“It’s your chance to get even for your family. You’re going to help me start a war,” says Matt Graver (Josh Brolin). “With who?” asks Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro). “Everyone,” replies Graver to his trusted ally in the movie sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado.
In the sequel to 2015’s Oscar nominated Sicario, the drug war is still going strong and the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the U.S. border. The American government once again enlists Special Agent Graver to turn up the heat on the cartels and to bring his unique talent for creating chaos to the fight.
Graver advises those seeking to escalate the war on the cartels that if they want him to be involved, the gloves will have to come off and things are guaranteed to get dirty. He’s told that’s exactly why he was chosen to oversee the fight.
Graver calls on his old comrade, the mysterious Alejandro whose family was murdered by a cartel kingpin a few years back, to help him start a war between the cartels in Mexico.
As tensions escalate, Alejandro kidnaps a kingpin’s daughter to inflame the conflict. The thin lines even Graver and Alejandro won’t cross begin to fade away, and the two trusted friends just might end up on opposite sides of the ever-changing fight.
Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a gritty, intense, and brutally violent crime drama that’s elevated by strong performances and effective tight, sharp dialogue. Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro deliver superb performances while reprising characters they originated three years ago in the original Sicario film.
Del Toro stretches the character of Alejandro this time showing how he, a man who’s full of anger, sadness, and is a lethal killing machine, can still find someone to care about and a new cause to pursue. It’s his performance that truly makes the film riveting to watch.
Brolin is once again perfect as Special Agent Graver who’s at his best when he’s either creating or fighting a war for his government. He’s a man happiest instigating chaos and destruction in the name of making life a bit safer for the United States.
With stellar performances, a well-written script, and surprising and intense action scenes, Sicario: Day of the Soldado is much more than just a worthy sequel. It’s one of the best films of the year and shouldn’t be missed.
GRADE: B+
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, bloody images, and language
Running Time: 122 minutes
Directed By: Stefano Sollima
Release Date: June 29, 2018
