About Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is the second installment in the Sicario series, following its highly successful predecessor, "Sicario." Released in 2018, this film continues to delve into the dangerous world of drug trafficking along the United States-Mexico border. The plot thickens when terrorists use a route across the border to carry out a horrific terrorist attack. The US government calls upon Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and Alejandro Gillick (Benicio Del Toro) to incite a war between the major cartels. Their plan involves kidnapping Isabela (Isabela Merced), the daughter of a cartel kingpin, in a false flag operation.

Making / Production

Day of the Soldado was directed by Stefano Sollima and written by Taylor Sheridan. The film was produced by Black Label Media with distribution by Lionsgate and Columbia Pictures. Shot locations include New Mexico, Mexico City, and Sicily, adding to the authenticity of the narrative.

Actors

• Josh Brolin - Matt Graver: Josh Brolin reprised his role as the unorthodox operative Matt Graver, playing it with a ruthless pragmatic nature.
• Benicio Del Toro - Alejandro Gillick: Del Toro brings depth and complexity to his character, portraying Alejandro as both a cold-blooded assassin and a figure capable of compassion.
• Isabela Merced - Isabela Reyes: Merced portrays the kidnapped daughter with strong resilience and sensitivity, effectively communicating the trauma of her experience.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The movie is part of a trilogy, with "Sicario" being the first film and a third unnamed sequel announced but not yet produced.
• The film's title, "Sicario: Day of the Soldado" means "Hitman: Day of the Soldier" in English.

Awards

While Sicario: Day of the Soldado did not win any major awards, its predecessor Sicario received several nominations from prestigious award-giving bodies and it retains a cult-like following among fans of the series.

Quotes

• "You are not a wolf... and this is a land of wolves now." - Alejandro
• "Turns out the Department of Defense are just like you. They don't like sharing with the CIA." - Matt Graver

Music, Soundtrack

• Hildur Guðnadóttir composed the haunting and atmospheric score for the movie, following in the ominous, tension-filled footsteps of Jóhann Jóhannsson's work in the first film.
• The soundtrack, along with the rest of the series, features a blend of mournful strings and pulsating rhythms that underscore the perilous world of the border war on drugs.