Review of Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) by Teddy F — 12 Jul 2018

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is not as well-crafted as the original, expected after losing director Denis Villeneuve and Cinematographer Roger Deakins, but still has the grit and gruesome violence the original had which helps keep it as tense.

Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro return as their characters Matt Graver and Alejandro from the previous film and with Emily Blunt out of the picture, both get increased screen time and more chances to shine. In Sicario 2, Brolin maintains his character's 'get-the-job-done-anyway-possible' attitude and is too busy torturing terrorists and cartel members to care what other people think of his actions; the intensity is high and in this one he gets to shoot a bit more. What is revealed about his character however, is that even he has a soft spot. This brings a little humanity to Matt even if it is revealed in violent fashion. A mysterious scene-stealer in the original, Del Toro's Alejandro continues to be full of surprises. In Day of the Soldado we learn more about his character's past and he also is put in a more human light, especially in one scene where he must communicate to a deaf person in sign language (this is one of the best scenes in the movie). Del Toro continues to shape a character that is intriguing and not one to mess with.

In the film, cartels have been smuggling terrorists over the border and it is Matt's idea to start a war between the cartels in order to stop, or at least reduce this from happening. The movie sets the stakes early on, displaying a series of bombings which occur near and on U.S. soil. While not as memorable as the opening to the first Sicario, the sequence does get its job done. I thought some of the explosions looked slightly fake, but this is a very tiny critique that is not consistent with the rest of the film. The action sequences were gripping and ruthless, basked in realistic violence. The climax wasn't what I expected it would be, this is not a positive or negative thing. Taylor Sheridan's writing does not stand out the same way it has in the past, making me question how much of the movie he actually wrote. The score sounds similar to the previous one but doesn't drive tense moments quite like it did in the first. The cinematography, despite being led by someone new was still very well done; correct choices about lighting were made. The barren landscape of the desert matched the empty hearts of those who travelled through it. While Day of the Soldado never creates a scene matching the one in border traffic coming from Juarez in Sicario, the movie is still able to come up with a couple of its own memorable moments specifically towards the end.

For me, there weren't any real problems I had with this sequel and I'm excited for another installment, especially if they are able to bring Blunt back in the fold; it is simply a very good movie following a great one. Sicario executed production flawlessly and set such a high bar for the new director, making what director Stefano Sollima accomplished all the more impressive. While it doesn't top its predecessor, Day of the Soldado feels, looks, and is a Sicario movie.