Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Two seasoned operatives return to the field as Matt Graver and Alejandro Gillick square off against a new threat along the US Mexico border. Their mission centers on halting a cartel scheme that could let terrorists slip into American soil, a plan that pushes them to operate outside normal legal bounds. As they recruit uneasy allies and deploy aggressive, morally gray strategies, the story tightens around the consequences of violence in a landscape of checkpoints, smuggling routes, and covert informants. The pace is lean and relentless, focusing on tactical skirmishes and careful planning rather than spectacle, while maintaining a grim, tense mood that signals danger at every corner. The tone stays tight throughout.

Stefano Sollima directs with a nocturnal, grounded eye and Taylor Sheridan writes the screenplay, continuing the world sparked by the original Sicario. Released in 2018, the film brings back Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin and widens the franchise’s perspective on border violence and state power.

The film deepens the franchise's signature look at power and moral compromise, showing how government and cartel forces collide in a system where violence is normalized and accountability murky. Its stark visuals and methodical pacing helped shape later conversations about enforcement and humanitarian cost in contemporary thrillers.

Critics praised the brisk pace and bleak atmosphere, while some argued it lacks the emotional punch of its predecessor. Core ideas include ends versus means, the corrosive effects of brutality, and the blurry line between hunter and prey as nations wage shadow wars.