Director: Jalmari Helander
Starring: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan
Running Time: 91 minutes
Synopsis: It's 1944, and Nazi units are engaged in a scorched earth withdrawal from Finland. In a rural area, Finnish war veteran Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila) abandons civilization and mines for gold with only his horse and dog for company. After excavating a gold vein, he encounters a retreating German company led by tank commander Bruno (Aksel Hennie) and his second-in-command Wolf (Jack Doolan). The Nazis are also transporting and abusing a group of abducted Finnish women. Aatami wants to mind his own business, but is forced into a bloody private war.
What Works Well: This revenge adventure thrives on silence, vistas, gore, and humour. Metaphorically representing a national ethos of dogged no-surrender, writer and director Jalmari Helander crafts a blood-soaked yet still fun tale of one man taking on an army, with the outcome never in doubt. The sparse dialogue matches the rugged and featureless terrain, and the elegantly staged action set-pieces arrive at regular intervals. Highlights include a minefield excursion, an excruciating hanging, and a hunted-becomes-the-hunter turning of the tables. Jorma Tommila adds the pained mythological presence of a man weathered by too many battles.
What Does Not Work As Well: With the action already at over-the-top Roadrunner cartoon levels, the final act soars to a whole new altitude of outrageous.
Conclusion: Armored quantity is no match for fervent quality.
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All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.
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