Rating: 3.5/5
Synopsis:
The man with an astounding resilience returns for another blood soaked battle. This time, he trades Nazis for Communists as the foe trying to take away his livelihood. Our lead returns home as the Soviets continue to close in on the Finnish border. He dismantles his home to rebuild away from their encroachment. But when a vengeful Red Army commander returns to finish what he started, escape may be inevitable. Can the man who refuses to die defeat the Soviet foes before they kill him first?
Positives:
I only watched the first “Sisu” days before seeing the sequel. While I enjoyed the premise, I couldn’t get behind the film due to the lead’s lack of dialogue. It felt more like a gimmick rather than a necessary character attribute. While the quiet protagonist trend continues here, I’m happy to say that “Road to Revenge” is a vast improvement over the first. It abandons the slower moments for a fast paced, gnarly set of action scenes that never let up. It embraces what is good about the first and runs with it. It’s not a movie that will win any awards but it delivers what fans of the genre want. The violence is cranked up to an eleven, managing to put our lead through even more turmoil than the original. Whether it be avoiding bombs from a plane, a hand to hand fight on a train, or a fast paced car chase, the action never lets up.
The film is more tense than the original, providing more elaborate action scenes as the Soviets close in. For a premise that already stretches believability, I welcome this change as it allows for more with the concept. The villain is also an improvement over the first. Part of my issue with the original is that the bad guys felt largely unimportant, fulfilling a mission through assignment rather than personal vengeance. “Road to Revenge” has no such problem as the hero and villain have history and personal stakes. Their past leads to a series of violent encounters that builds to a brutally satisfying finale. Stephen Lang is a great choice to play the Soviet antagonist. I’ve enjoyed his work as a villain in films like “Tombstone” and the “Avatar” franchise, so having a big name like him does a great service to the film.
Negatives:
Despite its flaws, “Road to Revenge” improves on the original in nearly every category. The film has a larger budget than its predecessor, allowing for grander and crazier action sequences. The special effects when constructing these scenes aren’t the most seamless though. Lots of flimsy looking CGI is used to make these sequences come to life. This is especially true during the plane chase in the countryside. Being that the action is bigger, the story becomes more far-fetched. Our lead goes through some unbelievably painful and ridiculous beatings, yet manages to continue his trek to salvation. While it is fun, viewers who struggle to suspend disbelief might not enjoy the over the top nature of the story.
Conclusion:
“Sisu: Road to Revenge” is a high octane action thriller from start to finish. It manages to improve on the original in nearly every way. The action is bigger, badder and far more absurd. In this case, I love that! It builds on the crazy premise that this man who doesn’t speak can tear through an entire army of people trying to kill him. Stephen Lang is a welcome addition, adding to his memorable catalog of villains. Enjoying the film is entirely dependent on one’s ability to suspend disbelief. For me, the film leans into its strengths…but fans of the grounded original may not enjoy this change as much. Certainly worth a watch if action romps like this are of interest.