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The filmmaking industry is still enjoying an action film renaissance, and that's set to continue with the latest film from director Jalmari Helander, Sisu (2023). Fans of the action genre have understandably been most talkative about the latest entry in the current fan-favorite franchise, John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), which is all but guaranteed to be one of the year's biggest blockbusters. It's certainly one of 2023's most anticipated films, but inevitably, action junkies will be patient for the next installment once the film premieres later this March. Thankfully, perhaps foreseeing the itch for some more entertaining action films, Lionsgate is set to release another film that looks quite "Wickian" in nature.
Sisu takes audiences to World War II-era Finland, where a seemingly average elderly prospector by the name of Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila) stumbles upon an absolutely massive repository of gold. Now he has to travel over five hundred miles to deliver the gold to the nearest bank but hits a significant speed bump when he encounters a band of greedy Nazi soldiers. Armed with his trusty dog, a pickaxe, and a whole lot of guns, Korpi will have to fight his way to the far-off town and dig up some painful wounds from a past life.
Jalmari Helander's action-packed extravaganza already made a big splash in 2022 following a premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and now it's set to get a wider theatrical release fairly soon. To learn all about the new film's trailer, cast, and release date, here is everything we know so far about Sisu.
When and Where Is Sisu Releasing?
Aatami Korpi's rampage against the dying Third Reich officially begins when Sisu arrives in theaters on Friday, April 28, 2023. Sisu is currently set to enter theaters across the U.S. only a month after the premiere of John Wick: Chapter 4, ensuring that action fans will have plenty to feast on in 2023. No plans for a streaming or VOD release have yet been made known by Lionsgate at this time.
Watch the Sisu Trailer
The first trailer for Sisu wastes no time introducing prospector Aatami Korpi, as well as his adorable canine companion who hopefully share the same fate as the dog from the first John Wick (2014). His hard work of digging and mining finally pays off when he quite literally strikes gold... and a lot of it! The only thing stopping him from a big pay day is the approximately five-hundred and sixty-three miles to the nearest bank, thus beginning a multi-day cross-country trek across Nazi-occupied Finland. The invaders prove to be another obstacle for Korpi, as he's stopped by a squad of Nazi soldiers who attempt to steal his rightful earnings and execute him without a second thought. As Korpi plunges his knife into a gunman's skull, the fascist thugs quickly learn that Korpi is no mere miner.
As some fellow Finland residents point out, Korpi used to be a fearsome military general, before his family and home were destroyed. After he hunted down all those responsible, Korpi likely wanted a quieter life, a life that has now become deafeningly loud thanks to his encounter with the Nazis. Now Korpi has attracted the attention of a particularly brutal SS officer, who is now sending all that remains of the Nazi forces in Finland to find him and secure his valuable gold.
How Has Sisu Been Received So Far?
Following its world premiere at TIFF, Sisu has garnered some seriously admirable acclaim. In addition to some of the quotes seen in the trailer, Sisu is sitting at a more than healthy score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes out of fourteen reviews at the time of this writing. Reviewing the film for Collider, Ross Bonaime called it a "Bonkers Action Film" and gave the movie a B rating. Read on for an excerpt from the review or read the full article here.
Helander's latest film is a gory, often disgusting, and ridiculous action film that revels in its absurdity, a film that simply wants to kill Nazis in new and interesting ways, and achieves that goal wholeheartedly. Sisu is certainly ridiculous, but sometimes it's just fun to watch an obscene amount of Nazis get what's coming to them.
Thus far, all signs point to Sisu being a certified action hit before it even screens in front of wider audiences.
What Is the Plot of Sisu?
The official plot synopsis for Sisu reads as follows:
During the last desperate days of WWII, a solitary prospector (Jorma Tommila) crosses paths with Nazis on a scorched-earth retreat in northern Finland. When the Nazis steal his gold, they quickly discover that they have just tangled with no ordinary miner. While there is no direct translation for the Finnish word “sisu”, this legendary ex-commando will embody what sisu means: a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. And no matter what the Nazis throw at him, the one-man death squad will go to outrageous lengths to get his gold back – even if it means killing every last Nazi in his path.
Who Is Making Sisu?
Directing and writing the action period piece is Jalmari Helander, best known for his work on the Christmas-themed supernatural thriller Rare Exports (2010) and the presidential survival film Big Game (2014). His flair for gritty and visceral action films that come complete with wholly unique premises make him perfect for a delightfully over-the-top action spectacle like Sifu. Also attached to the film's crew are composers Juri Seppä (Rare Exports) and Tuomas Wäinölä (Nymphs), cinematographer Kjell Lagerroos (Tulennielijä), editor Juho Virolainen (Radio Milennium), production designer Otso Linnalaakso (Armi Alive!), and costume designer Anna Vilppunen (Jadesoturi).
Who's In the Cast of Sisu?
Playing the lead role of badass Nazi-killing prospector Aatami Korpi is Jorma Tommila. Fans of filmmaker Jalmari Helander's prior work may very well recognize Tommila, as he has frequently collaborated with Helander on his other projects like Rare Exports and Big Game. Tommila will also once again be acting alongside his real-life son, Onni Tommila, who also starred in Rare Exports and Big Game. It seems quite clear that the experienced father and son duo have become something of a good luck charm in Helander's filmography. The rest of the cast is rounded out by Aksel Hennie (The Martian), Paul Anderson (Peaky Blinders), Jack Doolan (The Boys), and Mimosa Willamo (Aurora).