Sisu: Road to Revenge Review: Critics Love It, But Does It Match the Original’s Raw Power?

The Immortal is back, and he’s angry. Sisu: Road to Revenge roared into theaters on November 21, 2025, bringing Finnish ex-commando Aatami Korpi back for another brutal dance with death. With a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score from 54 critics, this sequel has won over international reviewers who praised it as a creative action spectacle.

However, as with most sequels banking on their predecessor’s success, does this revenge tale deliver genuine thrills, or does it simply recycle the formula that made the 2022 original a sleeper hit?

Sisu: Road to Revenge: Movie Essentials

The Story: Home is Where the Carnage Is

Set in 1946 post-World War II, Aatami Korpi crosses into Soviet-occupied Karelia to dismantle his family home—the very place where they were brutally murdered during the war. His mission is simple yet emotionally charged: transport his home beam by beam to rebuild it somewhere safe as a memorial to his lost family.

However, his presence angers the Red Army, and Igor Draganov, the Soviet commander responsible for his family’s massacre, returns hellbent on finishing what he started. What follows is a relentless, eye-popping cross-country chase—a deadly cat-and-mouse game filled with inventive action sequences.

What Makes It Work

Clean Continuity: The biggest relief is that this doesn’t feel like a forced sequel. The setup remains intact, and Aatami Korpi shines again with his silent, cold, stealth-driven approach to action. His character—the man who refuses to die—maintains the mythical quality that made the original compelling.

Stephen Lang’s Commanding Presence: Choosing Stephen Lang as the antagonist was a strong casting decision that adds gravitas to the film. Lang praised the Finns and their “sense of humor” during promotional appearances, and his understanding of the material shows in his menacing performance.

Fresh Action Designs: The major attraction is the new set of action designs. The makers deliver enough fresh combat ideas to keep audiences engaged, with sequences working best when lead characters face each other directly. The 88-minute runtime prevents the film from overstaying its welcome.

Technical Excellence: The cinematography by Mika Orasmaa captures the bleak, war-torn landscapes beautifully, while the production design effectively recreates the 1946 period setting. The score by Tuomas Wainola and editing by Juho Virolainen are passable, maintaining the film’s kinetic energy.

Where It Crumbles

Story Deficiency: The film suffers because it lacks a solid storyline, depending entirely on action to carry the narrative. This approach wears thin quickly, especially when viewers naturally question what could possibly kill a protagonist who survives multiple certain-death situations. The invincibility feels less earned and more plot-armored.

Less Impactful Action: While action ideas are new, they’re not as impactful as those in the first film. Many moments feel unintentionally funny rather than gripping—a tonal issue that undermines tension. When you’re laughing at implausibility instead of gasping at audacity, something’s broken.

Missed Emotional Depth: The emotional side of Aatami and the pain he carries could have been explored through short flashback scenes, but it’s largely ignored. For a film about reclaiming a murdered family’s home, the emotional stakes feel surprisingly hollow.

Weak Climax: The climax is routine and fails to create tension or excitement. The stunts here drain the final moments of curiosity rather than building to a satisfying crescendo. After 88 minutes of carnage, the resolution feels anticlimactic.

Dated Dubbing: The Telugu dubbing feels like those Telugu-dubbed English movies from the early 2000s—a nostalgic throwback for some, but jarring for modern audiences expecting professional localization.

The Critics vs. Audience Divide

Here’s the interesting paradox: Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it 96% approval with the consensus “Sisu: Road to Revenge consistently and creatively kills the competition”, yet the film made only $575,000 in Thursday night previews despite releasing in approximately 2,100 U.S. locations. This disconnect suggests critics appreciate the craft while general audiences may find the formula repetitive.

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Should You Watch It?

If you loved the first Sisu, this sequel will likely disappoint you. It’s a competent action film with strong performances and solid production values, but it lacks the raw, primal energy that made the 2022 original feel like a revelation. The film works best for audiences who simply want 88 minutes of violence without demanding narrative depth or emotional resonance.

However, there are far better options available in cinemas and on streaming platforms currently. Unless you’re a die-hard fan of the franchise or Stephen Lang, waiting for its streaming release might be the wiser choice.

Final Verdict: 2.5/5 – Decent action, weak story, inferior to the original.

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