Review of Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) by Andreas M — 08 Oct 2018

This film is better than you might guess from the ridiculous % ratings shown.The synopsis of the film given on this page is wrong in several respects, and many of the pseudo-professional critics presented are also seriously off-base.

That's becoming the norm for this site and for film criticism in general. This sequel is in many ways superior to the original. I thought the original "Sicario" was dramatic enough and well-acted enough to be entertaining action drama, but the kind of monotone bleakness and dour performances were a bit wearing.

Emily Blunt was both unconvincing and unlikable in that first installment, so her absence is one of the blessings in the sequel. This time, the story and the characters are both more complex and nuanced, with principles Benecio Del Toro and Josh Brolin having their steely characters cracked by the circumstances to reveal more emotional depth.

The inclusion of two impressive young actors also makes this new "Sicario" more intriguing as it pits the hardened warriors in a hopeless war against innocence not yet corrupted. As the Brolin character begins to see himself as more of pawn rather than a hero for a just cause, he starts to rebel a bit and find his own moral compass within a no-win situation.

But again the star is Del Toro, who delivers a masterful performance that is rich, subtle and compelling-no longer just menacing, now he starts to redeem himself with emotional vulnerability. The ending clearly sets the stage for a third installment, but does so without seeming overly manipulative.