‘SISU’ review: Jalmari Helander digs his own path with a brutal and satisfying addition to the action genre you do Nazi coming

SISU is a Finnish word that cannot be fully translated. It means sustaining courage in the face of unrelenting obstacles. It reminds me of the Spanish word ‘ganas’ that is also hard to translate but means to wish or desire and keep going. It was this link that made me fully settle in to await  what, where and why someone would need SISU or ‘ganas’ in this film. You’ll fully grasp the meaning of SISU when you’re done watching this film directed and written by Jalmari Helander. Buckle in. 

Our story takes place during the last days of World World II. Solitary prospector Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila) is digging for gold in the Finnish Laplands while the war looms nearby. He begins making his way to town after striking gold but encounters a pair of desperate Nazis leaders that want to take his treasure for themselves. But they get more than they bargained for. 

SISU is an amalgamation and maybe an inadvertent homage to some of the most notable action films like John Wick and Mad Max with a hint of Quentin Tarantino and Tom Hardy grunts (if you know, you know). The film is not as unrelenting in kills as the John Wick franchise and differs in approach given the time period and weapons at their disposal. This is how SISU manages to balance influence and create its own unique style. It’s a joy to watch when you can clearly see the influences that feel familiar in this genre yet feels like a breath of fresh air. This manifests itself through the dialogue (or lack thereof), score, story structure and cinematography. 

The story is straightforward. Nazis. Gold Miner. One wants to take something away. And the other is not going to have that happen. Yet, in that simplicity something special happens because we’re seeing a different side to World War II in this setting that we aren’t accustomed to. Kjell Lagerroos’ cinematography juxtaposes the beauty of the Laplands with wide shots that showcase the isolating and intoxicating natural terrain and what war has done with it. The hues of dark green, yellow and red really highlight the world we’re in – it feels set in a post-apocalyptic world given the isolation and scorched earth cities that no one is inhabiting but then you remember this is the reality of war. There are hints of beauty amidst the savagery – like that glowing of gold from the earth itself. But that beauty will have to wait. Let’s get to the savagery. 

When there’s Nazis in film or television there’s an immediate feeling of understanding who those characters are; tropes lend themselves well in this film because you don’t need an explanation of who the “bad” guys are. In SISU, the savagery of the Nazis is not shown gratuitously like when Wolf (Jack Doolan) is coming out of the caravan of ladies and rape is implied. Then there is the more ‘subtle’ savagery of SS Obersturmführer Bruno Helldorf (Aksel Hennie) and his selfish pursuit of Aatami, not for Nazi glory, but for greediness that puts his men in unnecessary danger. He knows the war is almost over and that the Nazis are losing so this gold is a way for him to secure a future in a dismal outlook. He’s willing to sacrifice his men’s almost-ending service to blow up in minefields and be slain to Aatami’s brutal retaliation. Regardless of your historical knowledge, it’s really only the context of good and bad that is needed. So, yes, there are Nazis but the film smartly doesn’t go down into a rabbit hole of war and politics. It’s much more instinctual than that and where SISU digs its own path. 

Music composer Juri Seppä and musician Tuomas Wäinölä’s score emphasizes the stark contrast of who these characters are via their pivotal moments. Jorma’s character is accompanied by a natural and primal sound when the obstacles are stacked against him. It cues the audience that this person is connected with the earth, his humanity and sisu is coming. The guitar-driven Nazi score is more of a heavy metal rock disruption that feels out of place for the world that they are in, yet that’s the point. They are a disruption. And it gets more chaotic as the film goes on with the push and pull between the Nazis and Aatami. There are moments where they feel like “they’ve won” and that score comes on. It keeps the tension throughout the film. We don’t know who’s going to prevail and it makes you appreciate the thoughtfulness of the filmmaking. 

There are plenty of “oh shiiiitt” moments (get ready for explosions and flying body parts)  but grounds itself with showing the humanity of Aatami and that he does indeed bleed. It was in these moments, not the action, that really illustrated the sisu definition and showcased the talents of Tommila who simply exudes so much with a wince, stare, grunt and his stoicism. He really is the powerhouse of this film and a new action hero to laud. 

SISU never lags, keeps an engaging pace and sticks an impressive and satisfying landing.

Grade: B+ 

Lionsgate will release SISU only in theaters on April 28.

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Catherine Gonzales

Catherine graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelors in Radio-TV-Film in 2012. She resides in Austin, Texas and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved freelance critic. She is a member of the Hollywood Critics Association (HCA), The Association of Female Film Critics and CherryPicks.

When she’s not watching movies or television, she’s gardening, crafting and playing fetch with her dog, Rex.

You can follow Catherine on Twitter & Instagram @thingscatloves.

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