Sicario: Day of the Soldado

As the first film Taylor Sheridan was paid to write by a studio, Sicario: Day of the Soldado continues the struggle to fight back the cartels on the Mexican border, staring Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin, but now there are no longer any restrictions preventing Josh Brolin’s character from starting an “all-out” war. After several hours of writing and thinking about this film, I honestly cannot say whether I loved it or not. The fact that Denis Villeneuve, director of Sicario, was too busy to come back for the sequel is a large obstacle this film had to overcome; although, I believe director Stefano Sollima was an excellent choice to take the mantle because of his similar perspective with Taylor Sheridan towards exposing present day injustice through film. I believe this perspective is important and adds depth to these films, but it is what leads toward the difficult part about this film’s story: it is a brutal and slow-burning battle that never ends.

The first opening scenes have insulted many critics, and I can see why. Josh Brolin’s character is constantly trying to get back into Mexico to take down the cartels, and the events that take place in the first twenty minutes of this film serve as the excuse for the US military to give him what he desires. I say this because many are accusing this film of having pointless violence. Yes, the opening scenes are gut-wrenching and seem to have no purpose, but that is exactly what Josh Brolin’s character needs starts the story: an example for a target to execute. These opening scenes show several terrorist attacks by Muslims trying to cross the Mexican border, and the camera does not hide any of it. These scenes are very disconnected from their lack of characters, but as soon as Benicio Del Toro is introduced, the narrative takes over and gives reason to the actions on screen.

The story itself also struggles in the beginning. It is separated and jumbled around across the globe; the few major characters are living in different countries and do not want to work together. Eventually, once the team is assembled and the mission begins, the energy of Taylor Sheridan’s craft reveals itself, but by then the first act is almost over. These were the only issues I had with this film. The story is great once it starts, and the evolution of its characters is done subtly yet realistically.

What Sollima did well was his choice of camera work. How he makes the audience see the violence gives more context than normal action films. Several scenes start from the eye of a drone plane or through thermal cameras on helicopters. This separation from the people on the ground creates this feeling of being watched when the scene eventually is among the characters. The omniscient, or drone-like, presence that pulls back from the personal interactions show a mechanically grim world along the border. Because of this emotionless camera, the action throughout is never hidden or subdued, and it leaves a haunting sense of death through the entire film. There is no regard for human life on either side of this war, and many scenes will leave audiences unsettled and probably upset if not enraged. The way the film shows the tactics of both sides, how willingly they are to brutally assassinate their necessary targets, terrified me. I was more afraid of the US military and the Mexican Cartels in this film than I was of the satanic cult in Hereditary. That was what Taylor Sheridan intended, but it prevents the audience from rooting for the many of the characters.

The important part of this film is that when the credits appear on screen, the story has not ended. The arcs present are complete, but the conflict against the cartels and the effects of violence on children in this area remain. Taylor Sheridan did not want to satisfy the audience with a fictional solution to a realistic problem; he wants his audience to experience the children’s’ struggle to survive. They are the ones thrown into this world without alternative options, and the choices they have to make yield permanent consequences. The relationship between the adults and the child characters is what resonates through this film, and how the children try to survive in this world cannot be overlooked. There is no true resolution because the children are still trapped inside, but what Benicio Del Toro’s character sacrifices to give them a second chance is what makes this film special.

Overall it is a powerful story slowly building through exposed violence and death. The camera work and the actors’ performances bring Taylor Sheridan’s vision to life, and I was physically changed by the end. The characters work in the shadows, where the law cannot see them, and the people of both Mexico and the US can only witness the aftermath. Not only do Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin control each scene, but the child actors also add a true sense of realism and struggle to the story as they are the ones who make the toughest decisions. I recommend seeing this film, but you should be prepared to experience true warfare without style or promise of a benefitting endgame.

Story Rating: 7/10

Character Rating: 9/10