This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

During WWII, a solitary prospector crosses paths with Nazis in northern Finland. When the Nazis steal his gold, they quickly discover he is no ordinary miner. While there is no direct translation for the Finnish word “sisu,” the legendary ex-commando will embody what it means: a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. And this one-man death squad will go to outrageous lengths to get his gold back — even if it means killing every last Nazi in his path.

For in-depth thoughts on Sisu, please see my colleague Cody Allen’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Sisu shines with its 2160p/Dolby Vision presentation in 2.39:1 on this 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc. The 4K presentation provides a depth of field that simply cannot be realized as well with the accompanying Blu-Ray. This transfer shows a stellar amount of detail in even the smallest facets of dirt and grime coating Aatami and within the landscapes and uniforms. When the movie uses digital effects, it blends in well with the practical so that the viewer has a pretty seamless experience. Skin tones remain consistent throughout and show a great amount of facial detail on these world-weary visages.

Color highlights are an area of substantial improvement in comparison to the Blu-Ray thanks to the Dolby Vision. Although the palette may lean more desaturated, colors look more robust in this presentation with moments of fiery explosions radiating off the screen with force. Black levels are incredibly deep and detailed with digital noise almost entirely absent from the screen. There are many nighttime scenes that show no signs of crush. This transfer also showcases a strong handle of highlights which show no evidence of blooming. Overall, this is an excellent 4K UHD presentation that really enhances the experience.

Audio Quality

This disc comes equipped with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 presentation that is quite mighty, but it is likely to be considered a disappointment for those who feel this deserves a more immersive Dolby Atmos presentation. Dialogue is fairly sparse, but it is presented crisp and clear without ever being overwhelmed by any of the competing sonic elements. The sound design of this film is quite intense, and the implementation of environmental sounds are executed quite effectively. The low end is put to work when it comes to the multitude of explosions and the consistent shower of bullets. The score amps up the intensity of every sequence with a bombastic implementation that permeates the room. Sounds are appropriately rendered with precise directionality to give this one proper life. While you may want a bit more from it, the mix here does an admirable job. There are optional English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Indestructible – Making Sisu: A great 25-minute featurette which focuses on the cast and crew discussing the development of the concept, how the concept of “sisu” doesn’t push into superheroics, crafting a revenge tale, the central performance in the film, the narrative arc, getting the most out of their budget and more.
Pushing The Boundaries of Reality – The Visual Effects of Sisu: An 11-minute look at the visual effects in the film, how they are used to enhance reality, the importance of the storyboarding process, trying to use practical effects as much as possible and more.

Final Thoughts

Sisu is incredibly fun in its simplicity. If you want to see an old Finnish man brutally kill Nazis for 90 minutes in borderline cartoonish ways, this is the movie for you. The care taken to make the action sequences feel authentic and not overly processed by digital effects is very beneficial. There are of course digital enhancements, but you can feel the handmade quality to many of these moments. The action is deliriously violent, and the decision to have our protagonist get hurt nearly as badly as the true villains allows every moment to feel more visceral. With a mercifully brief runtime, this is the perfect “shut your brain off” action movie for those wanting to indulge in some carnage. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that boasts a great A/V presentation and a few decent special features. Recommended

Sisu is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.