Review of Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) by Mike A — 01 Jul 2018

If you were horrified by the stances taken by some of the characters at the end of the first movie, then you may want to depart from this franchise with Emily Blunt's character. The filmmakers totally understand your departure, and that is why they wrote her in early on in the franchise. Even in her absence, Emily Blunt's character is a key element to the story.

This new movie, much like its predecessor, does not justify the extreme measures taken by these characters; it just makes the point that such measures are either already being taken with our tax dollars, or are on the table right now ready for action tomorrow. I've read some reviews claiming this new entry is particularly racist, but I simply disagree. For context, I do hate Fox News. I think if you look at the plot as a whole (no spoilers), the film at no point demonizes Mexico or forgets about how Cartels are only a small part of a very beautiful country (albeit a very toxic element); and, as a whole, I think the movie is really asking one simple question: "Cartels are very real monsters that we cannot afford to ignore, so we must eliminate them, but will we need to become monsters ourselves to do so?" It's a moral question which leads to a scenario where the Good vs. Evil dynamic is muddled. I hate movies that settle for simple, Good vs. Evil conflicts, which is why I am so happy that Sicario 2 dared to continue the moral debate started by its predecessor.

Also, as a warning, you should know that this movie was one of the most intense films I have ever seen. I'd avoid it if you are easily shocked by ruthless violence. I have a strong stomach for movie violence, but there are scenes in this film that made me hold my breath until I was a little dizzy. You've been warned :).