DVD Corner

Sisu Blu-ray Review

“Sisu” is an action movie that lives up to the hype.

Set in 1944 during the Lapland War in WWII, “Sisu” revolves around a solitary Finnish man of few words (Aatami) whose only companions are a horse and his trusted dog. Aatami has put the war and dark past behind him but has quite the reputation for being a one man army with the nickname of Koschei (AKA The Immortal). At the start of the film, Aatami is mining for gold and strikes it rich. While traveling to cash out his findings, he encounters a Nazi platoon led by the sadistic Bruno who covet his gold. As the Nazis hunt Aatami, they soon find the tables are turned when he begins to hunt the Nazis down. Elsewhere in the story is a key subplot involving women held captive by the Nazis.

What do you get when you mix “John Wick,” Rambo and the work of Quentin Tarantino (namely “Inglourious Basterds”)? You get writer/director Jalmari Helander’s fast-paced action-war film “Sisu.” This is a no-nonsense, hard R movie with over-the-top action (see the climactic plane scene) and a whole lot of violence that includes impalings, shootings, explosions, and even vehicular deaths. If you are sensitive to violence, this is not the movie for you. For the action film lovers out there, this simple, low-budget, visually creative, and bloody tale of a pissed off former soldier slaughtering Nazis is sure to check all the boxes. This is the type of movie that is destined to become a cult hit in the action genre. Hopefully, Jalmari Helander will also be a fresh new voice for action films in the future too.

Performance wise, there are two stand-outs here. Jorma Tommila isn’t a household name, but the actor is sure to be picking up more parts now with his impressive performance as the grizzled, deadly Aatami. Aksel Hennie has already had a number of major credits such as “The Martian” and “The Cloverfield Paradox,” but now he can add another great credit to his resume as the loathsome Nazi commander Bruno.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 1080p. Grade: B+

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. Grade: A-

Extras:
* DVD copy
* Digital copy
* “Pushing The Boundaries Of Reality: The Visual Effects Of Sisu” featurette
* “Indestructible: Making Sisu” featurette

July 17, 2023 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Action Movie, Sisu Blu-ray Review, Sisu Movie, War Movie