Sisu 2023

The introduction establishes that “Sisu,” a Finnish term embodying relentless determination invoked when absolutely required, lacks a direct English equivalent. As the narrative unfolds, it’s three years into World War II (1944), with Finland making peace with the Soviet Union to oust German troops from their homeland. The Nazis, now resorting to scorched earth policies, wreak havoc by decimating towns, roads, bridges, and taking prisoners.

Chapter One: The Gold

In Lapland, we find gold prospector Aatami Korpi (played by Jorma Tamilla) and his small canine companion in a gold-rich region. Discovering a tiny gold nugget, Aatami camps for several nights as enemy aircraft hover above. Finally, he stumbles upon a rich vein of gold in the soil, which fills him with elation. After gathering his treasure, he sets off towards the nearest banking institution.

Chapter Two: The Nazis

Led by Bruno Helldorf (Aksel Hennie), a Nazi platoon traverses the land, seizing a band of women along their way. As Aatami and his dog journey on horseback, they cross paths with a few Nazis who demand to inspect his possessions. Aatami urges his dog to flee, and as the Nazis open fire on him, the leading Nazi discovers Aatami’s gold. The Nazi leader cruelly teases Aatami about their plans to take his gold, but Aatami retaliates by stabbing him and eliminating the remaining Nazis. Despite their violent encounter, Aatami continues his journey on horseback.

Upon discovering their fallen comrades and a gold nugget, Helldorf and his minions pursue Aatami. They fire at him, but their gunshots can’t catch up to the galloping horse. Unfortunately, the horse triggers a landmine and is killed, leaving Aatami to grieve and hide.

Chapter Three: The Minefield

As Aatami is cornered by Helldorf and the Nazis, he utilizes a nearby mine to create an explosive diversion. Undeterred, the Nazis retaliate with gunfire. Helldorf sends out a young Nazi soldier to investigate, who is blown apart by a mine thrown by Aatami. Further casualties follow as Aatami lures more Nazis into a deadly mine trap. Amidst ongoing gunfire, two female prisoners, including Aino (Mimosa Willamo), volunteer to advance.

Chapter Four: The Legend

With the Nazis moving forward, Helldorf discusses Aatami’s military history from his dog tags. Aatami, having lost his family to Russians and gained a fierce reputation, is known to some as “Koschei”/“The Immortal.” Aware of the impending downfall of the Nazi party, Helldorf seeks the gold as a retirement fund.

Aatami uses the distraction of the passing Nazi convoy to hide under a van, cutting a gas line to elude detection by Nazi dogs. The scent of leaking gas forces the convoy to halt. Captured again, Aatami lights a match, igniting the gas and setting himself on fire before diving into a lake. Despite the Nazis’ attempts to kill him, he manages to escape, leaving Helldorf with his dog.

Chapter Five: Scorched Earth

Aatami encounters a town destroyed by the Nazis. In an abandoned gas station, Helldorf attaches dynamite to Aatami’s dog and sends it running towards him. Aatami manages to remove the dynamite but is blasted away. Helldorf, accompanied by Wolf (Jack Doonan) and Schutze (Onni Tommilla), captures Aatami and steals his remaining gold. Surviving a hanging attempt, Aatami tricks two German pilots into getting him closer to the Nazi platoon.

Chapter Six: Kill ‘Em All

Aatami catches up to the escaping convoy, providing Aino and the other women with weapons. In a brutal showdown, Aatami and the women massacre the Nazis. Aatami commandeers a tank and pulls Wolf out, leaving him to be taken by the women.

Helldorf and Schutze attempt to flee with their pilot in a plane, but Helldorf shoots Schutze in the head and leaves with the pilot himself. Aatami catches up to them and shoots at them with the tank, hitting the pilot. Aatami then uses his pickaxe to hook himself onto the plane as it takes off. He breaks his way inside, with Helldorf confronting him. He starts to beat Aatami ferociously, even using a static line to slice into his face. However, Aatami waits for the right moment to grab the line and hook it onto a nearby bomb, dropping it from the plane with Helldorf attached to it, sending him plummeting to his explosive death. Aatami then goes into the cockpit where the pilot has died, and he braces for impact as the plane crashes.

Final Chapter

The liberated women hand over Wolf to the Finnish army, while Aatami, who miraculously survives a plane crash, is reunited with his dog. Aatami reaches a bank in Helsinki and empties his recovered gold onto the counter. He, who has not spoken throughout the film, finally requests large bills, jesting that “they won’t be such a bitch to carry.”