‘Sisu: Road to Revenge’ Review: Carnage and Chaos [Fantastic Fest 2025]
As a bitch driven by spite, I love movies about revenge. While I’m not a big fan of action films, I respect characters who escalate a situation until it ends up in a bloodbath. So, while Sisu: Road to Revenge might not be for me, I still had a good time watching the body parts hit the floor and knowing all these dead guys were getting what they deserved. While some people might wonder if this sequel was necessary, I’m here for people throwing hands while grieving. After all, we contain multitudes and are constantly forced to multitask. Why shouldn’t our reluctant legends do the same?
Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila), and his little dog, too, have returned to what remains of his home in Finland. However, this part of his homeland has been claimed by Russian forces, meaning he must cross into their territory to find his old home. The Russians murdered his family during the war at the hands of ex-Red Army Commander Yeagor Draganov (Stephen Lang), which is why he has nothing left to lose and has become the vicious icon many of us love. Aatami hopes to dismantle the home, then move it to somewhere with less traumatic baggage and rebuild.
However, Draganov tracks him down first. This leads to an epic and violent cross-country blood bath that needs to be seen on the big screen.
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Sisu: Road to Revenge ups the carnage and chaos in a way that makes you wonder if it is better than its predecessor? Or are we just in awe because a tank was flipped, missiles were launched, and they took this bloody brawl to all kinds of new levels? In many ways, it feels like one of the ’90s arcade games that were just no-holds-barred fights in different locations. It also reminded me of the hours I spent playing BloodRayne as a kid, hacking my way through a never-ending supply of henchmen. This movie is truly the blood-soaked distraction we need right now.
Let’s be honest. Sisu: Road to Revenge is the type of title people come to when they want blood, brawls, and explosions. Writer and director Jalmari Helander delivers on all fronts. His film wastes almost no time with dialogue, and gets to the carnage immediately. Helander knows the fans who made Sisu a hit crave copious amounts of violence, over-the-top kills, and a hero hellbent on revenge. So, it was a safe gamble to combine those ingredients again in an explosive road trip.
Jorma Tommila returns as Aatami Korpi. He is still the lethal legend we have come to fear and love. Sisu: Road to Revenge pulls back a couple of layers to give us a glimpse of the guy, who is usually coated in the blood of people who have tried him. This role is wild because Tommila never gets to speak. So, he has to convey a lot silently between doling out beatdowns. Helander cited Buster Keaton as an influence when writing this character, and that makes sense. Korpi is a man hardened by life who will never truly let his guard down.
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It’s hard not to think of so many people who have PTSD and cannot get the help they need when watching this character. It is one of the things that makes these movies interesting. It’s also one of many ways they elevate themselves above the Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris crap we saw as kids. There is a moment at the end where he braces himself for another battle before realizing people are offering him help. Again, Tommila has no lines, so we watch him cycle through like five emotions, and he makes each one tug at the heart. Our hero is broken, tired, and wounded, but hopefully, life will be kinder to him. At least until the next movie anyway.
Sisu: Road to Revenge may seem like another men punching each other until it’s time to blow something else up type of party. However, it is surprisingly more complex than that. Aatami would love to heal, but people keep forcing him to rip them limb from limb instead. He’s a relatable king for petty people like myself. We see him grieving the life that was lost and the family he loved. We can’t help but root for him as he and his dog try to find their place in the world.
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This silent but deadly movie grows on me the more I sit with it. It is the embodiment of the great poet Cardi B’s line, “Done with the talkin’, I’m open to violence”. It is a relentlessly bloody tale that earns its weirdly emotional final moment. Sisu: Road to Revenge might not answer all of the questions we had after the first film. It also sadly could not fit in the chorus of women who helped us get up to speed in Sisu. However, it’s a damn fine time. If nothing else, they front flip a tank and remind you that gore is not restricted to just horror. Come for the expected ass kickings and stay for surprisingly bloodier ass kickings.
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Sisu: Road to Revenge
Summary
‘Sisu: Road to Revenge’ ups the carnage and chaos in a way that makes you wonder if it is better than its predecessor.
Categorized: Reviews
