Having recently watched Keanu Reaves fourth outing as the virtually unkillable Baba Yaga, it strikes me that the character of John Wick is one that also embodies the titular concept of this film. As such, I'm going to build this review around a comparison to _John Wick Chapter 4_.

First off, length. John Wick 4 was almost 3 hours long. The lean 90 minute run time of this film was certainly the better choice. I definitely felt the length of John Wick, with actions scenes that dragged on and felt repetitive and too many non-action scenes where the less than compelling dialogue and story were more apparent. By comparison, this film is refreshingly paced, with a collection of bite size action sequences, all of which are entirely unique. John Wick gets so bogged down in it's gun-fu, whereas this film never does the same thing twice. The creative and increasingly over-the-top action sequences were a consistent source of incredulous smiles in the theater (how could you not smile when [spoiler]Aatami invents SCUBA diving by sucking the oxygen out of the slit throat of a Nazi[/spoiler]).

While suspension of disbelief is shattered early and often, generally speaking the movie gets away with it, hiding behind the folklore/legend element. That said, there were still specific moments that were a bit too much for me. For example, I could have done without the sequence where Aatami [spoiler]uses his prospector's pan as if it's Captain America's shield[/spoiler]. I also was disappointed that the final sequence ([spoiler]surviving a nose diving plane crash[/spoiler]) didn't have any clever or creative component to it.

As for the less than compelling dialogue, this movie solves that problem by having very little of it. Yes, there are still examples of on-the-nose, or otherwise expository dialogue (the opening narration even felt a bit off), but more often than not we go minutes at a time without a single line. Of course, no dialogue doesn't always work for me either, but between the near constant action and an impressively expressive performance by Jorma Tommila (as opposed to the admirable, but notably one-note performance Keanu Reeves is known for), I had no problem with it here. It also helps that Aksel Hennie, the central Nazi who almost certainly has the most dialogue in the film, gives a strong performance. If you want to see him in a _very_ different role, I highly recommend _Headhunters (2011)_, a Norwegian thriller that is perhaps one of my favorite foreign films.

All in all, a lean, mean action film that accomplishes exactly what it set out to do and is an easy recommend for action junkies.

The movie is all action but without special computer effects (at least none that are over the top like almost all Hollywood movies in last decade). It's all killing and blood with some unrealistic scenes but still a lot better than Hollywood stuff of last decade. No woke stuff here. Definitely worth watching for hour and a half of entertainment without political or social propaganda.

I did quite enjoy this, but you really do have to be prepared to leave your common sense at the door. It's all about a man "Aatami" (Jorma Tommila) who having had a brutal WWII already, has taken refuge in the remote Finnish wilderness where he is panning for - and finds - gold. Packing up, he sets off for civilisation but en route, encounters a dishevelled Nazi tank patrol under the command of "Bruno" (Aksel Hennie). Initially, they have little interest in the pilgrim, but some gunfire and explosions shortly after he passes them piques their interest and soon the most perilous of manhunts is engaged. The "Sisu" myth is based around a person who is not immortal, but who simply refuses to die - and "Aatami" certainly fits the bill. He flirts with knives, bullets, landmines and even the noose but death clearly doesn't want him just yet! Can he get his gold to the bank? It is gory, this film, but I found in quite a light-hearted way. Limbs blown hither and tither but somehow not in a menacing, or scary, fashion. Indeed, at times the action is actually mildly entertaining - especially when the women prisoners are given the opportunity for some good old-fashioned revenge. It's told with an hybrid Guy Ritchie or Sergio Leone style, episodically, and for the first hour works quite well. The tail end, though, falls away as the film - always of questionable plausibility - becomes just a little bit too "A-Team". There isn't much dialogue to comment on - no bad thing; and the action comes thick and fast in a production that is wonderfully illustrative of the bleakness of this environment (and of some with an human soul).

_Sisu_ is an hour and a half slaughter fest loaded with despicable characters that you will actually enjoy seeing being ripped to pieces.

It is a film that endorses its simplicity a bit too heavily, but is an otherwise immensely entertaining piece of popcorn entertainment that will satisfy action junkies.

**Full review:** https://boundingintocomics.com/2023/05/10/sisu-review-buying-the-golden-farm/

Sisu is a Finnish film, not from Quentin Tarantino but certainly cut from the same variety of gruesome cloth. The film is visceral and over the top, celebrating slaughter, in a variety of horrifically novel, ways.

I personally found the whole affair gratuitous, to be honest. What dwelt at the back of my mind and I feel should be remembered, is war is not a joke or a carnival.

I grew up surrounded by people who lived and in some cases, served during WWII. The few tales they told were sad, often tragic and spoke of people trapped into a reality, not of their making or their wanting.

On the upside, Sisu is well paced, exposition driven and has lots of variety in its action. Acting is solid but exposition, is really this flicks, true driver. On a certain level too, this film, recalls spaghetti Westerns, with a WWII, make over.

In summary, if you like splatter style films, you'll probably like this, Just keep in mind, real people lived and died in WWII, on both sides. War is not a game, its not an entertainment.