Josh Brolin Reveals Location Scout for 'Sicario' was Kidnapped in Mexico

Josh Brolin's shedding some light on how scary it can be for film and TV crews working on projects about drug cartels ... saying it often gets way too real.

We got the "Only the Brave" actor at LAX on Friday and asked him about the dangers of making shows like "Narcos" and movies like 2015's "Sicario," which he starred in, in crime-ridden cities.

Josh tells us you have to take precautions because those places are definitely NOT like the U.S. ... and that a guy on the 'Sicario' crew was kidnapped in Mexico. He also reveals the 'Narcos' location scout killed in September worked on the film too.

So is it worth it? Brolin has a very interesting take on that, and as with many walks of life ... it comes down to risk vs. reward.