Don't be alarmed that I wrote another review on a war flick but I couldn't help myself despite stating in my last review that I don't like them much. It doesn't mean I'm becoming a fan; however, a brilliant plot, acting with suspense and gripping action sequences will always get my attention, regardless of the genre.
A first glance at the film poster made me almost bypass it for another. I mean, visuals are everything. I saw a wounded, dirty and unkempt man and thought, this is not my kind of film until I checked the rating on IMDB. The reviews were positive and the ratings high. These won me over and so I watched. I didn't read any synopsis, I just dived straight in.
Sisu (2023), a historical war-action set in 1944 around the time of World War II, begins with an opening text that tells viewers the meaning of the Finnish title thus,
SISU is a Finnish word that cannot be translated. It means a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination. Sisu manifests itself when all hope is lost.
The movie begins with the scene of an unkempt man in the wilderness, sifting sand in his pan with stream water. He has a horse and a small dog. He discovers a small piece of gold in the sand and yells as his voice echoes in the wilderness. Next, he begins to dig the ground, finds more gold and packs them in his bag. He takes a bath, packs his things, saddles his horse and begins the ride back to the city.
On the way, he meets a band of surly Nazis who immediately accost him and, discovering the gold nuggets he carries, try to take his bag from him. Gruesome deaths follow until the platoon leader, Bruno Helldorf (played by Aksel Hennie) learns that the old man is Aatami Korpi (played by Jorma Tommila), a retired Finnish commando known to have killed 300 Russians and is referred to as "Immortal".
As the war is almost ending and the Germans are losing, Bruno Helldorf sees the gold as his way out. So he pursues Aatami Korpi. Will he succeed in killing the "Immortal" Finnish commando and keeping the gold?
Review
What can make a resilient man fight till his last breath and still never give up? Only one thing—taking away something that rightfully belongs to him.
Sisu is an outrageously violent and entertaining war action film with little dialogue, horrifying deaths, and gripping action. If you are wary of gore, this film is not for you!
Directed by Jalmari Helander, this film captivates viewers with an intriguing story of determination and resilience. The plot is simple, straightforward and suspenseful. Helander takes his audience on an emotional and action-packed rollercoaster to experience the pure fantasy of exacting vengeance on evildoers.
The killing scenes are wild, bloody and grisly displaying impressive stunts, visual and editing works. However if you are familiar with the reputation of the Nazis, touched by the protagonist's plight and resilience, you wouldn't mind the gory death scenes. Though I cringed in scenes where Aatami Korpi pulled out shrapnel from his bleeding wounds like it was nothing!
As I watched, I'm astounded by Aatami Korpi's almost supernatural resolve and determination to get back his gold. Despite the gun wounds, surviving landmines and a hanging, staying underwater for a time humanly impossible, fighting underwater and breathing in air that escaped from the slit throats of Nazis, you would have no choice but to refer to Aatami Korpi's strength as otherworldly.
The cinematography and visual effects are impressive and too realistic. Scenes of a desolate wilderness ravaged by violent Nazis, villages burned to a crisp, bodies hanging from trees and poles, and dismembered body parts scattered around lend a melancholy and touching setting to the film.
The cast's performance is outstanding. Jorma Tommila's act as the determined and "unkillable" Aatami Korpi is superb. He didn't say much except at the last scene but his action stunts were great. Aksel Hennie and his platoon are easily believable as the mean Nazis. The captured Finnish ladies were also great.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this film and it was satisfying to see vengeance served on the antagonists. There are violent scenes so children shouldn't be allowed to see this and the adults must muster some courage to watch it.
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Other images are screenshots from the movie
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