Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Stefano Sollima sure is a brilliant filmmaker. He really had his fun with the Sicario sequel, although it was a shame that there were so few action scenes since I had so much fun watching them. They were real and raw, without a single drop of CGI and that’s something I can always appreciate. What was worse, however, was the actual script. There were so many twists and turns by the end that thought I was gonna die. I know that Tylor Sheridan’s proved himself over the years, but he really overdid it this time. This has to be the most botched up script of 2018. (28/12/2018)

The first reviews I saw for this were so hesitant and even negative that they cooled my interest to the point where I waited for the reaction of my favorite reviewer, and only then did I dare to sit in the dimness of the movie theater. There's no point in lying to myself that the biggest reason for seeing the sequel was the success of Sicario, which became a small cinematic revelation for many film fans. Stefano Sollima may not achieve the quality of Denis Villeneuve, but he is still an above-average filmmaker who is also close to the genre. Taylor Sheridan may have had a weaker moment with this one, and in fact, I feel like it's the weakest script I've seen from his workshop so far, but even here I don't find any reason for fundamental criticism. What worked in the first film - namely the atmosphere, characters, music, and style - has basically been successfully transferred to the sequel. The creators imitate the style of Sicario, but they do not copy the content. It's not a major title of the year, but it is a decent summer genre film where I didn't feel any disappointment from the money invested to buy my ticket. Overall impression: 75%. (19/07/2018)

Bigger, but not heavier. Sheridan repeats his interest in macho characters a lot, as if he is able to garner less and less from the dark environment of contemporary America. He focuses only on the depressing scenes this time, which do not form as much of a devastating and mysterious whole. But the craft of Soldado is very good, making it a thriller with tempo and atmosphere. Even in the strongest moments, however, it still looks more like a successful imitation of a film that managed to make the audience vibrate with tension below the surface. A lot of Soldado happens on the surface, but that doesn't take the wind out of Sicaro's sails. Benicio Del Toro's laser vision and lawless landscape are still here. (01/07/2018)

Awesome stuff, and even though according to critics the the sequel lags behind the first one I enjoyed it more. This year definitely belongs to Josh Brolin, the guy is shining, I can't remember when an actor has impressed and pleased me four times in one year – two lead roles (Only the Brave, Sicario 2: Soldado) and two villain roles (Deadpool 2, Avengers: Infinity War) hats off. While the first film had a stronger combo (Denis Villeneuve, Taylor Sheridan, Roger Deakins), here only screenwriter Sheridan survived, but director Stefano Sollima and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski also did a solid job, and this is still a film that has no competition in theaters. The Mexican cartels, the smuggling of people from Mexico to the U.S., the uncompromising and intense action, the disgustingly realistic setting and atmosphere, the diabolical Benicio Del Toro and the serious Brolin make this film an incredible experience and I was literally gasping for breath in the cinema, plus the shocking final twist that opens up questions and sets the stage for the third installment – I can't complain about anything. The first one had a slower pace and not enough action to make me happy to watch it again, but I do want to see this one again. I recommend it. There hasn't been and won't be a bigger manly ride in theaters. (03/07/2018)

Josh Brolin and his hitman Benicio Del Toro set out to rid Mexico of the drug cartels, but the mission gets a little out of hand and the consequences can be very painful... Sicario 2 is a good slow-burn thriller, but in all respects it loses a little to the first. It's still a proper manly film, though, and a very tough one at that. It's enough for a good thriller, but don't expect an exceptional film this time. (26/07/2018)