Sisu
Directed by Jalmari HelanderWhen an ex-soldier who discovers gold in the Lapland wilderness tries to take the loot into the city, German soldiers led by a brutal SS officer battle him.
Sisu Ratings & Reviews
- jackmeatJanuary 27, 2025My quick rating - 7.1/10. I checked out this flick a while back. Sisu is a relentless, pulse-pounding ride through the Lapland wilderness during the waning days of World War II. The premise is simple but wildly effective: a grizzled ex-soldier discovers gold and sets out to bring his fortune to the city, only to be pursued by a unit of ruthless German soldiers. What follows is an adrenaline-charged spectacle of survival, vengeance, and sheer determination. Jorma Tommila shines as the nameless protagonist, a character whose stoicism and unstoppable nature feel like a fusion of Rambo’s raw resilience and the Terminator’s indestructible force. Tommila’s performance is a masterclass in physical acting, relying less on dialogue and more on action and expression. The film brilliantly encapsulates the titular concept of "sisu," a Finnish term that denotes a kind of unyielding grit and courage. By the end of the film, you’ll find yourself rooting for this seemingly invincible force of nature through every brutal and blood-soaked step of his journey. Director Jalmari Helander, known to me for the quirky holiday horror Rare Exports, brings his unique touch to this gritty action thriller. Helander’s direction ensures there’s never a dull moment in the film’s brisk 91-minute runtime. From harrowing minefields to heart-stopping aerial confrontations, the action is explosive and ceaseless, pushing the boundaries of plausibility in ways that demand some suspension of disbelief. But let’s face it, when you’re watching a gold-toting warrior mow down Nazis with whatever tools he can find, realism takes a back seat to sheer entertainment. While the film lacks the snappy one-liners often associated with similar action heroes, it compensates with brutal choreography and an unwavering sense of purpose. Helander skillfully uses the desolate landscapes of Lapland to heighten the tension, turning the wilderness into both a battleground and a character in its own right. The minimal dialogue and haunting score amplify the film’s raw, primal energy, allowing the visuals and action to take center stage. Still, the over-the-top feats occasionally verge on the cartoonish, which might pull some of you out of the otherwise grounded brutality. But in a film like this, where the protagonist is less a man and more a mythic embodiment of determination, these moments feel oddly fitting. Sisu is a thrilling and unapologetically brutal action film that delivers exactly what it promises: high-octane thrills and an indestructible hero you can’t help but cheer for. Helander’s tight direction and Tommila’s commanding presence make this a must-watch for fans of gritty, no-holds-barred cinema. Just be prepared to leave your sense of realism at the door and enjoy the ride.
- neuroparadoxJuly 30, 2025My Sisu Notes: I swear at around 37:55 (just after he gets shot in the leg...then, to avoid an attacking Nazi dog....he lights himself on fire (after already having been soaked in gasoline).....and then dodges a bullet-hell barrage from multiple men.....who are firing machine guns.......AS he's running off of a dock to jump into a nearby body of water........whilst he is holding a bunch of (notoriously heavy) gold).................I heard an XBOX Achievement Unlocked sound. Like, the moment the Gold hits the bottom...or am I crazy? 🤣😂 "Immortal or not, a man needs air." I hope that's just a poor translation from Finnish that doesn't QUITE make sense lol. (40 min later a girl speaks about an impossible Finnish translation which made me laugh and seemed poignant 😂) That scene where he slits a guy's throat underwater...so he can suck the air out of that guy's lungs... through the guy's open throat is pretty tight (reminded me of Bone Tomahawk) It's weird in movies that someone always seems to know how to tie a noose.....like, that's a serious knot.....you can't just: BAM! NOOSE! Just a thought. But this movie gets a pass because it's 1944 and I'm sure they trained soldiers on that stuff (and the hangings were established earlier)...I bet they still do honestly. TLDR: You'll never forget how you learned to tie a noose. On the plane: "Did you hear that?" "Don't worry, it's just Bennet Foddy" ⛏️ Overall it's just nice to see Nazis get their cum-muffins (💦🧁) so I recommend this whole-heatedly, especially if you liked Shoot Em Up. John Wick's Grandfather. I wonder what that giant yellow lever attached to the bomb does?! 🤪 This guy has more lives than a Buddhist's cat. Some cool throat singing that almost overstays it's welcome 😆 Maybe one of the most satisfying ending payoffs in movie history. 💰💰
- drinking12many1d agoUnrealistic, gory, over the top, minimal exposition.....and oh so awesome!!
- ThreeGs3d agoThis movie is a crazy action roller coaster. Starts slow up the hill then away we go! Excellent addition to the unstoppable-revenge-machine movie genre. Great!
- yousif1684d agoall the movies he spoke 2 word thats an action
- Dan HernandezApril 5, 2026Perfect revenge film. Need a Sisu & John Wick crossover.
- Tony KempeMarch 19, 2026Fantastic!! .......A Finnish mix of Kill Bill and John Wick! Minimal story but loaded with bat shit crazy action!
- Irene SteinzMarch 11, 2026Complete unrealistic bullshit
- Heinz BlättlerMarch 8, 2026Rambo in Finland....
- Plexxor the Pretty GoodMarch 1, 2026Tomilla may only say 10 words in the entire movie (all in the last 5 minutes) but he inspires confidence right away. The editing/timing of this movie is just exceptional. Sometimes action movies run at such a frenetic pace i.e. John Wick, that you are out of exhausted by the end. Sisu was actually calming for me, which was suprising
- BEAULONEAFebruary 21, 2026Just imagine a group of Nazis stole a bag of gold from John Wick… and then took a shot at his dog. The gold miner in this film is absolutely relentless. Once the action kicks off, it becomes a brutal, methodical march all the way to the bank. No wasted time, just grit and dead German soldiers. My only real issue is the plane crash, which was a bit over the top. Other than that, I loved it. Lean, mean, Nazi killing machine.
- Hipster ZOMBIEMarch 2, 2025Sisu is a gory, action-packed spectacle that combines the grit of a war film with the relentless brutality of a grindhouse revenge thriller. Set in the waning days of World War II, the film follows a lone Finnish prospector, Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila), who stumbles upon a massive gold deposit in the remote wilderness. His luck quickly run out and takes a violent turn when he crosses paths with a retreating Nazi platoon, who soon learn the hard way that they have picked a fight with the wrong man. Imagine John Wick if it were in world war 2, if you love blood soaked cinema this is the film for you!
- torrent420February 16, 2026This man is unstoppable
- UrhasDecember 10, 2025Love this movie.
- JaredXIIIJuly 6, 2025SISU is a Totally AWESOME, One-Man-Army, Action-Packed, Over-The-Top, Blood-Splattered, N@zisploitation, Revenge-fuelled, Thrillride! This movie is what I imagine would happen if Quentin Tarantino made a Captain America movie.
Sisu Trivia
Sisu was released on September 9, 2022.
Sisu was directed by Jalmari Helander.
Sisu has a runtime of 1h 31m.
Sisu was produced by Petri Jokiranta.
When an ex-soldier who discovers gold in the Lapland wilderness tries to take the loot into the city, German soldiers led by a brutal SS officer battle him.
The key characters in Sisu are Aatami (Jorma Tommila), Bruno (Aksel Hennie), Wolf (Jack Doolan).
Sisu is rated R.
Sisu is a War, Action, Thriller film.
Sisu has an audience rating of 8.8 out of 10.
Sisu had a budget of $6.6M.
Sisu has made $14.3M at the box office.