The Finnish action thriller Sisu was packed with non-stop thrills as a legendary gold prospector defended himself against brutal Nazi officers. From writer and director Jalmari Helander, Sisu featured an exceptional performance by Jorma Tommila as Aatami Korpi, the elderly former Finnish Army commando who had no issues taking down hordes of Nazis and enacting his revenge on those who had wronged him. What began with Aatami discovering gold in the Lapland wilderness soon turned into a violent bloodbath as he was forced to kill countless foes who made the poor decision to try and steal from him.

As a silent hero who did not speak a word until Sisu’s final scene, Tommila’s performance was full of expression and physical characterization. From blowing up soldiers with active mines to literally hanging off the side of a flying plane, Aatami was shown as practically immortal, as he survived gunsH๏τs and even a hanging attempt. The fact that Aatami didn’t speak for the entire film made the ending all the more powerful as he uttered his first words after accomplishing his goal and making it to the bank with his gold.

Why Aatami Korpi Finally Talks At The End

Aatami Spoke For The First Time In The Final Scene

Sisu comes from a long tradition of action movies featuring heroes of few words. Like Ryan Gosling in Drive or Viggo Mortensen in A History of Violence, Aatami Korpi only spoke when absolutely necessary and didn’t say anything at all to the Nazi forces that he unceremoniously murdered throughout the film’s swift 91-minute runtime. The reason for this was simple: he wanted nothing from these enemies and had nothing he needed to say to them. As he was the one being pursued, rather than waste time and give his adversaries a chance to hurt him, he silently killed them.

Aatami’s mission from the very beginning of Sisu was to take his newfound gold to the bank and exchange it for cash. When Aatami finally spoke, he simply said in his native Finnish, “Bills. Big ones, please. Won’t be so damn heavy to carry.” Even these brief words were entirely purposeful; Aatami was finally face-to-face with somebody he wanted something from, and so he was finally compelled to speak. With a dry sense of humor, Aatami’s decision to speak here saw him finally letting his guard down and shifting from attack mode back into some sense of normalcy.

Sisu Was Inspired By A Real Finnish Military Sniper

Simo Häyhä Was The ᴅᴇᴀᴅliest Sniper In History

While the action-packed carnage of Sisu feels like it’s too extreme to have a semblance of truth about it, Aatami Korpi was actually inspired by a real Finnish military sniper named Simo Häyhä. Known as the White Death, Häyhä was a feared soldier who was believed to have killed over 500 enemies and is regarded as the ᴅᴇᴀᴅliest sniper in history. Much in the same way that the legend of Aatami’s skill spread fear into the hearts of enemy soldiers, Häyhä became well-known for his unstoppable tenacity and ability to take out hundreds of men.

Sisu was also inspired by other one-man army movies like First Blood, where Sylvester Stallone played the PTSD-suffering Vietnam veteran being pursued by the United States Army in the Washington wilderness. Director Helander has been open about the influence the Rambo franchise had on Sisu and stated (via Ilta Sanomat) that he has had a fascination with the Stallone franchise since he first saw it when he was in elementary school.

What Does The Word Sisu Actually Mean?

Sisu Is A Finnish Concept

The name Sisu comes from a Finnish concept around strength of will, determination, and perseverance that perfectly encapsulates the character of Aatami Korpi. Mimosa Willamo, who played Aino, one of the Finnish women held captive by Nazi forces in Sisu, actually used the word to describe Aatami and spread fear into the hearts of her captors. Through his stoic determination, unstoppable resilience, and unyielding spirit, Aatami’s actions in the face of great adversity captured the essence of everything the word sisu describes.

While sisu, of course, referred to Aatami, it could also be used to describe the captured women who were freed in the latter part of the film. As subjugated prisoners who were even used as pawns to lead the Nazis’ vehicles and become collateral damage if they stepped on any active landmines, the fact that these women held their own and waited for the right time to enact their own revenge on the Nazis made their escape all the more satisfying. As these women gunned down enemy Nazis, they too embodied the spirit of sisu.

We Haven’t Seen The Last Of Aatami Korpi

Sisu 2 Had Already Been Filmed

Sisu gained great acclaim from audiences and critics for director Jalmari Helander and its star Jorma Tommila, and it looks like the film is set to become a series. While Helander had hinted in interviews that he had ideas for how to continue Aatami’s story, it was not until March 2024 that a sequel was officially announced, with filming wrapping later that year (via World of Reel.) Tommila reprised his role as Aatami, with Stephen Lang and Richard Brake also announced as part of the cast.

With incredible cinematography, intense action sequences, and a unique atmosphere, it feels like a no-brainer to make a Sisu sequel. As one of the most interesting and compelling heroes of recent years, the way Sisu harkened back to an earlier age of action movies, such as Rambo and Commando, while also feeling decisively modern in its execution made for exciting viewing, and fans will eagerly await the continuation of his story. While Aatami only spoke a few brief words in Sisu, it remains to be seen how much he’ll have to say in part two.

Sources: Ilta Sanomat, ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, World of Reel