Sicario – Day of the Soldado has Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro back as US Federal agent Matt Graver and hitman Alejandro. This time, the drug war on the US-Mexico border has escalated, and the cartels have started trafficking terrorists to the United States.

Now that the talented Emily Blunt, Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins and Oscar-nominated director Denis Villeneuve are all nowhere in sight for this sequel, I wouldn’t say I was initially concerned, but rather hopeful. I mean, the trailer did look very promising indeed.

Having now watched director Stefano Sollima’s sequel, I find myself feeling relatively neutral about it. I neither hate nor love Day of the Soldado. Yet, Alejandro remains one of my favourite things about both movies. Especially since he’s at the centre of the much-loved and notable action sequences.

Sollima’s film certainly has tension. Though, for me, it’s not quite the expertly captured, bristling tension of the first movie. The musical score and cinematography weren’t bad either. I just liked both, the story and the way it was captured better in the first movie. Additionally, I wouldn’t say that I missed Blunt’s Kate Mercer, but I missed what she added to the story. She was a person I could identify with as someone very new to the very specific, highly violent world of the film.

Is Day of the Soldado still worth watching if you liked the first movie? Yes. However, I may be shocked if anyone prefers it to the first instalment. And I’d be intrigued to find out why.

Happy Film Loving,

G