Directed and written by Jalmari Helander, SISU is a good watch for action fans. What’s more, the perfect setting and filming location ensured the thrilling premise is well-explored. The Finnish-American historical action film was inspired by the 1982 hit American action film First Blood, as well as a real-life soldier, Simo Häyhä who served in the Finnish military as a sniper during World War II. As such, SISU follows Aatami Korpi, a gold prospector who fought in the Winter War as he fights to keep his gold safe from the Nazi death squad led by a deadly Schutzstaffel officer, Bruno Helldorf.
SISU made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2022, and hit the cinemas in Finland and the United States on January 27, 2023, and April 28, 2023, respectively. Starring Jorma Tommila as Aatami Korpi, Aksel Hennie as Bruno Helldorf, Jack Doolan as Wolf, Mimosa Willamo as Aino, and Onni Tommila as Schütze, SISU garnered critical acclaim upon its release and has been lauded across quarters as an action hit. The film has also been compared to the John Wick franchise as they share similarities in extreme violence. One thing that sets the making of the movie apart is the true link between the setting and filming location.
Where & When Is SISU Set?
SISU is set in Finnish Lapland, the largest and northernmost region of Finland with 21 municipalities. The storyline is also set during the Second World War when the world powers fought from 1939 to 1945. The plot reflects this era through the use of landmarks and key points like the Winter War, the Nazi death squad, the Schutzstaffel officer, and the Wehrmacht platoon, to mention a few.
The premise channels the era as it starts during the Lapland War in late 1944 when war veteran Aatami Korpi stumbles upon a huge gold deposit after a prolonged search. On his way to the next town to deliver his gold, a 30-man Wehrmacht platoon led by the brutal SS Obersturmführer Bruno Helldorf hijacks the gold but Aatami won’t give up without a fight. The story unfolds with Aatami showing off his skills as a fighter and survivor in his quest to secure his gold.
Where Was SISU Filmed?
Interestingly, SISU was filmed in the same location the story is set, the northernmost part of Finland. The filming for SISU took place during autumn in 2021 and the different locations used include Nuorgam (in Utsjoki), Kaamanen and Ivalo (in Inari), and the abandoned Kaamanen airport. While Nuorgam offered the best location for most of the scenes in the film, the Kaamanen airport came in handy for shooting action scenes with all the heavy tanks involved. Nuorgam is as far north as Finland goes and director Helander found the perfect location there. The filming locations and environment selected for SISU were serene and remote and offered priceless natural reserves like Pikkumustajärvi Lake which was also captured in the film.
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