Just after he finished the first season of the Dutton family saga inYellowstone, its creatorTaylor Sheridanheaded back to Mexico as the writer ofSicario: Day of the Soldado, the sequel toDenis Villeneuve’scritically acclaimedSicario.The 2018 sequel, which is leaving Prime Video in December, is a must-watch for fans of Sheridan’s work. It tells the story of two familiar faces:Josh Brolin’sCIA operative Matt Graver andBenicio del Toro’senigmatic assassin Alejandro Gillick. The duo is drawn into a shadowy mission along the U.S.-Mexico border, where the rules of engagement are thrown out the window. As the war on drugs escalates, their mission takes a dark turn.
Should You Watch ‘Sicario: Day of the Soldado’?
The movie is currently rocking a 62% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is obviously quite a bit lower than the 92% rating of its predecessor. Collider’sMatt Goldbergfelt the film ultimately failed to honor the legacy and reputation of the 2015 original, giving it a C rating. Although admittingthe film isn’t a bad movie, since it’s put together efficiently and the performances are strong, he felt that Sheridan has perhaps missed the point of what madeSicarioso special, thinking fans wanted more dark, miserable scenes and violence.
Day of the Soldadoisn’t a bad movie in that it’s well-crafted and well-acted, but it’s also deeply disappointing. It’s almost like screenwriterTaylor Sheridanmisunderstood the appeal of the first movie (which he also wrote) and assumed that what people wanted was more darkness and bloodshed. That darkness and bloodshed was the effective setting of the first movie, but it’s not the endpoint. It’s the beginning for where his protagonist goes. He doesn’t have that inSoldado, so it’s just people being violent and then they make choices that strain credulity. We’re supposed to believe that Matt and Alejandro suddenly decide to become less ruthless even though ruthlessness is their defining characteristic. Ultimately,Sicario: Day of the Soldadoends up drowning in the darkness it hopes to navigate.
Despite that,the performances of Brolin and del Toro are still a joyto behold, so, if you’d like to check the film out for yourselves, make like the wind, because it departs Prime Video at the end of this month. Check the link down below to watch the movie, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates on all your favorite movies and shows.
Sicario: Day Of The Soldado
In Sicario: Day of the Soldado, FBI agent Matt Graver joins forces with assassin Alejandro Gillick when a the war between drug cartels along the US-Mexico border reaches a tipping point. Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin reprise their roles from Denis Villeneuve’s first movie, but Stefano Sollima replaces the original movie’s director.
Watch on Prime Video
