Sicario 2: Soldado lacks the finesse of the original but increases the brutality and darkness of a continuous war. Its predecessor had the perfect formula. Villeneuve, Blunt, Deakins and the late Jóhannsson. All vital components into making a hypnotically thrilling equation. With the release of a sequel, these elements have been removed. Del Toro, Brolin and Sheridan remain in an attempt to equal its predecessor. So, the big question, is it just as good? Simply put, yes. The drug war within the US-Mexico border rapidly escalates from smuggling substances to migrating terrorists. A CIA agent, tasked to deal with the situation regardless of the implications, hires a hitman bent on vengeance. The original opened a window to mainstream audiences, depicting the eternal grimness and brutality of the growing border patrol situation, whilst highlighting some humanity. To compare Soldado to its predecessor would be unfair, as it is succinctly different in various areas. The first film introduced us to these righteous semi-professional characters, this sequel acts as a platform to develop their domineering personalities as the world they are catapulted in continues to evolve. No longer are Mexican cartels smuggling drugs, the new trade is people. Cheaper, more efficient and harder to trace. The film immediately commences with a terrorist attack in a supermarket, ultimately setting the bleak tone for the rest of the runtime. Screenwriter Sheridan knew not to make a continuation of 'Sicario', so creating a separate story was a sagacious move and this immediate scenario acts as a clear motive for the main characters. Every move this team make either jeopardises the US government's position or the innocent family lives of the victims. Every explosion, every kill, every bullet. It felt incredibly fatalistic. "Kidnap a prince, and the king will start the war", an audacious line used by Sheridan that just highlights how sharp his writing style has remained. He continues to impress me. Sollima's directing style, although occasionally trying too hard to replicate Villeneuve's masterful touch, was consistently visceral with some picturesque landscape shots and thrillingly violent action sequences. Del Toro and Brolin both give physically demanding and mentally charged performances and work professionally well together. Guðnadóttir's score beautifully upheld Jóhannsson's haunting composition, from booming low bass to melancholic strings. Certain directions within the plot I did not necessarily agree with, particularly in the third act where a massive plot coincidence is predictably played, and any reasoning to create a third film would be eminently thin. Overall, the technical dream team may have dissipated but it is hardly noticeable. Soldado shows no mercy in portraying a world where trust is a luxury, yet you can trust Sheridan in writing a captivating story.
