A Reel Preview - Everything You Need to Know About SICARIO: DAY OF SOLDADO

In 2015, one of the best films of the year was the Denis Villeneuve-directed SICARIO. The CIA/FBI vs. the Mexican drug cartel crime thriller, written by Taylor Sheridan, earned three Oscar nominations and was one of the best reviewed films of the year. This week, the sequel arrives. Here is everything you need to know about SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO.

What is this about? – Picking up some time after the events of the first film, the CIA discovers that the Mexican drug cartel is smuggling terrorists across the U.S. border, and starts a plan of action which involves the kidnapping of a drug lord’s daughter to entice a war between cartels.

Who is in this?  – Josh Brolin reprises his role as the CIA operative who bends the law. His notable roles include NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007), and TRUE GRIT (2010). Also returning is Benicio del Toro as an undercover operative, whose notable films include TRAFFIC (2000), and 21 GRAMS (2003). The rest of the cast is rounded out by Isabela Moner, Catherine Keener, Jeffrey Donovan, and Matthew Modine. Emily Blunt, who had the lead role in the first film, does not appear this time around.

Who is behind this? – Denis Villeneuve, who directed the first film, does not direct this time. He is replaced by Italian director Stefano Sollima, who is mostly known for crime drama films, such as the award-winning ACAB – ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS (2012). The film is written by Taylor Sheridan, who has a strong writing record with the acclaimed SICARIO (2015), HELL OR HIGH WATER (2016), and WIND RIVER (2017).

Random Facts – The film has been described as a “stand-alone spin-off” more than a direct sequel to SICARIO, although a trilogy is being planned * Denis Villeneuve could not return to direct due to his commitments to his own films; ARRIVAL (2016), and BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017) * SICARIO is a Spanish word that means “hitman”. Soldado in English means “soldier” * This is the second film Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin have appeared together in this year, with the first being AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR * Famed cinematographer Roger Deakins, who was nominated for an Oscar in the first film, was not available for the sequel. He was replaced by Dariusz Wolski, whose credits include the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN film series, along with THE CROW (1994), and DARK CITY (1998) *

What to expect  - A lot of the talk surrounding this sequel has been focused on what’s not in the film more than what’s in it, and maybe rightfully so. The absence of the wonderful Emily Blunt, along with her partner in SICARIO, played by the excellent Daniel Kaluuya, makes one wonder just who we’re supposed to latch onto here, and much of the success of SICARIO came from the also-absent steady hand of director Denis Villeneuve. However, SOLDADO does have the strength of Taylor Sheridan’s writing (he has yet to script a dud), and lead actors Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro always elevate everything they’re in. We can expect a tight story with plenty of surprises, and considering the territory we’re returning to, some blood and brutality can be expected as well. The first SICARIO established a scary world where cops and robbers dance the line, and if a good sequel is to dig further, we should be in for a damn good film.

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SICARIO: DAY OF SOLDADO opens wide June 29^th, with limited showings on the 28^th.