When director Stefano Sollima stepped in to helm Sicario: Day of the Soldado, he faced a monumental challenge: following up Denis Villeneuve's critically acclaimed cartel thriller. While writer Taylor Sheridan returned to pen the script, many believed it was Villeneuve's masterful direction—along with Roger Deakins' haunting cinematography and Jóhann Jóhannsson's eerie score—that made the original so unforgettable. Yet Sollima, known for his stylish work on Suburra and the TV series Gomorrah, crafted a sequel that, while divisive, is a gritty, ambitious crime thriller in its own right.
From its opening moments, Day of the Soldado plunges viewers into a world even darker than its predecessor. A harrowing terror attack, allegedly facilitated by a Mexican cartel, sets the stage for a kidnapping thriller where the kidnappers are the protagonists. Josh Brolin's CIA agent Matt Graver becomes more villainous than ever, orchestrating a false-flag operation to spark war among the cartels. Meanwhile, Benicio Del Toro's Alejandro Gillick evolves from a near-mythical force of vengeance into a more traditional—but no less lethal—antihero, complete with a revolver-style execution and a Clint Eastwood-inspired desert look.
This shift in tone is deliberate. Sheridan's script paints a brutal world without heroes, where the line between good and evil is not just blurred but erased. The film's amoral stance—refusing to judge its protagonists' ruthless actions—drew criticism from audiences and critics alike. But for those willing to embrace its unflinching vision, Day of the Soldado offers a compelling, if uncomfortable, experience. It's a throwback to the jingoistic action-thrillers of the 1980s, complete with cruel one-liners, missile launchers, and mounted machine guns.
Visually, Sollima makes no attempt to replicate Villeneuve's style. Instead, he creates a distinct aesthetic: economical in its storytelling, with nighttime photography that is both ominous and beautiful. A terrifying shootout filmed from inside a car as corrupt police assault a CIA convoy rivals the original's tension, while a haunting desert scene lit only by pickup headlights elevates the film into mythic territory. The twist that follows only deepens its impact.
For fans of modern crime dramas, Day of the Soldado is a must-watch. It's a film that, like Prime Video's Bosch, sets a high bar for gritty storytelling. And for those who enjoy the morally complex world of Pedro Pascal's Narcos, this sequel offers a similarly unflinching look at the war on drugs.
Unfairly maligned upon its release, Sicario: Day of the Soldado deserves a re-evaluation. It's a bold, visually accomplished thriller that, while different from Villeneuve's original, stands tall as a worthy successor. Sollima's direction should have cemented him as one of Hollywood's top action filmmakers. For those who missed it the first time, now is the perfect moment to discover this hidden gem.
