Sisu (2023)

Set in 1944 Finland as WWII is in its final stages in Europe. A man (Jorma Tommila) lives in seclusion in the hills of Lapland with his dog while ignoring the war. But eventually, the war thrusts itself into his world. Directed by Jalmari Helander (BIG GAME), this Finnish-American co-production's positive reviews intrigued me but I expected something more than a bloody revenge action movie, however well done it is. For what it is, it's very good but would the movie have received such good reviews if it were an American movie starring Dwayne Johnson or Vin Diesel instead of a Finnish film with a Finnish actor in the lead? The film is overly gory. When a horse is blown up, we're treated to a decapitated horse head and entrails spread all over. Our protagonist is shot, blown up, drowned, hung and beaten to a pulp yet he survives to get his revenge. So much for realism. It eventually becomes almost laughably absurd but if you enjoy seeing Nazis brutally killed off in various ways (and who doesn't?), this might be for you. With Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan and Mimosa Willamo.