Film Review: Sisu: Road to Revenge (8.5/10)

Nelson Pazmino
Dec 14, 2025
5 min read

Back to the Carnage

Sisu: Road to Revenge, written and directed by Jalmari Helander, takes us back into the grinder with a historical war film set in the unforgiving landscape of the 1946 Soviet Union. As the direct sequel to the 2022 hit Sisu, Jorma Tommila reprises his iconic role as Aatami Korpi, with genre heavyweights Richard Brake and Stephen Lang joining the cast to up the ante.

Produced by Petri Jokiranta and Mike Goodridge for Subzero Film Entertainment and Good Chaos, and overseen by Eric Charles for Sony's Stage 6 Films, this production shifts gears geographically. Unlike the previous film, which was set against the stark backdrop of Lapland, filming for this installment took place in Estonia, offering a fresh but equally desolate look. In this chapter, Aatami Korpi isn't just surviving; he’s on a mission of restoration. He dismantles his old family house, loads it onto a truck, and is determined to rebuild it somewhere safe to honor his past. But peace is rarely an option for him—the man who killed Korpi's family has returned, hellbent on finishing the job and killing the legendary ex-soldier by any means necessary.

STORY (2/2)

The film kicks off in 1944. Finland has ceded the territory of Karelia to the Soviet Union as part of the peace treaty in the aftermath of World War II. We jump two years forward, catching up with Finnish ex-commando Aatami Korpi—"the man who refuses to die"—after his gold discovery in Lapland. He crosses the border into Karelia, the very ground where his family was brutally murdered during the war.

The premise is heavy but simple: he dismantles his home to move it. Watching the first film, you knew Aatami was a married man, but this sequel confirms he was a devoted family man, highlighted by a scene where Aatami reminisces over an old photo. It adds a layer of heart to the violence. However, trouble finds him quickly. When the Red Army discovers Aatami's arrival on their soil, a KGB agent (Richard Brake) releases Igor Draganov (Stephen Lang)—the man responsible for killing Aatami's family—from a prison in Siberia. The deal? A full pardon if he avenges the mass slaughter of Soviet troops Aatami caused in the Winter War.

As Aatami travels west towards the Finnish border, Draganov intercepts him. Aatami wipes out the squad but spares Draganov, ignorant of his specific role in the deaths of his loved ones. From then on, it becomes an over-the-top action film that delivers exactly what you want. It didn't disappoint with some of its brutal, high-stakes scenes.

VISUALS (2/2)

Visually, the movie does a great job showing off its environments. From the moment the film starts at the Soviet border to the traverse across the wastelands of what used to be part of Finland, the setting feels massive and lonely. The film effectively shows the aftermath of devastation from World War II, moving from "calm before the storm" shots to intense, chaotic chase scenes.

The cinematography during the action is definitely over the top, but that’s what makes it so enjoyable to watch. The film strikes a nice balance, using slow-burn moments to introduce characters or set the mood before switching up to a wild action sequence or showcasing a witty, inventive way for Aatami to dispatch a Red soldier. This is one of those films where I would recommend you just enjoy the action and don’t question "how did that happen?" physics. From my experience sitting in the theater, I honestly had my jaw drop during some of these stunts.

SOUND (1/2)

The sound quality here is crisp and clear, which is crucial for a movie this visceral. It stands out immediately when Stephen Lang, playing Igor, starts speaking in his Soviet accent, transitioning into the sheer, overwhelming sounds of explosions during the combat sequences. You can really feel the noise of the car chases—from the aggressive revving of a motorcycle to the heavy thud of a truck stumbling off-road.

The foley work is excellent; there are detailed noises of leaves brushing up against the truck or the mechanical whir of fighter plane propellers slowing down before the boom of bombs being dropped. From what I can remember, I don’t think there was much music played in the background throughout the entirety of the film, which made the sound effects pop even more.

There is one specific scene that had me cringing just from the audio, a form of torture involving the noise of whipping and electrical pain. It was intense. The movie also uses quiet moments effectively to slow down the pacing, and there is another scene that had my face scrunched up just imagining the pain a character had to go through to survive.

CHARACTER (1/2)

Character-wise, there really isn't much depth to the villain Igor other than the fact that he was the one who murdered Aatami’s family and is trying to redeem himself in the Soviet Union's graces by killing the "one-man army." He serves his purpose as a hateable force.

Aatami may not be traditionally "likable" due to the fact that he is a silent protagonist throughout most of the film, but in an action movie like Sisu, you don’t really need a protagonist to spout witty banter during chase scenes. His actions speak for him. Those are really the only two characters that are memorable; the rest are just a lot of actors playing fodder for Aatami's wrath. But honestly, the film still plays out clearly, and you’ll understand exactly what's going on without ever needing to know the internal monologue of the main character.

FACTOR X (1.5/2)

Sisu: Road to Revenge is a thoroughly enjoyable, over-the-top action film anchored by crazy action sequences. Overall, I think the movie is great. Just like the first Sisu in 2022, it holds up as a solid entry in the genre.

I definitely recommend grabbing this movie whenever it comes out on Digital (as of my writing this, the film has left theaters). It doesn't disappoint, from its grueling torture scenes to the violent deaths of the soldiers. Jorma as Aatami delivers as the silent protagonist with nothing to lose, and Stephen Lang as the hateful antagonist made me despise his character even more, purely from how hellbent he was on murder. I would recommend getting a digital or physical copy to keep on the shelf.

This is a top-tier action film for 2025; I haven't been this relieved and satisfied leaving a theater in a long time thanks to its simple yet straightforward plot.