Sisu movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Sisu

This violent World War II movie by Lionsgate is available April 28, 2023 in theaters only.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 31 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B

IN A NUTSHELL:

The film was written and directed by Jalmari Helander, considered to be one of the best directors in Finland.

This is the synopsis the studio sent when they gave me a complimentary press screener: During the last desperate days of WWII, a solitary prospector (Jorma Tommila) crosses paths with Nazis on a scorched-earth retreat in northern Finland. When the Nazis steal his gold, they quickly discover that they have just tangled with no ordinary miner.

While there is no direct translation for the Finnish word “sisu”, this legendary ex-commando will embody what sisu means: a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. And no matter what the Nazis throw at him, the one-man death squad will go to outrageous lengths to get his gold back – even if it means killing every last Nazi in his path.

If you watch the over-the-top movie trailer and decide it’s too much, you’re right. Turn away. If you think it looks cool and you enjoy violent bloodbaths, have at it.

THINGS I LIKED:

The cast includes faces I’ve never seen before: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo, and Onni Tommila.
No one would expect such a seemingly old man to be able to do all of the things he does. I had to look up the age of Jorma Tommila because I was curious. He’s only 64 years old! The older I get, the younger that sounds. His character only has one line in the entire movie. His character feels like a Clint Eastwood/Rambo character in a bloody Tarantino movie.
Stunning cinematography by Kjell Lagerroos.
We don’t hear any dialogue until 13 minutes into the movie. The tough and beautiful landscapes tell us a lot about the Finnish man who lives there.
I’ve been to Helsinki, Finland but I didn’t get to see much of the rest of the country. I’d love to go back and see more. The landscapes were filmed in Finnish Lapland, near Nuorgam and Kaamanen.
If you love brutal, outrageous violence, it begins at 17 minutes and goes almost nonstop until the end.
There are chapter cards that divide the movie into sections as the story progresses.
Due to its pacing, simple plot, and raw testosterone, the film feels kind of like a Western.
The movie looks higher quality than the $6 million dollar budget.
The fact that this tough-as-nails Finn has a beloved dog made me think of John Wick: silent but deadly.
Some viewers will love the crazy fight sequences. Others will laugh because everything is so over-the-top violent and gory.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

This is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s extremely violent and gory

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Profanity, including many F-bombs
People die brutal deaths. They’re Nazis though, so…
Disgusting, blood, gore, and flying body parts
Extreme violence
We see a naked man from behind and a man’s bare chest with lots of scars.
It’s assumed a Nazi raped a girl, although we don’t see anything, thankfully. The Nazis keep a group of women in a truck for their pleasure.

THEMES:

Courage
Grit
Determination
WWII
Greed

FUNNY LINES:

“Do you really believe he’s immortal?” – Nazi Death Squad Leader (Tatu Sinisalo)”No, he just refuses to die.” – Aino (Mimosa Willamo)“Immortal or not, the man needs air.” – SS Obersturmfuhrer Bruno Helldorf (Aksel Hennie)