Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Stefano Sollima takes the reins from Denis Villeneuve for this sequel to 2015's Sicario. The film reunites Benicio del Toro as the mysterious operative Alejandro Gillick and Josh Brolin as CIA agent Matt Graver, this time tasked with a far more dangerous mission. When cartels are suspected of smuggling terrorists across the US-Mexico border, Graver and Gillick are ordered to start a war between the rival organizations. The plan? Kidnap the daughter of a cartel kingpin, played by Isabela Merced in her first major dramatic role, and make it look like the work of a rival gang. Shot on a $35 million budget, the film grossed over $75 million worldwide, proving the franchise still had box office pull despite mixed reviews. The tone is grim and unflinching, leaning harder into action and brutality than its predecessor. Taylor Sheridan returns as writer, while Hildur Guðnadóttir provides a tense, minimalist score.

The script was inspired by real-world concerns about cartels facilitating human trafficking and terrorism, though the story is fictional. Sollima, known for his work on the Italian crime series Gomorrah, brought a documentary-like grit to the action sequences. Filming took place in New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico City, using practical locations to heighten authenticity. The film is dedicated to Jóhann Jóhannsson, the composer of the first Sicario, who passed away in early 2018. [edit]

A suicide bombing at a Kansas City grocery store kills fifteen people. The US government, believing Mexican drug cartels are smuggling terrorists across the border, authorizes extreme measures. CIA officer Matt Graver is given the green light to destabilize the cartels by any means necessary. He brings in Alejandro Gillick, a former Mexican prosecutor turned operative with a personal grudge against the cartels. Their objective: kidnap Isabela Reyes, the teenage daughter of powerful cartel boss Carlos Reyes, and frame a rival cartel for the abduction, triggering an all-out war.

Graver assembles a private team, contracting mercenaries through Andy Wheeldon and securing encrypted gear. They snatch Isabela from her private school in Mexico, making it look like the work of the Matamoros cartel. But the operation quickly unravels. When the US government decides to cut ties and order the team to kill Isabela and eliminate Alejandro to maintain deniability, Graver refuses. He abandons the mission, leaving Alejandro and Isabela stranded in Mexico.

Alejandro and Isabela are captured by smugglers who plan to ransom her back to her father. Meanwhile, a young border kid named Miguel Hernandez, who has been working for the cartels, is assigned to kill Alejandro. In the chaos, Miguel shoots Alejandro and escapes. Graver, having disobeyed orders, returns to rescue Isabela. He kills the smugglers and takes Isabela into witness protection, believing Alejandro is dead. But Alejandro survives the gunshot and escapes his captors.[edit]