of the most surprising, devoid of cliches and bursting with tension and career-best performances from the likes of Emily Blunt and Josh Brolin. A tale of politics, war and revenge, del Toro steals the show and makes it look easy.

For the first half of the movie, focus is put on Kate Mercer (Blunt), an FBI agent recruited by the CIA to help them take down a criminal cartel. The operation is led by the eccentric Matt Garver (Brolin), and Kate finds herself aided by the silent, intimidating Alejandro Gillick. In the role, del Toro is mesmerising, and spends most of the first half in the background, watching the narrative play out and making it clear to audiences that he's as dangerous as he is mysterious.

In the last act of the film, focus switches to the assassin, as it's revealed his entire family was killed the cartel and he's out for retribution. In confronting his nemesis, del Toro gives his best-ever performance - quiet, threatening, entrancing and completely unforgettable. It sums up del Toro as an actor, and shows an actor who, when on form, is unbeatable when it comes to creating deep, enigmatic characters hiding a dark side.

It's really something special, and remains the best part of a perfect film.