Sicario: Day of the Soldado
(B- or 2.5/4 stars)
2015's Sicario was great enough & successful enough to warrant a sequel and, thusly, 2018 brings us Sicario: Day of the Soldado'. Missing is superb director Denis Villeneuve, iconic cinematographer Roger Deakins (who FINALLY won an Academy Award last yr.), & Emily Blunt - the FBI agent who served as the conscience of the 2015 film. That film was brilliant. THIS sequel offers up a few returning actors, returning screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, new director - from Italy - Stefano Sollima, & new cinematographer Darius Wolski. The 1st film comes across as amoral, INTENSE, violent & timely -- more of the same with this one. It's not as great as the 1st film, but 'Day of the Soldado' engaged me much in the same way as the '15 flick.
This film begins as illegal Mexican immigrants are attempting to cross the border into the U.S.. The Sec. of Defense, James Riley (weasely Matthew Modine), & his underling, Cynthia Foards (the always dependable Catherine Keener), have decided that the best way to prevent domestic terrorism is to secure the U.S./Mexico border, which is providing entrance to terrorists (in one scene, we see a refugee blow himself up at the border; in another, ISIS terrorists blow up a convenience store in Kansas City while a terrified mother pleads for the life of her little girl -- be forewarned, brutal outcome). To that end, they decide that a war btwn. the drug cartels - who control the tunnels into southern U.S. - would be favorable. To enable that, they call back compromised CIA op Matt Graver (a steely Josh Brolin) from North Africa & he assembles a team that includes his old secret-ops friend, the brooding, enigmatic Alejandro Gillick (Benicio Del Toro).
Their (ill-conceived) plan is to incite a drug war by "kidnapping" - and then "rescue" - Isabella Reyes (Isabela Moner, stellar), the irritating daughter of cartel prince Reyes (who has a connection to Alejandro's murdered family) & make the "kidnapping" look like the work of a rival drug syndicate. Of course, when dealing with the Mexican police force & drug lords, things don't proceed as expected {betrayals galore}. And a vengeful Alejandro ends up stranded in the desert, torn btwn. the CIA's strict order to eliminate Isabelle ... and his deepest fatherly instincts. All the while, there's a subplot involving Miguel Hernandez (Elijah Rodriguez), a Mexican-American teenager who lives RIGHT on the border, has relatives on both sides of the border, and who joins a gang of human traffickers. His story intertwines with the main narrative and, it is combustive.
'Day of the Soldado' offers better-than-expected storytelling. But an intangible element that made the 1st film great is gone. Emily Blunt's Kate gave us viewers a relatable entry point into the film's unsettling, dangerous world; she entered each scene knowing nothing, just as we did. And as mentioned earlier, cinematographer Roger Deakins & director Denis Villeneuve crafted every moment in each scene in Sicario to enhance this sense of discomfort & uncertainty. Though, I was engaged & nervous while watching -- aided GREATLY by a propulsive, edgy music score by Hildur Gudnadottir -- I didn't quite get that same level of discomfort, this time. There are also some misguided, messy double-crossing elements to the story that confused, at times. That said, what remains IS a solid script by Taylor Sheridan, who understands the world of men teeter-tottering on the edge of justice & injustice.
Benicio Del Toro was amazing in the 1st film and he is pretty great, here; his Gillick is still intense -- eeking every possible emotion out of the smallest of gestures or comments -- but, he also shows a sort of soft side as he bonds with Isabela. And there's wonderful scene in which he seeks refuge with a deaf man living in the middle of the desert. Josh Brolin is great here, as well; very good at being both hard-headed, yet conflicted about his humanity of his job. I mentioned earlier the lack of Roger Deakins for this film; having said that, I do think Darius Wolski's camera work is still beautiful - offering shots of beauty, as well as dread & horror. Speaking of horror, there are some truly sinister & brutal story elements here that might not go down well with some audiences -- beware. Overall, though this film lacks the quality of the 1st, it still offered me intense, muscular entertainment.
This film begins as illegal Mexican immigrants are attempting to cross the border into the U.S.. The Sec. of Defense, James Riley (weasely Matthew Modine), & his underling, Cynthia Foards (the always dependable Catherine Keener), have decided that the best way to prevent domestic terrorism is to secure the U.S./Mexico border, which is providing entrance to terrorists (in one scene, we see a refugee blow himself up at the border; in another, ISIS terrorists blow up a convenience store in Kansas City while a terrified mother pleads for the life of her little girl -- be forewarned, brutal outcome). To that end, they decide that a war btwn. the drug cartels - who control the tunnels into southern U.S. - would be favorable. To enable that, they call back compromised CIA op Matt Graver (a steely Josh Brolin) from North Africa & he assembles a team that includes his old secret-ops friend, the brooding, enigmatic Alejandro Gillick (Benicio Del Toro).
Their (ill-conceived) plan is to incite a drug war by "kidnapping" - and then "rescue" - Isabella Reyes (Isabela Moner, stellar), the irritating daughter of cartel prince Reyes (who has a connection to Alejandro's murdered family) & make the "kidnapping" look like the work of a rival drug syndicate. Of course, when dealing with the Mexican police force & drug lords, things don't proceed as expected {betrayals galore}. And a vengeful Alejandro ends up stranded in the desert, torn btwn. the CIA's strict order to eliminate Isabelle ... and his deepest fatherly instincts. All the while, there's a subplot involving Miguel Hernandez (Elijah Rodriguez), a Mexican-American teenager who lives RIGHT on the border, has relatives on both sides of the border, and who joins a gang of human traffickers. His story intertwines with the main narrative and, it is combustive.
'Day of the Soldado' offers better-than-expected storytelling. But an intangible element that made the 1st film great is gone. Emily Blunt's Kate gave us viewers a relatable entry point into the film's unsettling, dangerous world; she entered each scene knowing nothing, just as we did. And as mentioned earlier, cinematographer Roger Deakins & director Denis Villeneuve crafted every moment in each scene in Sicario to enhance this sense of discomfort & uncertainty. Though, I was engaged & nervous while watching -- aided GREATLY by a propulsive, edgy music score by Hildur Gudnadottir -- I didn't quite get that same level of discomfort, this time. There are also some misguided, messy double-crossing elements to the story that confused, at times. That said, what remains IS a solid script by Taylor Sheridan, who understands the world of men teeter-tottering on the edge of justice & injustice.
Benicio Del Toro was amazing in the 1st film and he is pretty great, here; his Gillick is still intense -- eeking every possible emotion out of the smallest of gestures or comments -- but, he also shows a sort of soft side as he bonds with Isabela. And there's wonderful scene in which he seeks refuge with a deaf man living in the middle of the desert. Josh Brolin is great here, as well; very good at being both hard-headed, yet conflicted about his humanity of his job. I mentioned earlier the lack of Roger Deakins for this film; having said that, I do think Darius Wolski's camera work is still beautiful - offering shots of beauty, as well as dread & horror. Speaking of horror, there are some truly sinister & brutal story elements here that might not go down well with some audiences -- beware. Overall, though this film lacks the quality of the 1st, it still offered me intense, muscular entertainment.