SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE
Starring: Jorma Tommila, Stephen Lang, and Richard Brake
Director: Jalmari Helander
NICK
Your enjoyment of Sisu: Road to Revenge will be based almost entirely on your ability to suspend disbelief because there are Fast & Furious-levels of ridiculousness here. The sequel strips away some of what made the first film work in exchange for cartoon violence that is uneven yet entertaining, even when it dips into feeling like a live action Looney Tunes episode. I thought the first film was fine, and this one is very similar. Stephen Lang's moustache-twirling villain is a highlight, but otherwise, there isn’t much that separates the two films. I certainly don’t need any more Sisu movies, but I’d watch.
QUENTIN
I loved Sisu, and considering its sequel is very much the same but with cartoonish amplification, I’m still on board despite the ridiculousness. And make no mistakes, Road to Revenge pushes the bounds of disbelief. I give no shits, though, because it’s just a fun time at the movies. It knows exactly what it is and revels in the gory muck, which is admirable. I described the first one as John Wick meets The First Avenger, as directed by Quentin Tarantino. That still tracks, except replace The First Avenger with Fury Road and a dash of Snowpiercer, maybe muddled together in some extra grindhouse grit.
AMARÚ
With maybe a grand total of 150 words (one vicious Stephen Lang monologue aside), Sisu: Road to Revenge quickly sets the stakes, pitting the badass Lang against The Legend (Jorma Tommila) and kickstarting a bloody ridiculous sequel. The chapters fly by, letting its super gory, often hilarious, and always epic action speak for itself. Similar to the first film, the action is simpler than expected. But unlike how that dragged the original’s pacing, Revenge’s stronger emotional foundation lets the straightforward yet outlandish set pieces breathe easier. It all sets the stage for potentially more bombastic final chapters to bring it home.
BODE
While I understood why Sisu was one of the most buzzed-about flicks at TIFF three years ago, I personally didn’t find much about it distinguished itself from other films of its ilk (other than some fun bits of gore). The same could arguably be said for its unexpected sequel, Road to Revenge, but returning writer-director Jalmari Helander injects more of a brazenly silly energy to its action sequences and an emotional core that gives the continuing adventures of this Finnish warrior some genuine stakes. Plus, who doesn’t love to see Stephen Lang chew up the scenery as an accented villain? It’s an improvement!
