Cult films have always held a special place in my heart, and ‘Sisu’ arrives to deliver another rare gem to that collection. A brutal and visceral thriller that’s packed full of action, dark humour and gratuitous violence, ‘Sisu’ feels like the grandchild of early Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez works. It certainly borrows visually and thematically from their stellar 90s catalogues, but writer/director Jalmari Helander does add his own spin to proceedings. The end result is a fun, popcorn-munching matinee classic that is sure to be a favourite among the indie cinema scene.
The plot is very simple, and that’s the key to its success. It’s the last days of World War 2 and an ex-soldier named Aatami (Jorma Tommila) has left the battlefield behind. He lives a quiet life with his dog in the middle of nowhere, prospecting for gold and wanting to be left alone. However, the last embers of the Nazi invasion of Finland gathers pace, and soon they are on his doorstep. After striking gold and finding a lot of loot, Aatami loads up his horse and plans to ride into town to deposit his new-found wealth. However, a random stop by a Nazi tank battalion triggers an all-out war between the Germans and just one man – one who refuses to bow to their oppression and who will make a brutal stand, taking absolutely no prisoners.
‘Sisu’ is split into chapters, which is very Tarantino-esque, and gives the film a nice pulp aesthetic. This feels like a graphic novel come to life, and one that is steeped in the traditions of classic action films of the past. And like a comic book, its hero is larger-than-life and almost mystical. Aatami is a wonderful character – a no-nonsense, stoic presence who has a reputation on the battlefield for being a beast. This legendary air of mystery gives ‘Sisu’ its power (which is a Finnish concept that’s roughly translated as a stoic tenacity of determination and purpose, with someone exhibiting grit, bravery and, generally, being hard as nails). Aatami fully adopts these values and conjures up some amazing bloodshed in a revenge tale that’s immensely satisfying to watch.
Jorma Tommila leads the film exceptionally well. Not speaking much at all, he conveys everything you need him to with steely gazes and gritted teeth. It’s a powerful performance that completely sells this concept. Screen legend Aksel Hennie is always the best thing in his movies, and he continues to impress here. He plays the head of the Nazi unit who crosses paths with Aatami but he plays his character Bruno with restraint (at first) that cleverly bypasses the usual cliches associated with playing this type of a role. Mimosa Willamo does well as one of the women captured by the Nazis who forms an uprising and makes a bid for freedom. Her storyline was well-handled and very enjoyable to see unfold. Brit actor Jack Doolan plays Wolf, Bruno’s right-hand man, but to be honest it’s really hard to take him seriously as a soldier after seeing him in fare like ‘White Gold’ and ‘The Green Green Grass’.
If there is a downside, it’s that the film had such a great trailer, that it was always going to struggle to live up to those highs over its 91min duration. I was also hoping for more of Aatami going after them head-on, but the film focuses on the Nazi’s trying to track him down. It’s sill enjoyable but a more head-on confrontation would have been much more satisfying. The finale also revels in its own craziness and is perhaps a bit ‘too’ far-fetched, for what could have just been a simple, but wonderful revenge film.
‘Sisu’ proves that with a great premise and a wonderful cast, you can conjure up some real cinematic joy. It’s a very fun watch and the violence doesn’t let up throughout, to its benefit. Perhaps leaning a bit too much towards the dark humour element, ‘Sisu’ still comes in as a feisty and ferocious actioner that has a wonderful leading character that we can all champion. And who doesn’t want to see Nazi’s get their comeuppance in bloody, gruesome ways?! Grab a big box of popcorn and enjoy this for what it is – a very entertaining, pulp war tale that is built on visceral treats.
Cast: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Mimosa Willamo, Onni Tommila, Aamu Milonoff, Jack Doolan Director: Jalmari Helander Writer: Jalmari Helander Certificate: 15 Duration: 91 mins Released by: Sony Release date: 26th May 2023
