Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) is the intense and gritty sequel to the 2015 film Sicario. Directed by Stefano Sollima and written by Taylor Sheridan, the film returns to the world of the U.S.-Mexico drug war, focusing on the escalating conflict between drug cartels and U.S. government agencies.

The story follows CIA operative Matt Graver (played by Josh Brolin) and the enigmatic hitman Alejandro Gillick (played by Benicio Del Toro). As drug cartels begin to smuggle terrorists across the U.S. border, Graver is assigned to create chaos between the rival cartels. To achieve this, he recruits Alejandro for a dangerous mission: kidnapping Isabel Reyes (Isabela Moner), the daughter of a notorious cartel kingpin, in order to spark an all-out war between the cartels.

The film delves deeper into moral ambiguities, as both Graver and Alejandro must navigate the violent and ethically complex world of cartel warfare. Unlike the first Sicario, this sequel shifts its focus to Alejandro’s character and his evolving relationship with Isabel, adding emotional depth amid the relentless action.

While Sicario: Day of the Soldado maintains the tense, brutal atmosphere of its predecessor, it lacks the presence of Emily Blunt’s character, who was a central figure in the first film. The movie received praise for its performances, particularly Del Toro’s, as well as its gripping action sequences.

However, some critics felt it did not quite reach the same level of critical acclaim as the original. Nonetheless, it stands as a hard-hitting and thought-provoking thriller about the brutal realities of the drug war.