When Sicario hit theaters in 2015, it felt like a lightning strike. Denis Villeneuve, Taylor Sheridan, and Roger Deakins created a masterpiece of tension that felt grounded, terrifying, and deeply cynical. Then came the sequel. Sicario Day of the Soldado arrived in 2018 with a massive weight on its shoulders. It didn’t have Emily Blunt’s moral compass, it didn't have Villeneuve’s atmospheric slow-burn, and honestly, it didn't even try to replicate the first film's existential dread.
Instead, we got something else entirely.
People still argue about this movie. Some call it a soulless cash-in. Others argue it’s a ballsy, nihilistic look at what happens when the "rules of engagement" are completely tossed into the trash. It’s a weirder, meaner film than the original. But does it actually hold up? If you’re revisiting it or watching it for the first time, you have to understand that this isn't a traditional sequel. It’s more like a side-story that spiraled out of control.
The Chaos of Border Politics in Sicario Day of the Soldado
The plot of Sicario Day of the Soldado kicks off with a premise that feels ripped from a paranoid news cycle. Terrorists are being smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border. This shifts the focus from drugs to human trafficking, which fundamentally changes the stakes for Josh Brolin’s character, Matt Graver.
Graver is back, and he's even more "no-nonsense" than before. He's basically given a blank check by the U.S. government to start a war between the cartels. The idea is simple: if the cartels are busy killing each other, they won't have time to smuggle terrorists. To do this, he recruits Alejandro, played with a chilling, quiet intensity by Benicio del Toro.
The plan involves kidnapping Isabel Reyes, the daughter of a major cartel kingpin. The goal? Make it look like a rival cartel did it. It's a "false flag" operation that goes south almost immediately.
What makes this movie different—and arguably more controversial—is how it handles these characters. In the first film, Alejandro was a ghost, a victim of the system who became its most efficient killer. In the sequel, he starts to develop something resembling a conscience. When the mission is scrubbed and he's ordered to kill the girl, he refuses. Suddenly, the hunter becomes the hunted.
A Different Kind of Direction
Stefano Sollima took over the director's chair for this one. If you’ve seen his work on Gomorrah, you know he does "gritty crime" better than almost anyone. He swapped the wide, sweeping desert vistas of the first film for a more claustrophobic, handheld feel. It feels like a war movie.
There’s a specific scene—the convoy ambush—that highlights this shift. It’s loud, messy, and lacks the surgical precision of the border crossing in the original. It’s pure chaos. Some critics felt this was a step down from Villeneuve’s "prestige" feel, but Sollima was clearly going for something more visceral. He wanted you to feel the heat and the dust.
The Alejandro Problem: Re-evaluating the Hero
For a lot of fans, the most jarring part of Sicario Day of the Soldado is the "survival" of it all. Without spoiling the ending too much for the uninitiated, Alejandro goes through an ordeal that borders on the supernatural.
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He's shot. He's left for dead in the desert. He basically crawls back to life.
Is it realistic? Probably not. The first movie felt like it could happen tomorrow. This sequel feels more like a modern-day Western or a graphic novel come to life. Alejandro becomes an unstoppable force, a boogeyman that even the cartels can't kill.
Then there's the relationship with Isabel.
It’s an odd dynamic. She represents everything he lost—his own daughter was killed by the cartels. By protecting her, he’s trying to reclaim a piece of his soul. It’s the closest the movie gets to being "soft," which is funny because it’s still incredibly violent.
The Ending Everyone Still Talks About
The final scene of the film is a massive setup for a third installment that hasn't happened yet. We see a time jump. Alejandro finds the young boy who was forced to shoot him. He closes the door and says, "So, you want to be a sicario?"
It’s a chilling moment.
It suggests that the cycle of violence isn't just continuing; it's being institutionalized. Alejandro isn't just a survivor anymore; he’s becoming a mentor. This is where the movie really leans into its title: Day of the Soldado (Day of the Soldier). It’s about the creation of the next generation of killers.
Why a Third Movie is Still in "Development Hell"
People keep asking: where is Sicario 3?
The second film wasn't as big of a critical hit as the first, but it made decent money. Producers Molly Smith and Trent Luckinbill have been vocal about wanting to finish the trilogy. They’ve even hinted that they want Emily Blunt to return.
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The problem is scheduling. Sheridan is the busiest guy in Hollywood with Yellowstone and its fifty spin-offs. Villeneuve is busy with Dune. Brolin and del Toro are always in demand.
As of early 2026, the project is still technically "in development." There have been rumors of a script titled Sicario: Capos, but nothing has been filmed. It’s a tough spot to be in because the second movie left so many threads hanging. You can’t really leave Alejandro and Graver where they are.
Real-World Context and Controversy
It’s worth noting that Sicario Day of the Soldado faced some backlash for its depiction of the border. By linking cartel activity to Middle Eastern terrorism, some felt the movie was leaning too hard into political fear-mongering.
Screenwriter Taylor Sheridan defended it, saying the movie is meant to be a "merciless" look at how the U.S. government operates in the shadows. He’s not trying to make a political statement as much as he's trying to show the messiness of "realpolitik." Whether or not he succeeded is up for debate.
The movie doesn't have heroes. Graver is a "company man" who will sacrifice anyone to get the job done. Alejandro is a professional assassin. The "good guys" are just the ones with the bigger guns and the U.S. flag on their gear.
Technical Breakdown: Music and Sound
One thing that doesn't get enough credit in the sequel is the score. Hildur Guðnadóttir took over after the tragic passing of Jóhann Jóhannsson. She kept the "thumping" DNA of the original but added a more industrial, grating edge to it.
The sound design is incredible. You can hear every shell casing hit the ground. You can hear the wind whipping through the desert scrub. Even if you don't like the story, you can't deny that the movie sounds like a nightmare in the best way possible.
Comparisons You Can't Avoid
If you're wondering how it stacks up against the original, here's the reality:
- Tension: The first one wins. The "dinner scene" in the original Sicario is a masterclass in suspense that the sequel never quite matches.
- Action: The sequel wins. There’s more of it, it’s bigger, and it’s more explosive.
- Character: The first one is about Kate Macer (Blunt) losing her innocence. The second one is about the villains finding a shred of theirs.
- Visuals: Deakins is a god, so the first movie looks better. But Sollima's grittiness has its own charm.
How to Watch It Today
If you want to revisit the film, it’s usually floating around on various streaming platforms like Hulu or available for rent on Amazon.
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Watching it back-to-back with the first one is an interesting experience. It feels like two different chapters of a very dark book. The first is the "why" and the second is the "how."
The "Soldado" subtitle is important. It moves the story away from the legalities of the drug war and into the mechanics of actual warfare. It’s a movie about soldiers who have forgotten what they’re fighting for, only that they have to keep moving forward.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you're a fan of this franchise, there are a few things you should do to get the full experience beyond just clicking "play" on Netflix.
First, go watch Stefano Sollima’s other work. Suburra and Gomorrah provide a lot of context for why he made the choices he did in the sequel. He’s obsessed with the idea of systems of power and how they crush the individuals caught in the middle.
Second, pay attention to the character of Miguel (the young smuggler). His arc is actually the most important one in the film because it mirrors Alejandro’s origins. The movie is telling you that for every Alejandro you kill, you’re inadvertently creating three more.
Third, keep an eye on the news regarding Sicario 3. The producers have recently mentioned that they are "very close" to a script that everyone likes. If it happens, it will likely bridge the gap between the two films and bring back the moral weight of the original.
Ultimately, Sicario Day of the Soldado is a film that refuses to be easy. It’s loud, it’s mean, and it’s deeply cynical. It might not be the "perfect" sequel, but it’s a fascinating piece of genre filmmaking that isn't afraid to get its hands dirty.
To truly understand the impact of the sequel, you have to look at it as a bridge. It moves the franchise away from the perspective of an outsider (Emily Blunt) and forces us to inhabit the world of the "monsters" themselves. Whether you think that's a good move or a mistake is what makes the movie worth discussing years later.