Sisu ★★★★

IT’S probably not hard to claim that Sisu is the best action film to come out of Finland this year.

But, along with John Wick 4 and The Good Mother from Poland, it’s also one of the best action films of the year full stop.

Brutal, inventive and, at times wonderfully over-the-top, it tells the story of a prospector who strikes a rich vein of gold only to find it stolen by Nazis.

Sisu is set in isolated Finnish Lapland near the end of World War II. The Nazis are retreating, fearful of being decimated by the approaching Russians, but taking the time to raze towns and kill everyone in their exit path.

Choosing to ignore the signs of warfare is Aatami who leads a solitary existence with just his horse and dog.

Aatami is overjoyed at his lucrative find and fills his saddlebags with some of the lode. But a Nazi death squad comes across him, steals the gold and leaves him for dead.

What the Nazis don’t realise that the old man they have robbed is a former Finnish commando with more than 100 kills to his name.

The brutal and headstrong head Nazi ignores the advice from command to get out while they can, setting in motion an increasingly violent showdown.

The unique setting is tailor made for writer/ director Jalmari Helander to stage a range of epic action sequences featuring some highly inventive kills.

Norma Tommila as Aatami and Aksel Hennie as SS commander Bruno Helldorf are perfectly cast as the two main antagonists.

Sisu is action film-making at some of its best. Roll on a sequel.