𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐮 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐)

Sisu (2022) is a Finnish action-war film directed by Jalmari Helander, best known for Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) and Big Game (2014). The film takes place in the final days of World War II and follows a solitary gold prospector who crosses paths with a retreating Nazi battalion in the remote wilderness of Lapland, Finland. What follows is a relentless, brutal, and highly stylized action spectacle where one man defies impossible odds.

The title, Sisu, is a Finnish term that embodies resilience, courage, and the ability to persevere against overwhelming adversity—qualities that define the protagonist and the spirit of the film.

A Lone Prospector’s Discovery

The film is set in 1944, during the final months of World War II, when Nazi Germany is losing ground and retreating from occupied territories. Aatami Korpi (played by Jorma Tommila) is a solitary prospector who has endured immense suffering, having lost his family during the war. Isolated from the world, he roams the Lapland wilderness with his horse and loyal dog, digging for gold.

One day, he strikes a rich gold deposit—the discovery of a lifetime. Gathering as much as he can carry, he sets off toward the nearest town to cash in on his newfound fortune. However, his journey is far from easy, as he soon encounters a retreating Nazi SS battalion led by the ruthless Bruno Helldorf (Aksel Hennie), who is fleeing toward Norway with his men, looting and destroying everything in their path.

The Nazis Underestimate Him

When the Nazis realize that Aatami is carrying a fortune in gold, they decide to steal it. However, they are completely unaware of who they are dealing with. Aatami is not just a simple miner—he is a former Finnish commando with a deadly reputation.

Helldorf and his men attempt to kill him, but Aatami refuses to die. Despite being outnumbered, outgunned, and seemingly outmatched, he fights back with unwavering determination, using guerrilla tactics, traps, and sheer brute force to decimate his enemies one by one.

What follows is an unstoppable, blood-soaked rampage as Aatami becomes a one-man army, killing Nazis in increasingly inventive and gruesome ways.

Sisu is a high-octane, action-packed war thriller that combines historical elements with pulp-action sensibilities. While it draws inspiration from films like Inglourious Basterds and John Wick, it carves its own identity with its unique Finnish backdrop and cultural themes.