Sisu, 2023.
Written and Directed by Jalmari Helander.
Starring Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Onni Tommila, and Mimosa Willamo.
SYNOPSIS:
When an ex-soldier who discovers gold in the Lapland wilderness tries to take the loot into the city, Nazi soldiers led by a brutal SS officer battle him.
Sisu begins with a text graphic giving a rough translation of the Finnish word, which essentially refers to “a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds.” There is probably no better title or word to encapsulate the gritty violence and cartoonish resiliency on display here. Writer/director Jalmari Helander has crafted an all-out bloodbath crowdpleaser overflowing with exploding body parts, tank mayhem, brutal hand-to-hand combat (sometimes with knives), and impossible feats of strength and determination that threaten to transition the experience into a World War II superhero flick, but with more than enough restraint not to fully jump that gun (save for one particular incident involving a hanging).
Regular Jalmari Helander collaborator Jorma Tommila (having previously worked together on the Christmas action flick Rare Exports) stars as an unnamed elderly wayward soul wandering what remains of Finland following the Nazi invasion. Hitler and the Third Reich lost the war, causing the Nazis to retreat, but that’s not stopping them from destroying whatever else they could on their way back home. Nevertheless, this old man uncovers a wealth of gold that could change his life: the only thing that stands in his way between exchange and not gold for cash are about 100 Nazis, who also realize that since they are going to be hanged anyway, that gold is the key to saving their skin.
It’s immediately made clear that this man, despite his old age, has sisu. Seemingly surrounded and overwhelmed by Nazis, he unsheathes a combat knife and pierces it sideways all the way through his restrainer’s head. Cue a barrage of bullets and stabbing, further establishing that whoever ends up with this gold will have earned it. Aside from brief moments of exposition vaguely detailing this man’s past, that’s all there is to Sisu, and frankly, there doesn’t need to be anything more.
There is picturesque cinematography from Kjell Lagerroos, with production design appropriately expressing these war-torn landscapes. Similarly, the framing of the action is also clear and concise, ensuring that every severed limb from an unsuspecting Nazi or horse stumbling across a mine is caught in graphic and gory detail. However, what truly causes Sisu to stand out is the creativity and cleverness of these sequences, which aren’t interested in repeating anything across this brisk 90-minute running time. A heavy metal, adrenaline-pumping score from Juri Seppä and Tuomas Wäinölä also gets the blood flowing, alongside the film spraying blood everywhere.
One other component worth mentioning is that the Nazis are traveling with a group of women hostages, which inevitably also comes into play for some blood-splattering revenge. The villains are nothing to write home about but are Nazis and deserve whatever comes to them. There’s also the occasional moment of downtime interrupting the nonstop action pacing, and once again, an idea here and there feels overly absurd and contrived. None of that matters much, considering Sisu offers up deliciously violent grindhouse fun with a grizzled and silently killer turn from Jorma Tommila.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
