Review: Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Maverick CIA operative Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) reteams with his seemingly unkillable ‘asset’, assassin Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) as they wage war on the drug cartels operating along the US-Mexico border. Meanwhile, we follow the separate plights of the kidnapped private school daughter (Isabela Moner) of a kingpin, and young Miguel (Elijah Rodriguez) an impressionable Mexican-American who idolises the wrong family member and ends up a drug mule. Jeffrey Donovan plays another op, Catherine Keener is the CIA head honcho, and Matthew Modine is a too-slick Secretary of Defence.

 

This 2018 sequel from director Stefano Sollima (“A.C.A.B: All Cops Are Bastards”) and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (the first “Sicario”, Oscar-winner for “Hell or High Water”) makes a smart move in putting the first film’s most interesting character into the lead role. It makes sense to remove Emily Blunt’s character, as she was kind of the audience surrogate, and we don’t really need her now that we’re familiar with this ugly world. Best to leave it to the pros from now on, and just as was the case last time, Josh Brolin and especially Benicio Del Toro are riveting company.

 

We get off to an explosive start, though the presence of Matthew Modine (bland as always) had me thinking I was in store for a film of lesser quality. His recent appearance in films like “Backtrace” and “Speed Kills” suggest he’s in full-on slumming mode these days, and was never a terribly charismatic actor anyway. Thankfully the film isn’t a cheap quickie, even though some of the gunfire looks cartoonishly fake. Once we get to the meat of the film, it’s enthralling, if quite unpleasant stuff. Benicio Del Toro hasn’t always been my favourite actor, but my God is he super charismatic here, as he was in the first film. You can’t take your eyes off him, and he barely needs to say a damn word. His face alone conveys so much. Josh Brolin doesn’t get as much screen time, but he sells you on his character immediately, rock-solid character work there as usual. If there’s a big disappointment in the cast it’s not Modine, who I expect little from. Instead it’s the normally excellent Catherine Keener, whose performance is a bit flat. I expected a lot more from her, though admittedly the role isn’t anything substantial so perhaps she gave the role what she felt it deserved of her.

 

I’ve heard some say the film is a bit lighter in tone, but I don’t think that’s true at all. The story, touching on how drugs impacts the lives of two different youngsters is plenty dark enough for me. Illegal drugs are insidious and evil, and you add young people to the mix…it’s a horror show, really. Something I didn’t quite expect is how well-shot it is. Obviously cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (“The Crow”, “The Mexican”, “Sweeney Todd”) is a master of the craft, but this is perhaps not the kind of subject matter I felt lent itself to being good-looking. Nonetheless, shot composition is expert here. The action is exciting when it comes, and it’s every bit as tense as the first film.

 

Like the first film, this sort of druggie stuff isn’t really my bag. However, when the characters are this interesting and the performances are this good, I’m on board. Del Toro in particular is outstanding in a multi-layered portrayal. It isn’t a very pleasant world to be spending a couple of hours in, but I nonetheless found reward in it. Good stuff, pretty well on par with the first film I’d say.  

 

Rating: B-