SICARIO: DAY OF THE SALDADO (Malaysia, 28 Jun 2018)

Genre: Thriller

Running Length: 2:02

Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Moner, Jeffrey Donovan, Catherine Keener, Matthew Modine, Elijah Rodriguez, David Castañeda  

Director: Stefano Sollima 

Screenplay: Taylor Sheridan

What's this movie about?

The cartels are smuggling terrorists across the US border. FBI agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) is ordered to assemble his team, including Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) to instigate a cartel war to disrupt such operations. Of course, nothing goes right and very quickly, sh*t hits the fan. 

(SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO stands on its own. One does not require to have seen the first film Sicario, but by understanding the background of Graver and Alejandro it would help viewers to have a better appreciation for the series) 

Highlights!

• Expanding the Sicario universe. Rather than the lazy rinse and repeat approach to sequels, I like what returning writer Taylor Sheridan did here - exposing a whole other facet of the drug and human trafficking war among the cartels that wasn’t explored in the first. The first film felt small while this one seems much bigger.  
• The realistic violence. Eventhough the trailer markets this film as an action film, the violence here are not the same as that genre. No heroic slo-mo gun play. The 'action sequences' are so well crafted it makes you feel that you're right there and the violence is usually quick, brutal and efficient.  
• Same look and feel. Eventhough the original super trio (Director Denis Villeneuve, cinematographer Roger Deakins and composer Jóhann Jóhannsson - RIP) were not involved in this sequel, it still looks and feels the same. This movie maintains a lurking sense of dread with some unbearable moments of intensity.
• The performances of Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro. Both Brolin's 'do whatever-it-takes' character and Del Toro's character are more fleshed out this round. There's one scene where Del Toro's character used sign language to reveal a little bit of his background - that quiet moment was heartbreaking. 

Lowlights

• The ending bit. I would have preferred a bleak ending where redemption is not possible for certain characters.  
• The casting of Catherine Keener and Matthew Modine. Their performance is serviceable here but distracting. It would have been better to cast lesser known actors.

In summary

Eventhough DAY OF THE SOLDADO didn't deliver a gut-punch ending as what Sicario did, it’s a worthy follow-up delivered from the perspective of the ugly world of international politics and male aggression. 

RATING: 8.5/10