Sisu: Road to Revenge (Movie Review)

At first, I wondered what a Sisu Part 2 could possibly offer, but boy was I in for a surprise. The 2022 release seemed to end without any hint of a sequel. Yet this follow-up revisits Sisu’s revenge on the people who took his family, shaping him into the dreaded legend he became. The movie stars Jorma Tomila, reprising his role as Aatami Korpi (Koschei or Sisu), alongside Stephen Lang as the antagonist, Igor Draganov. Written and directed by Jalmari Helander, the film pushes the limits of gore and the horrific battering Koschei’s body endures, yet he still won’t die. Rated 18 for obvious reasons (the body and head-splitting scenes are intense). Sisu: Road to Revenge was released in cinemas on 21 November 2025. Dive in let me take you through it all.

Premise

The year is 1946, and World War II is over. But for Sisu, the journey home is only beginning. He returns to the place where his wife and two sons once lived together as a family before the war. Everything is exactly as he left it—leftover food on a plate, rumpled bedsheets—each detail hitting him with a rush of emotion. In that moment, Sisu decides to bring down the entire wooden house, piece by piece, loading every plank onto a truck. His plan is simple: take it all back to Finland and rebuild it somewhere safe, in memory of his family.

Meanwhile, in a Siberian prison, former Soviet officer Igor Draganov—imprisoned for war crimes—is being released. He is the same man who killed Aatami’s family, and his new mission is clear: kill the legend he created in exchange for his freedom.

But Sisu is no easy target. He is impossible to kill. Even soldiers with body armor and helmets stand no chance, and not even military aircraft dropping bombs can put him down. Determined, and with only his little dog by his side, Sisu fights to transport his truck of lumber. When he’s driven off the road into a body of water, he still resurfaces, gathers every log, and mounts them onto a stolen battle tank.

Eventually, Igor captures him, and instead of killing him quickly, they choose to make a spectacle of him—torturing him to break his will. But they forget one thing: a man like Sisu decides his own fate.

Still, you must wonder—how much death can a body take and still refuse to die?

Cast and Performances

Barring the other cast members—who mostly felt like extras—the film centers on two forces: Sisu, played by Jorma Tomila, and the antagonist, Soviet officer Igor Draganov, played by Stephen Lang. Once again, Jorma doesn’t utter a single word in this sequel, but he doesn’t need to. His emotions and sheer willpower come through perfectly in his expressions and actions.

Jorma Tomila truly embodies the role; he commands intense attention in every bludgeoning scene, making you believe—however skeptically—in the realism of his feats.

Stephen Lang, on the other hand, is perfectly cast as the villain, carrying his own brand of relentless will. Together, their dynamic reflects exactly the kind of dark history the movie sets out to portray.

Highlights

First of all, this was truly an action thriller. With little focus on dialogue, the movie leans fully into a cinematic chase that leaves a trail of body parts while successfully immortalising the character that is Sisu. I wouldn’t say it’s ¨main character armour¨, but rather a blatant depiction of pure, unbreakable will to survive. Some of the action stretches realism, but somehow it still works, making you accept the possibilities.

In its continuous effort to push the boundaries of action and thrill, the film introduces scenes with warplanes dropping bombs, a flipped over war tank, a train packed with soldiers, and even a rocket bomb. It also mirrors Part 1 with its chapter-style structure—from “Home” to “The Final Chapter”—but “Incoming” was easily my favourite. The moment Sisu redirects a plane using planks from his vehicle is absolutely insane. I tell you, jaw-dropping scenes all over the place.

Other familiar elements from Part 1—the antagonist killing off his own allies, and a final showdown that feels like Sisu’s end until he pulls off one last act that delivers the finishing blow. The aerial shots from the warplanes, and uderwater shots add to the cinematic thrill excitement, rasing the stakes from start to finish.

In all, this sequel is truly an upgrade.

Drawbacks

Sisu was a blast, true, but I couldn’t help wondering what happened to all the gold from Part 1—the same gold he killed so many to protect, the gold he exchanged at the bank for lighter-to-carry cash. There’s no indication of where that money went or whether he was still carrying it. Sisu was meant to pick up where the first film left off, but he doesn’t entirely do so.

Final Thoughts

Sisu: Road to Revenge is an incredible watch by cinematic standards. An action thriller that thrills, wows, and makes you revel in 1946-level carnage. I highly recommend it to fans of the genre, because you’ll walk away not just questioning the possibilities of some of the action scenes, but genuinely wondering: is Sisu even human?

Rating

5/5

Rating

If you were in Sisu’s world, which moment would’ve made you say, “Yeah… I’m not surviving this”?

Author

Alexander Azonobo

Alex is a writer with an undeniable passion for movies and the stories they tell. He loves diving into the world of cinema—exploring its themes, characters, and the artistry that brings it all to life. With an eye for detail and a love for storytelling, he writes to share his thoughts and spark conversations about the films that move, challenge, and inspire us.