Almost as good as the first, which I didn't like a much as most people, either.
By the same writer as the first, which I think saved the movie in the end. Don't watch expecting an exact continuation of characters from the first movie.
Benecio del Toro did an incredible job carrying the movie along, offering a ton of acting with almost no dialogue. Isabela also did a superb bringing lots of character.
the movie had a lull after Matt's team was ordered to clean up Alejandro, but was quickly saved by some more intense...not even action, but tension. Alejandro meeting the deaf local, was a very touching and surprisingly emotional scene, and it made me respect his character ten fold.
I absolutely loved how this film utilized silence, long pauses, intense stares and no dialogue almost more than it's predecessor. Overall, it captivated my attention (hard to do) completely, and had me quiet throughout the entire movie.
I would totally recommend it, if you are able to translate the use of dialogue, but also the lack of dialogue as movie story.
Not nearly as good as the first. A little up it's own hindside which moves from suspense to being kind of dull. 5/10
- We are going to fight those dirty mexican as if they were dirty iraky.
- How are we going to do that, Chef?
- We are going to find the most bad ass contractor that isn't afraid of being dirty (read torturing people for gaining information) and unleash him on unsuspecting mexican cartel family while paying him handsomely. But we are still going to tell him off if there are any cops killed while the undercover super secret operation is in progress. We are not complete barbarian, after all.
..... Much action and much suspense music later: End Credit
A disappointment. Not the follow up of the first installment that I was hoping for.
Wow. If Sicario was the starter, this film is the main course. The trailer does not do this film justice... a more layered, involved and meaningful piece. This is no slight on the first film from Denis Villeneuve, which was masterful and worthy in every way. However, this second film takes the story and characters to a "higher level". This movie was surprising, gritty, superbly acted, with moments of genius directing. The movie looked stunning thanks to Dariusz Wolski as the director of photography. Editing and sound were spot on as well as the familiar brooding soundtrack music. Please take the time and spend the money to see this at the cinema. I am so glad I drove the hour to watch this which will definitely be one of my top ten films of 2018. Yes, 122 mins flew by. I cannot fault it and would quite happily watch this again tomorrow. Bloody good stuff and I am looking forward to number 3 which will hopefully conclude a perfect trilogy. 8.5/10
The first one was better. I felt an empty at the end. What happened to the girl? How the hell that dude will be a sicário?
something happens
DREARY TRUMBONE SOUND
something happens again
DREARY TRUMBONE SOUND INTENSIFIES
Honestly, the mind-numbingly repetitive soundtrack represents this movie perfectly. Because the whole thing felt like a dry, boring slog. At one point i felt like i'd been watching the movie for over two hours, only to check the progress and realise that i was only halfway through the movie.
The first Sicario had a much better storyline and Emily Blunt was a better lead because she was inexperienced and added some levity to the cast of stone cold military vets. Now all we get is Mr Grumpy and hispanic Mr Grumpy engaging in RIDICULOUS black ops missions where they shoot Mexican civilians in broad daylight in the middle of the goddamn street. This is coming from a series that built its reputation on being realistic. The US government would NEVER authorise any of this bullshit.
And i don't care about why or who they kill because the movie doesn't give you a primary objective to follow, so all the action set-pieces end up feeling random. It was very sloppy, and is another example of a forced sequel that shouldn't have happened.
This isn’t a bad movie by any means but it is quite slow. The tension and cinematography is excellent and composes the majority of the film. However, the ending is unjust and fails to explain or conclude the events. Overall, it’s a decent watch but distinctly fails to live up to the original.
How can you go from that first movie to this mediocre action flick? I can't believe these two movies had the same writer.
It's a decent action movie but that's about it.
They basically forced in another "top dog" cartel leader to justify Alejandro being involved again. Somehow this guy was also related to, apparently even ordered, the execution of his family, while the implication was clearly that he already killed that person in the first movie. We also never get to see or hear about this guy again because the entire movie revolves around his daughter and the plot simply never progresses beyond getting her over the border to the US, back to Mexico again (up until this point the movie still made sense), aaaand back over the border to the US again.
I saw someone mention that they added more depth to Alejandro's character by telling us more about his backstory. We were told the same story we heard before but now his late daughter is also deaf. Definitely a major expansion on the Alejandro lore.
Other than that we get to see some Mexican-American kid who is somehow a complete degenerate cold-blooded killer when the situation asks for it. We never learn about his motivations beyond "money".
The main plot revolving around cartels importing terrorists is also completely thrown out of the window in an apparent twist but in reality it just felt like a lazy way to wrap up the story because the writer had no idea how to end it.
-"You're gonna help us start a war."
-"With who?"
-"Everyone."
Not as good as the first. Totally different but it doesn't feel fresh. If like me you finished the first wanting more of Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin's characters, it does give that to you but not enough of it. They went for too much focus on secondary characters and subplots when really, all we want is focus on Alejandro and Matt. Anytime the movie doesn't focus on them, it drags. The new characters are very bland. Alejandro is a slightly different character in this one, he feels more calm and less impulsive. At first I thought it might be bad representation from one director to another but considering what he went through in the first it makes sense. Josh Brolin is less comedic which is a shame.
It's not Villeneuve behind the helm but it relatively keeps the same style as the first. You can tell something's missing though. Lacking a bit in creativity, it feels more Hollywood, by the book. For a franchise called Sicario, there wasn't many sicarios in this one. Not enough action. The third act was a let down. I can't say i'm looking forward to the second part of this.
The movie was just as good as the first one, but the ending was just a little disappointing.
Not as good as the original, but still pretty decent
Sicario 2: Soldado [released in North America as Sicario: Day of the Soldado] is a sequel to Denis Villeneuve's Sicario (2015). And if ever a film didn't scream "sequel", it was that one. Apart from the fact that it was only a modest box-office hit (grossing $84.9 million against a $30 million budget, in an era when the only films that become franchises must gross $800 billion in the first five minutes of their release), the storyline was carried to a fairly natural conclusion – Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro), protected by his CIA handler Matt Graver (Josh Brolin), successfully manipulated naïve and idealistic CIRG officer Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) into helping him exact revenge for the murder of his wife and daughter at the hands of drug baron Fausto Alarcón (Julio Cesar Cedillo). The film concluded with Graver getting what he wanted, Gillick getting revenge, and Macer in possession of a more realistic, if bitter, understanding of how the US conducts its affairs in Mexico.
For my complete review, please visit: https://boxd.it/tLbAf
Almost on a par with the first Sicario, this is a tense, exciting, and topical thriller.
5/10 , that's my vote.
I had mixed reactions to this movie. Some parts were good, and others were meh. The first one was a lot better.
Sicario worked best as a threesome, and without Emily Blunt there, humanizing the the trio, the balance is just off. Sure it portrays a grim realism, much the like the first, but it just feels kinda hollow and pointless...
First part was way better...
If you enjoyed the first, you'll love the second. Great performance by Del Toro, tension throughout the movie is very high, this is not an action movie but more a thriller with some action. Go see this movie
Such a snooze. Literally. I fell asleep for part of it. Not good.
This has the impossible task of living up the the original Sicario, which I think is a masterpiece. Yes, it is not as good as the first but I still enjoyed it a lot. Benicio del Toro is amazing. His character is still such a badass and steals the show. Josh Brolin is great too, we get more of the same quirky guy. We really miss Emily Blunt and that outsider presence. Without that it feels really dark. The story is good for the most part. I feel like there were some shortcuts made that didn't quite feel earned. The cinematography is good but can't quite live up to the first. I want a third Sicario and figure out a way to bring Emily Blunt back, please?
I was expecting a disappointing sequel from reading a few user reviews, especially given how many of this genre of film are dumb, throwaway violence fests, doubly so for direct sequels. I found no such thing here. This was a thoroughly engrossing and intense film. I just watched Sicario two days ago, but I think this may be even better, and I really liked Sicario. The score works overtime, but this film was the exception in that it earned every BurrAWWWwwnnnn. It depresses me that anyone could find either film boring.
Brolin brings the presence, along with human uncertainty when even he is forced to face something he isn't comfortable with. He makes you think that mercenary terrorists may actually have honor, where the elected war ministers do not. And there are moments when he kills with vengeance. Benicio del Toro once again more than carries his half of the film, dialog or no. So much can be said with just a look, but you see the depth of his humanity unfold in scenes like the border homestead. Likewise, Isabela Merced gave all that the script asked of her, age in account or not. I hadn't seen her in anything serious before, but she more than proves herself here. And through Wolski's lens she looks like an animate doll.
Speaking of which, the cinematography got to go a lot more places this time, lingering on different subjects in more settings, and Dariusz Wolski's photography was gorgeous throughout, whether shooting the landscape, or subjects. I'll also keep an ear out for Hildur Guðnadóttir's score work. Honestly, this was one of the best Director/Cinematographer/Composer/Writer combos I've seen in a while.
It starts well, but halfway through the movie it loses meaning and you keep wondering what the characters aim for. It seems as though the movie gets stuck halfway and can't proceed any further. So it rushes to the finale that doesn't make any sense at all. The beauty of the first chapter was that you were given no explanation about what was happening and you figure it out watching it till the end. This technique makes you feel helpless against things that you can't control, which makes the movie more realistic. Here everything is preplanned with long explanations, dialogues and meetings, so you want to see certain things that never happen, and the story stops just at the climax..
Not at the same level as Villeneuve's film, but a solid and enjoyable movie.
A strong sequel to a great movie.
Although it never reaches the greatness of the first one, the story is compelling, the sound is on point and, to be honest, you just cannot not route for Benicio del Toro, who gives an excellent performance.
after watching two times Sicario 2, i can say the second watch with a super quality screen & great music sound , that i realy super apreciate the movie the second time & of course a lot of very good actors ( all of them are perfect in they actuation with very good actors like benicio del toro , .... :) don't miss it 2 hours of greta spectacle :)
Noticeably not as commanding as its predecessor, but 'Sicario: Day of the Soldado' is still a good time.
It's pleasing to have the returns of Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin, the former isn't as great as before though the latter is basically the same. Isabela Merced, meanwhile, makes for a positive addition. Some parts of the story are more interesting than others, e.g. the bits directly with Elijah Rodriguez's Miguel aren't all that noteworthy.
It does set the atmosphere really well, sound-wise it's good - except for that one amusing (unintentionally, granted) use of 'girl screaming' stock audio, which I'm fairly certain is the exact same sound effect used in 'RollerCoaster Tycoon' back in the day - whatta game, by the way.
One (real) criticism I do have, mind, is the lighting. I saw a few reviewers noting that for the 2015 original too though I didn't see it (or I guess I did, ha) there. Here, however, it's obvious... especially early on. Once the plot gets moving it gets less and less noticeable, but still.
I can't say a sequel was needed, though at least they did an acceptable job with it. Time will tell if they do so again for 'Sicario: Capos'.
This one picked up a little faster than the first one, but the story wasn’t as strong and good as the first one.
Really good follow up movie
Sicario: Day of the Soldado is an excellent sequel to the original film. While it builds on the original plot, it also takes on a more focused objective, which gives the story a fresh and exciting feel. One of the most notable aspects of the film is the way it digs deeper into Alejandro's character, providing a more intimate look into his motivations and backstory. This added depth not only enriches the plot but also makes for a more satisfying viewing experience. Overall, an outstanding watch for fans of the first film and a great standalone action movie that delivers.
Though not as good as the first one, fantastic acting from both Benecio and Isabela :clap_tone4: It was the facial expressions for me. No words needed.
In terms of story, it wasn't as good or disturbing as the first film, but it was still really good when it came to the action scenes and the general badass-ery. The start is a bit slow, but it gets really good by the end. Overall 8/10 Good action movie.
8.5/10 - Oh, wow, that movie was intense! Lots of action and the slower-paced story moments weren't really boring either. I didn't expect much but really "enjoyed" this movie (I hope it isn't based on a real story - although I wonder how much of it reflects real events).
I didn't like the ending that much but it was also kinda good. Could've definitely been much worse. I guess we just need a third movie now :D
Some notes regarding the events:
Some bad luck.
It sucked when Alejandro died. And then it sucked even more when he didn't and I thought he'd be half dead. Luckily he's pretty fine at the end.
That grenade at the end :D So badass! You don't mess with Alejandro...
Would I say this film is better than the first one, no...... but it has elements that are better than the first film and it does address a very interesting subject of America will do some pretty horrible stuff to get the job done even if it makes no difference at all at the end of the day (like most countries to be fair).
If you liked the first film then I promise you won't be upset as this is a super solid sequel and almost on par, the one thing this film does is it develops the characters of Benicio Del Toro (Alejandro Gillick) and Josh Brolin (Matt Graver) a lot better and makes you understand their motivations as characters a lot better. Also, Isabela Merced (Isabel Reyes) was perfect in this film and if this wasn't more of an action film than the first one it would have been better recognized.
This brings me to the next point, it's obvious they changed directors from Denis to Stefano Sollima and in my opinion yeah he isn't as good as a director but he handles this film pretty well and I have to say I think he handled the actions scenes a bit better though the film lacked the tension of the first film but do not let this put you off as he does a great job and he had big boots to fill and I think he did it.
Serious, I love the Sicario films and I look forward to seeing if they make a 3rd one but if they don't I feel satisfied with both films.
An under-rated bad ass sequel that leaves you wanting more. Except the 3rd film may not actually move forward now unfortunately. Due to Sicario: Day of the Soldado not making as much money as the first film.
I felt bad watching this. not because of the storyline but because my subtitles aren't working. So I couldn't understand half of the stuff people were saying..even so, I still found it good. I just need to rewatch it and somehow try to make the subs work. ugghhhhh
Not bad. Good action, good intrigue. But I really hate movies that essentially just end mid sent...
i think i liked this movie better than the previous one ..the first one was damn slow...i don't know why many people hating this.. they better watch art films or twinkly Rom com movies..this movie is intense, dark & gruesome..you have to admit that and admire the movie as it is...the main characters were awesome..hats off to them
though it's not a fantastic movie ...but it stands on its own...
This movie is pure action and adrenaline. You don't know where the blow is going to fall. Of course, the plot is nowhere to catch it.
When I heard there was a sequel to Sicario (a film I absolutely adored), I scratched my head. That film didn't seem to need or warrant a sequel in any capacity. Yet, here we are. I will say that for assuming this would be hot garbage, I didn't actually hate it. In fact, I rather enjoyed it. It is a watered down version of the first, almost across the board--lesser dialogue, lacking tension, moderate menace, little nuance--but thanks to Del Toro and Brolin they make it all watchable. With such a high bar set by the first, I'm actually very happy that this got within the realm of quality of its predecessor. Now we just have to wait for them to make the inevitable next film so that they have a true Hollywood trilogy.
Super directing but i was expecting more after brilliant start..Plot is ok,perfomances are great too so for sure worths your time.
7.6/10
Wow...just wasted 2 hours of my life. Pointless movie...How does crap like this get funded?
Didn't quite live up to the first one but usually hard to do so. It was a pretty decent movie put I think some of the pacing and perhaps the narrative as a whole just wasn't as entrancing. The music as usual was amazing. I honestly was totally taken by Benicio del Toro and Isabela Moner. They did such an amazing job- Benicio's got his intense stares down as usual but Isabela had these amazing looks she'd give. Overall still worth watching if you were a fan of the first but not quite as good.
Shout by JeffBlockedParent2018-10-14T20:01:56Z
Glad to have a sequel of Sicario. Allthough first part was better, this still is worth watching to skip some time. Build-up was good, but the plot seemed rushed. So it can feel like a dissappointment.