Jorma Tommila Returns as the Immortal Warrior in This Brutal WWII Action Sequel
Sisu: Road to Revenge continues the saga of Aatami Korpi, the man known as "the immortal," proving once again that perseverance, grit, and unrelenting fury can outlast even war itself.
Sisu is a Finnish word that has no direct translation as it is more of an idea than having an actual meaning. It is used to describe someone who has extreme perseverance despite the odds, grit, determination, and courage in the face of adversity. That concept would definitely apply to Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila; Rare Exports), the main character in 2022's and last year's films, Sisu and Sisu: Road to Revenge, respectively. The latter movie is about to make its way to the home entertainment market thanks to Sony Pictures, and you can find it soon at retailers on both Blu-ray and a special 4K Steelbook.
Korpi, known by German troops as "the immortal", heads into the Soviet Union to dismantle his family home, which he once shared with his wife and children. Once disassembled, he plans to rebuild it in Finland, but his reputation precedes him, and Russian troops, along with Yeagor Draganov (Stephen Lang; the Avatar franchise), are sent to retrieve him. Draganov was the commander who killed Korpi's family and now wants to finish the job. Of course, Korpi has other plans, and as "the man who refuses to die," he leaves a wake of dead Soviet soldiers in his path back to Finland.
As with the first film, the action and gory, bloody scenes once again prevail in this sequel. With new and inventive ways to maim and kill soldiers, there is no limit to the scope of director Jalmari Helander's imagination, and he makes the most of the violence. Just like Sisu, he takes almost 90 minutes to blow things up and murder people while leaving Korpi alive but severely wounded. He also takes advantage of the Estonian landscape with wide establishing shots of a mostly barren land and some heavily wooded areas.
The 1080 video quality makes the most of this exterior set movie. The details are sharp and clean, and the dead vegetation of the winter months offers a variety of hues from shades of brown and grey. In contrast, the deep red of the blood spatter and the fiery colors of the explosions give warmth to an overall drab and muted color palette. The dirt and grit, as well as the sweat, on Korpi's face are clearly seen throughout the film.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 matches the video quality with booming explosions that reverberate the walls around the viewer. It also offers crystal clear dialogue...what little there is of it, since, just like the first one, Korpi doesn't speak throughout the entire movie.
Also, like the first Blu-ray release, there are minimal extras included in this combo pack. Besides the digital download, the Blu-ray Disc includes the film and two extras that are a total of four minutes long. They are: Upping the Ante and Deleted Scene - Alternate Ending, which comes with no explanation and doesn't seem to make any sense with the rest of the film.
The cast is one of the highlights of both the first and the second movie. Tommila does a tremendous job, considering he has to convey everything through facial expressions and body language since he doesn't speak at all during the film. Lang has played the military villain on more than one occasion, and he is suited for the role every time. Draganov is no exception to his endless talent.
For those who liked the extreme action, very bloody deaths, and massive explosions, Sisu: Road to Revenge follows its predecessor while ramping everything up a notch. It offers more action, more explosions, while somehow still delivering a heartwarming story. If you were a fan of the first movie, you will definitely enjoy this second installment as well.
Grade: B
