*Originally written July 4th, 2018*
Of all of the films to be released in the past few years, the original Sicario did not demand a sequel. It was a pretty open and shut film with everyone's story told and wrapped up. But since Hollywood is the way it is, we not only got a sequel, but it looks like we're also getting a trilogy dedicated to this world of shady government agents vs the Mexican Cartel.
The warning signs of this being a lazy, possibly direct-to-DVD quality sequel were all there. Emily Blunt didn't return (Although writer Taylor Sheridan does have plans for her return in the potential third instalment) and neither did original director Denis Villeneuve. Not even the god of modern cinematography, Roger Deakins return. The only returning players were Taylor Sheridan and stars Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro.
Despite all this and the general unnecessary feeling of Sicario having a sequel, they've cracked out a mostly successful crime-action-thriller. It never reaches the heights of the first, but it comes close at times, giving us a brutal, entertaining and tense experience. Tonally it gets everything right, it's the same violent world where people are killed without any Hollywood over the topness, characters are very moral grey areas, I was genuinely thinking this was on par with the first, until the last act nearly derails the entire thing.
Director Stefano Sollima is not a director I'm familiar with, but he does a damn good job and holding the tension of the original, a scene in the second act with a convoy comes very close. It lacks Deakins gorgeous cinematography, but it still has a nice looking and cinematic feel that makes the most of the beauty and ugliness of Mexico. Del Toro and Brolin still do great jobs in their roles. Del Toro is sympathetic, despite being a complete psychopath and it was nice to see his character explored a bit more.
Where it mostly all falters is in its script. The last act is a complete mess that nearly destroys everything that came before it. Characters we know make insane decisions that are against what we know of them from two films now and it was bizarre. It just felt very out of place for this universe and made way for one of the most insane endings that felt like a borderline spoof. The last shot that's a Godfather homage also features one of the worst lines of a dialogue of the year and blatant sequel bait. I will give praise to the score for the final scene, which echoes a lot of the ominous music from the first.
I'd be much more against this if the first two acts weren't as good as they were, I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of bring these characters back into the fold for another run at the Mexican Cartel and I was happy this just wasn't a complete rehash of the first. They actually told a new and interesting story that had a number of surprising twists.
I wish I had more today about Sicario 2: Soldado or Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Depending on where you're from, but it fails to live up to the first, but is still a competent and extremely watchable crime film with solid performances from Del Toro and Brolin. It's just a shame about that last act, but I'm still keen for Sicario 3.
7/10 Dans
Sicario 2: Soldado is out now in cinemas in the UK
Watch the trailer below:
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