Northern Finland is the backdrop of the delicious, exploitation war film Sisu – the latest export from Finland to bring something fresh to the cinema slate of late. Set during World War 2, our hero (Jorma Tommila) is a simple man living off the grid with his horse and dog near Lapland. That is, until he discovers huge gold pieces beneath the soil and decides to take his treasure back to the capital.
That is until he comes across Nazis heading north, with their own captives and thrill to kill all who cross them. When they notice his gold and see it as an opportunity to create wealth back home, they pursue him relentlessly. But they don’t know the skills he has to protect himself are more Rambo-esque than they were bargaining for.
Writer and director Jalmari Helander brings a bloody and refreshlingly light hearted installment to exploitation cinema, and each action is followed by a death and a chuckle. It’s a fun ride, made better by cinematographer Kjell Lagerroos’ landscapes and work with the set design. While the lead character survives so many things – landmines, hanging, gunshots – he continues to fight back, with each attack allowing the audience to laugh in the face of extreme gore.
There’s the inclusion of local women who have been kidnapped by the Nazis that is hugely reminiscent of Mad Max: Fury Road, but they unfortunately have little to work with and exist purely as a symbol of feminine revenge in this setting. Most of the character background is reserve for the lead as a way to justify and motivate the story and his character forward.
Sisu is a rare film that is entertaining and happy to take itself less seriously despite the history that the story is rooted in. It has predictable beats and the lame dialogue that many people roll their eyes at, but leaning into this is why it suceeds. Its for those who like the violence and the over to the top behaviour without a need to read deeper or expect much more.
Eden Caceda 