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Emily Blunt<\/a> was our moral compass in the first Sicario<\/em><\/a> film when things got way out of hand. The latest sequel entitled \u2018Soldado<\/em><\/a>\u2019 switches that point of view to the \u2018sicario\u2019 or hitman, Alejandro, played by Benicio del Toro<\/a> in the 2015 film. It\u2019s an interesting angle alone, one of redemption in a film that keeps you well on your toes, even from the opening scenes when you think it\u2019s heading in another direction.<\/p>\n The cargo has moved on from drugs to people trafficking in Soldado<\/em>. After a terrorist attack on US soil, the US administration calls on military man Matt Graver\u2019s (Josh Brolin<\/a>) help and that of his soldiers to hit the cartels, escalating matters into a cartel-on-cartel war. Graver uses the serves of mercurial Alejandro once again, only the plan massively backfires, putting all in danger and loyalties to the test.<\/p>\n As gritty at the first and just as unforgiving in violence, Soldado<\/em> weaves its bloody plot, twisting and turning in direction to emphasise the lack of control over the mayhem that is self-created by administrations. The second film has just as much tension and stand-offs as the first, but its hook is that of the less-than-squeaky-clean Alejandro having an intriguing crisis of confidence.<\/p>\n As ever, del Toro is captivating, downplaying his emotions in the role, without lessening the impact of what his character is experiencing. In a reflective stance, we seen a more human side to Alejandro when karma bites. Short of satisfaction when this happens, we begin to side with him and will him to survive, after the real evil is exposed rendering the drugs cartels mere armed pawns.<\/p>\n Brolin still commands a convincing alpha male presence as Graver. However, no one character is completely predictable in nature \u2013 a credit to the writing power of Taylor Sheridan<\/a>. Gomorrah<\/em><\/a> director Stefano Sollima<\/a> takes over from Denis Villeneuve<\/a>\u2019s capable hands, adding a darker air of malaise that stamps his mafioso expertise all over proceedings, in the make-up of all the players, including that of the US administration.<\/p>\n Sicario 2: Soldado<\/em> is a very worthy, well-paced and multi-layered sequel that moves the narrative forward. In fact it displays global problems and security concerns still within the same stomping ground, never tiring in its narrative that is ever expanding and consuming. It will be very exciting to see where allegiances lie next.<\/p>\n