Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Sisu Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 18, 2023

When a film's very title is a reportedly untranslatable Finnish term indicating unstoppable grit, and when the film is set during the waning days of World War II, when the Nazis had employed a scorched earth policy in their retreat from Finland, you probably don't need any kind of map to chart the general course the story is going to take. Sisu actually begins with a brief text card alerting the audience to the fact that the film's title has no direct analog in English, but there's no confusion at all that this often graphically violent tale is going to offer its focal Finnish character Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila) rampant opportunities to kick some major Nazi butt, and that's exactly what Sisu offers after an equally brief setup. That opening sequence documents the fact that Aatami has pretty much removed himself from the war torn world and gone off the grid, indulging in some spectacularly successful prospecting for gold. With a rather heavy supply of the precious mineral in his rucksack, Aatami sets off for Rovaniemi, only to encounter some vicious Germans who are probably not that happy that they're "backing up" rather than advancing, and who wouldn't mind absconding with Aatami's fortune themselves.

Kind of interestingly, at least for a film with what I think even diehard fans would consider has an "outline" for a plot, initially it doesn't seem like those dastardly Nazis are going to be a problem for the laconic Aatami, and in fact there's a brief initial contact between the prospector and Bruno Helldorf (Aksel Hennie), the SS officer who turns out to be the main villain of the piece. Aatami makes it through that interchange without any major problems, only to encounter another group of dastardly Nazis, which is when the carnage begins. Unsurprisingly, Helldorf and his acolytes soon find the after effects of Aatami's skills with everything from machetes to fists, and the hunt is on, especially after Helldorf finds a nugget of gold and some identification for Aatami.

The rest of Sisu basically involves a cat and mouse game, though probably intentionally it's obvious that the Nazis, used to being predators, are in fact the prey in this formulation. There is some passing lip service given to supposed background information on Aatami (the main making of featurette ties the character into a real life Finnish hero), but any supposed "character beats" fade in the harsh, wintry glare of the maelstrom Aatami creates as he marauds his way through Nazi hordes to get to the bank (more or less, anyway). The film has a basic visceral appeal that is quite energetic, to the point that any deficits in an ostensible "narrative" are probably minimized.

There are some fantastically fun, if occasionally disturbing, set pieces in the film, and some rather remarkably graphic kill scenes, including an amazing early moment that sees Aatami thrusting a blade clean through a Nazi skull, so more squeamish types are probably best forewarned about what's in store. The film has a really interesting look given its Lapland location, and with an underlying conceit that posits heroic Finns against almost cartoonishly evil Germans, despite the film's emphasis on ice cold grays and blues, there's a "black and white" depiction of good vs. evil that makes the ultimate destruction of the bad guys frankly enjoyable, if never at all very surprising.

There is definitely the need for suspension of disbelief as Aatami's ability to survive what would easily kill any normal person begins to stretch credulity to the breaking point. But that's part of what gives Sisu some of its feral energy. "Finnish" may remind some subliminally of "finis", but in this particular case, Aatami is one Finn who evidently will never meet his end, no matter what is thrown at him.

Note: My colleague Brian Orndorf may have been just slightly more taken with Sisu than I was, judging be his slightly higher score for the film. You can read Brian's thoughts here.

Sisu Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sisu is presented on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Those interested can do a little Googling on cinematographer Kjell Lagerroos and find some informative comments he's made on the shoot, including his use of Sony Venice cameras in lieu of what Lagerroos kind of refers to as the omnipresent Arri Alexas. Evidently the source capture resolution was 6K, with a 4K DI, and the results are pretty astonishing looking, albeit with the glut of visual effects, just slightly unreal in appearance at times. That said, detail levels on things like practical props and costumes, not to mention actual human beings, are often superb, especially in close-ups. As alluded to above, the film is graded rather coolly, to the point of approaching a desaturated appearance at times, but that only reinforces the rugged, near barren terrain that Aatami has to pass through on his way to freedom. To my eyes, that coolness is even more apparent in the 1080 version than Lionsgate's simultaneous 4K UHD release, which has just an ever so slightly warmer look courtesy of hints of orange and red in things like flames or sun, which have some interesting highlights courtesy of HDR and/or Dolby Vision. Those elements are certainly apparent in this 1080 version, but aren't quite as lush looking. There are some very minor issues with deficits in shadow detail in a couple of extremely brief interior scenes (most of the film takes place outside), but they're not very significant in my estimation.

Sisu Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Perhaps just a little disappointingly, Sisu does not have a Dolby Atmos track, and instead offers a robust and immersive Dolby TrueHD 5.1 option. Virtually the entire film takes place outside, and so there is a wealth of ambient environmental effects wafting through the side and rear channels with near nonstop activity. Large swaths of the films can pass without a lot of dialogue, and so the sound design can rely on the constant rush of environmental effects, which are typically very effectively handled. An interesting score by Juri Seppä and Tuomas Wäinölä also helps to establish spatial awareness. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English, French and Spanish subtitles are available.

Sisu Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Indestructible: Making Sisu (HD; 24:26) is an above average EPK with some interesting interviews and behind the scenes footage.


• Pushing the Boundaries of Reality: The Visual Effects of Sisu (HD; 10:49) is also quite interesting, featuring comments from Visual Effects Supervisor Jussi Lehtiniemi and some fun looks at various rendering processes utilized to deliver some of the spectacular visuals of the film.

Additionally, both DVD and digital copies are included, and packaging features a slipcover.

Sisu Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sisu doesn't really waste any time on trying to develop characters or offer an overly complex plot, but that's probably part of its visceral appeal. If Quentin Tarantino offered a somewhat hyperbolic denouement for some notable Nazis in Inglourious Basterds, you can almost imagine this film's writer and director Jalmari Helander saying, "Hold my Sahti ale" as the film documents Aatami and some other supposedly "underdog" Finns delivering some significant comeuppance. Technical merits are solid and the supplements enjoyable. With certain caveats noted, Sisu comes Recommended.