Sisu (Jalmari Helander, 2022, Finland/UK/USA)

Helmed by Jalmari Helander, the leading maker of commercial Finnish cinema, Sisu blends 80s action a la First Blood and the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone into a genre fusion. The titular Sisu is played by Jorma Tommila, clearly drawing inspiration from Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name." He is a nearly silent figure throughout the film, and the film largely dispenses with extensive dialogue. However, the film is principally in English. Most of the dialogue comes from the Nazi soldiers who are after Sisu and his gold.

Sisu is a throwback to the action films Hollywood used to make. It is brutally violent, sometimes comically so, but not without purpose or reason. The brutal violence mimics the similar brutal yet strikingly beautiful Finnish landscape that forms the background of the film. The film is divided into chapters, such as "Minefield," that give us a taste of the kind of carnage we are about to experience. Clocking in at a brief 90 minutes, Sisu dispenses with exposition. It is possible to know nothing about Finland or World War II and still enjoy the film. Those more familiar with Finnish WWII might see the inspiration for the Sisu character in the legendary Finnish sniper Simo Hayha.

Jorma Tommilla is excellent in the titular role, bringing a ruthlessness but also humor to the proceedings. By contrast, Norwegian actor Aksel Hennie is perfect in the role of the leading Nazi - Bruno Helldorf. By and large, these two characters form the crux of the film. While it is clear how things are going to end in the film, it is nevertheless an enjoyable throwback ride. Sisu is not a perfect film but is striking enough on a stylistic level to merit accolades. Worth watching for fans of action cinema or Finnish cinema.

7/10