Review of Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) by Dj I — 09 Jul 2018

This film is all over the place in that its best and worst qualities work against each other. There is a gritty, politically incorrect realism that depicts the ugly realities of the border in terms of security, terrorism, trafficking, cartel influence, and human smuggling.

The set up, grounded in that realism, is very powerful and engaging. You become invested almost right away. That realism, however, is squandered by logic gaps and plot holes in the main story line that just dont add up.

This, of course, is due to the predictable Hollywood requirement that the US govt and CIA be put on the same moral level as the cartels, corrupt Mexican police, and human smugglers. In order to accomplish this, unfortunately, the writers had to insult our intelligence and make two plus two equal seven.

For example, the US starts this scorched earth op BEFORE identifying the who, what, where origins of the terrorists in question...which would never happen. That is merely one of many logic gaps that pollutes what otherwise would be an action packed and worthy movie.

Del Toro and Brolin are excellent and really excel in these roles. This film is another case of lazy, politically correct writing spoiling the backdrop and wasting the realism on the ground. It is not a terrible movie and I did enjoy pockets of it but it really could have been so much more.