The Road to Revenge is filled with so many explosions (CREDIT: Heikki Leis)
Starring: Jorma Tommila, Stephen Lang, Richard Brake
Director: Jalmari Helander
Running Time: 89 Minutes
Rating: R for Blood and Guts
Release Date: November 21, 2025 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Following the end of World War II, after a chunk of Finland is ceded to the Soviet Union, former Finnish Army commando Aatami Korpi returns to this territory to dismantle his family house and then rebuild it elsewhere. But when the Soviets catch wind of his presence, they’re not exactly content to let him just do his own thing. Because, you see, after Aatami’s family was slaughtered by Red Army officer Igor Draganov (Stephen Lang), he went on quite the killing spree of his own, which means of course now the Soviets have hired Draganov to finish the job. I’ve never seen the first Sisu, so I don’t know how much of this backstory is set up in that chapter. But it doesn’t particularly matter. Once that bare-bones premise is established, Road to Revenge is just nonstop action, and that’s pretty much all you need to know.
What Made an Impression?: Boom Launch: Does it ever get old launching a missile at close range and watching it gloriously explode upon impact? Jalmari Helmander sure hopes not! If the world of Sisu represents the writer/director’s cinematic philosophy, then the big screen shouldn’t go more than 30 minutes without such a climactic outburst. And hey, I’m not complaining, because at least he also takes the time to patiently build up to all that mayhem with (relatively) smaller moments of cascading chaos. Are Megadeth’s ears ringing? Because this is undeniably a symphony of destruction!
It’s Cold Over There: Road to Revenge features one of my favorite establishing chyrons in quite a while, as it whisks away to a foreboding location with the text message “Meanwhile in Siberia.” It could’ve just said “Siberia,” but that simple-yet-no-by-means-undervalued “Meanwhile in” really took it to another level, and I hope it tickles everyone else as much as it did me.
A Final Release: When discussing such a simple, straightforward adrenaline-delivery machine like this one, I don’t have much more to add to what I’ve already said beyond “Boom, boom, boom!” But before I conclude, there is another reaction that I ought to share, as Helmander and Tommila take a breath and then make sure to leave us with another sort of catharsis. I won’t go into detail too much in case you want to be surprised, but just know that if you somehow find yourself getting swept into a heartfelt connection amidst all the carnage, your fragile emotional state will be handled with care.
Sisu: Road to Revenge is Recommended If You Like: The Idea of Inglourious Basterds crossed with Looney Tunes
Grade: 3 out of 5 Kabooms
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