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Sicario: Day of the Soldado
Movie

Sicario: Day of the Soldado

2018 • Action, Crime, Drama

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

In this adventure/drama, CIA agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) enlists a mysterious operative to help investigate a Mexican drug cartel that has been smuggling terrorists into the U.S. Things escalate when the daughter of a top kingpin is abducted, forcing Graver and his partner to re-evaluate their mission.

Overall Series Review

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a dark, brutal, and morally gray action-thriller focusing on the drug war at the U.S.-Mexico border. The film centers on the mission of CIA agent Matt Graver and operative Alejandro Gillick to instigate a war between cartels by kidnapping a kingpin's daughter. The narrative focuses squarely on the ruthless logic of a 'dirty-war epic,' prioritizing visceral action and the moral decay of its characters over political or social commentary. The story does not contain any plotlines lecturing on privilege, intersectionality, or identity, instead featuring complex characters judged solely by their competence and capacity for violence. Its themes are grounded in a cynical view of state power and the chaotic consequences of covert operations, with the main dynamic being a bond between two hardened male operatives and a young female victim.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The movie operates on universal meritocracy where all characters, regardless of race or background, are judged on their ruthlessness and professional competence in the context of the drug war. The primary characters are a white American agent and a Latino operative, both highly competent and morally compromised. The narrative does not vilify 'whiteness' or rely on intersectional hierarchy; it focuses on the actions of cartels, agents, and governments.

Oikophobia4/10

The film depicts the US government’s black-ops unit as ruthless, amoral, and willing to cause international chaos for its own ends. This severe critique of the state's covert foreign policy suggests a hostility toward US institutions. However, the film simultaneously depicts the opposing Mexican cartels as brutal traffickers and terrorist smugglers, preventing a 'Noble Savage' trope and offering a balanced critique of the chaos on the border.

Feminism1/10

The core of the story is the professional and personal arc of two masculine figures, Matt Graver and Alejandro Gillick. The only major female role is Isabela Reyes, a teenage girl who is a victim and political leverage. Her character arc is one of being stripped of her entitled attitude through fear and isolation. The film features no 'Girl Boss' tropes, no emasculation of the male leads, and no anti-family or anti-natalism messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

No elements of alternative sexual ideology are present in the narrative. The plot focuses entirely on drug cartels, terrorism, government operations, and the ensuing violence, maintaining a normative structure where sexuality is not a topic of discussion or ideological center.

Anti-Theism3/10

The world of the covert operatives is one of pure moral ambiguity and cynicism, where 'right' and 'wrong' are subjective and situational. The narrative does not include any Christian characters who are portrayed as bigots or villains. The film embodies a spiritual vacuum and a bleak moral relativism, but it does not engage in active hostility toward religion or religious institutions.