The first Sisu film was the post-WWII John Wick ripoff audiences clamored for, making it a sleeper hit in 2023 after grossing $14 million on a $6 million budget. Although it didn’t make an absurd amount of money to warrant a sequel, the solid reception from critics and audiences prompted production to begin almost immediately. Two years later, Sisu: Road to Revenge was released in theaters, hoping to recapture the magic of the first film.

The film once again follows Attami Korpi, played by Jorma Tommila, as he attempts to live a normal life after fighting in World War II and losing his wife and children. Returning to his family’s home, he dismantles the house and takes the wood to build another in a safer area, as a way to honor his family. Standing in his way is Red Army commander Yeagor Dragunov, played by Stephen Lang, who is released from prison by KGB agents to kill Attami after the chaos he caused in the first film. Playing out as a road trip, action-adventure film, Sisu: Road to Revenge doubles down on its absurdist action sequences, but the juxtaposition of tones fails to make the film as captivating as it should be.

The most appreciated aspect of Sisu, according to fans and critics, is its action sequences. It’s unabashedly gritty and violent, making it stand out among similar films in the genre, but what diminishes its effect is how bizarre the scenes truly are. From surviving plane crashes that have the biggest explosions seen in films to sucking air out of people’s silted throats in order to gain access to air while underwater, it is blasphemous how these action sequences were even thought of, let alone executed in the film. The same goes for Sisu: Road to Revenge, having some of the most insane action setpieces of the century. From rockets shooting people from a train to wooden logs used as a ramp for airplanes, there aren’t many franchises as creatively insane as the Sisu films.

Although these action films sound extremely entertaining at face value, their overly serious tone makes their shifts into craziness abrasive and sometimes eye-rolling. Attami has one of the most tragic backstories in a recent action film, losing his family during his time in the war, as well as being dehumanized by nearly everyone he interacts with. The film strikes no balance between dark character drama and its action setpieces, making for a frustrating experience overall.

Dragunov is a worthy adversary to Attami, mostly due to Stephen Lang’s committed performance. His unexpressive face exudes terror in every frame, expressing a lack of humanity that makes him an unlikable yet perfect antagonist for the film. Much like Attami, Dragunov is in pursuit of freedom, and seeing the two willing to do anything to achieve it made for a more satisfying experience than the first film. Although the film takes the two characters’ endings in an extremely predictable direction, the journey was always entertaining.

The film lacks true emotion despite its tragic moments. It may be easy to find entertainment in the absurdity, but the lack of complex emotions leaves the film without anything to take away. This is made only worse by the film’s final scene, which tries way too hard to be sentimental. In any other movie, the heartwarming moment at the end would be the perfect bow to tie the film together, but because no other aspect of the movie even attempted to build any emotions, the finale came across as lackluster and cringy. Jorma Tommila may be giving his strongest performance in this scene, but the writing is so jumbled in its aims that the ending has zero payoff.

There is definitely an audience for Sisu: Road to Revenge, but instead of reinventing itself, it doubles down on the problems of the first film to a frustrating degree. A high-tension, post-WWII action film sounds amazing on paper, but its lack of focus and unnecessarily over-the-top action sequences make for a disappointing overall experience.

Sisu: Road to Revenge is now playing in theaters nationwide.

Rating: 5/10

Oscar Prospects:

None