A man returns to dismantle his family’s house, where they were murdered in war, to rebuild it elsewhere. When the killer, a Red Army commander, tracks him down, a brutal cross-country pursuit begins.
I recently watched “Sisu” and found myself thoroughly impressed by its unapologetically extravagant action sequences. The narrative centers on Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila), a solitary ex-commando who discovers gold, only to have it seized by Nazis retreating across a ravaged landscape. What follows is a relentless and violent pursuit to reclaim his stolen fortune. The action set-pieces are striking, and Tommila’s performance in the largely wordless title role is quietly compelling—he utters only a handful of lines in Finnish at the end, and yet communicates volumes. I approached the film with no particular expectations, but it quickly earned a place among my favorite action movies.
Initially, the prospect of a sequel seemed unnecessary. Yet, after viewing an early review copy, I must admit that the follow-up comes remarkably close to matching the original. The scale of the action has grown, the violence is even more intense, and this time Aatami faces a formidable adversary: Igor Draganov (Stephen Lang). The film reveals that Draganov, a ruthless Red Army officer, was responsible for the deaths of Aatami’s family—a revelation that ignites the central revenge plot. Lang, whose career has featured a succession of memorable villains—from Ike Clanton in “Tombstone,” to menacing turns in “The Hard Way,” “Don’t Breathe,” and James Cameron’s AVATAR series—inhabits Draganov with chilling ease. His portrayal is cold, implacable, and utterly ruthless; he is prepared to sacrifice anything and anyone to pursue Aatami.
The sequel picks up just over a year after the original’s conclusion. Aatami crosses into Karelia, the site of his family’s murder, dismantling his old home and loading it onto a truck—intent on rebuilding elsewhere as a tribute to them. Meanwhile, in Siberia, the KGB offers Draganov a pardon for his war crimes in exchange for avenging the Soviet casualties Aatami inflicted during the prior film.
As Aatami resumes his journey, he soon finds himself in Draganov’s crosshairs. Draganov orders his men to kill Aatami, but he proves more than a match for them, eluding them with characteristic ingenuity. What ensues is a harrowing, violent odyssey as Draganov chases Aatami across unforgiving terrain, determined to kill him, just like he did his family.
“Sisu: Road to Revenge” is unapologetic in its ambitions, elevating every aspect of its predecessor—more action, more peril, and even more bloodshed. The result is a film that feels both larger and more intense, to the audience’s benefit. Tommila’s Aatami remains a silent, unstoppable force, expressing emotion entirely through physicality. Lang’s Draganov, by contrast, exudes menace in every frame, reminiscent of the Terminator in his relentless single-mindedness. The eventual confrontation between the two is as explosive as one might hope.
Although some sequences rely heavily on CGI, the film’s action is consistently gripping. A standout moment features Aatami commandeering a tank to cross a heavily guarded border, while the climactic fight between the two men is brutal enough to test even the most seasoned action fans.
I offer my highest recommendation for “Sisu: Road to Revenge” to anyone with an appreciation for the genre. The film’s intensity seldom lets up, and there are moments so audacious that you may literally find yourself in disbelief. It is, quite simply, terrific entertainment.
Now available on Digital and on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™, and DVD February 17th
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