SISU. A grotesque, wild ride

Sometimes there are films whose plot is extremely simple, if not symbolic, yet they are still enjoyable to watch. A perfect example of this is the Finnish movie “Sisu.” In 1944, the war is slowly nearing its end. The Germans are retreating from Finland, using a scorched-earth strategy. A man named Aatami (played by Jorma Tommila) ventures into the wilderness to search for gold. His efforts soon pay off—he finds a significant vein of the precious metal, but then the Nazis show up and intend to take the treasure from him. And that’s when things start to get interesting…

Born in Helsinki, director Jalmari Helander opted for minimalism in his latest work, primarily telling the story through visuals. Dialogue is scarce and is mostly spoken by the Germans. Genre-wise, the film is a mix of war and action cinema, with a touch of creativity that makes it something truly unique, full of interesting ideas. Even though some of these ideas are a bit far-fetched, they fit within the overall narrative and don’t feel out of place. “Sisu” exudes brutality, but this brutality, especially when performed by the main character, is placed within a grotesque framework, making it feel almost cartoonish. Add to that the fact that the Nazis being slaughtered by Aatami are exceptionally cruel villains, and you have the perfect recipe for an explosive, spectacular showdown. There may be no more cliché antagonist than the Nazis, but casting them as villains always works, as they’ve become the personification of ultimate evil in pop culture. The more brutally the hero treats them, the greater the “satisfaction,” even a kind of catharsis, the audience feels while watching.

Aatami, a man of few words (fewer than Schwarzenegger in the first “Terminator”), is, in a sense, a manifestation of ruthless justice, an embodiment of wild, unstoppable nature that restores order in the chaos of war. He appears as a superhuman, capable of overcoming any obstacle. Almost like a comic book superhero fighting evil and delivering well-deserved punishment to criminals (though Aatami’s sole motivation is gold). The director and screenwriter in one was clearly inspired by westerns, where a lone righteous gunslinger defeats bands of villains single-handedly. The wilderness where the action takes place even resembles the Wild West, a place where the law doesn’t apply, and a gun at the hip replaces all legal codes.

One great idea was to divide “Sisu” into short, roughly fifteen-minute chapters, somewhat reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino’s titles. The scenes were shot outdoors, among meadows and forests, with most of the buildings in the frame being burnt or ruined. Additionally, a few World War II-era vehicles occasionally pass by on screen. Even in this aspect, minimalism is evident, likely due to the modest budget (by the standards of such films) of six million dollars. However, this minimalist approach only enhances the film, emphasizing the perversion and barbarity of the Nazi unit and Aatami’s loneliness and sense of being hunted. Everything here is gray, dirty, gloomy, and soaked in mud, which fantastically builds the atmosphere.

Even though most of the cast are Finns, the dialogue is in English. The creators made this decision to make it easier to “sell” the film to an international audience. Among the familiar faces, you can spot Aksel Hennie (“Headhunters” and “The Bad Days,” which I reviewed some time ago) and English actor Jack Doolan.

“Sisu” is a brutal, grotesque, and wild ride that is definitely worth checking out. Viewers accustomed to American cinema will be surprised by some of the screenwriter’s inventions, and although the special effects falter in a few places (mainly during scenes with an airplane), the overall experience is a great, uncompromising, black-humor-soaked piece of entertainment.

Written by Piotr Zymelka