Why So Blu?

Sisu (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

One of the more buzzy flicks of this year is the Finnish action movie Sisu. In a year where many of the more traditional and practical action movies are killing it with audiences, this one is rated toward the top of the heap. After a little theatrical run for the import, Lionsgate has put it out on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ay. Released on July 11th, the film comes with two featurettes and 5.1 TrueHD sound. You can order yourself a copy of this one by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review at the bottom of the page.

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Film

During WWII, a solitary prospector crosses paths with Nazis in northern Finland. When the Nazis steal his gold, they quickly discover he is no ordinary miner. While there is no direct translation for the Finnish word “sisu,” the legendary ex-commando will embody what it means: a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. And this one-man death squad will go to outrageous lengths to get his gold back — even if it means killing every last Nazi in his path.

The comparison of Sisu to John Wick primarily comes in the character setup and “how much can beating can this guy take?” aspects, but that’s about it. This movie provides a pretty low-fi setting and has its own way of showcasing the action. Its a film that will rock you in your seat with its suspense, abuse, gore and attachment to character. Having seen the behind the scenes stuff before writing this, there are also a lot of visual and digital effects on display that are more impressive in this little film than most of the blockbusters we deliver here in the United States (You won’t realize most of what is and isn’t, which is a good thing).

Jalmari Helander delivers a very effective action film which knows its limitations and puts together a pace and set pieces to make this world of fiction all the more believable on its own world and standards. There are some good moments of shock and awe here. And not all of it will come during a gun battle or fisticuffs. Like its lead character, the movie keeps itself pretty mum and lets its choreography, camera work and effects do the storytelling. And its a film that will really bring the house down if you’re on the right level with it.

No, Sisu isn’t revolutionary with its filmmaking transcending a genre like John Wick 4 or carrying death defying stunts on screen like the Mission: Impossible movies do – its just damn fine action that innovates in ways it can and is able. In the current era of “hero can take a beating and keep on ticking”, this is one of the stronger ones because it feels less of a copycat and more an original take and idea for its craft. This one isn’t there to replicate bucks, its there to replicate thrills. And considering its budget and resources, its just as an impressive a feat, if not moreso than many of its spectacle contemporaries.

Video

Disclaimer: Screen captures used in the review are from promotional images provided by the studio, not the 4K UHD Blu-ray disc.

Encoding: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 4K (2160p)

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

Layers: BD-66

Clarity/Detail: Sisu arrives on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray with a gorgeous, polished transfer. Details to all the grimy dirt, scars, and unwashed vehicles is perfect to a T. This is crisp. sharp image with a focused color palette on display and great, natural black levels. This is pretty top of the line and I wouldn’t image many a complaint from it.

Depth: Depth of field is strong and showcases a big, open area scale while also harboring on some more intimate combat moments with plenty of pushback and space for the camera and actors to roam. Movement is fluid, smooth and natural with no distortion issues from rapid action sequences.

Black Levels: Black levels are deep, rich and natural. Great shadowing and texture is showcased throughout. No crushing witnessed.

Color Reproduction: Colors are a bit more washed, though the gold intentionally sticks out. Things are beaten and worn but explosions, fire and gun blasts lighten things up and glow in the presence of HDR.

Flesh Tones: Skin tones are a bit washed by design and colder. They are consistent from start to finish. Details mentioned about and more when it comes to facial features and texture are astonishing to see.

Noise/Artifacts: Clean.

Audio

Audio Format(s): English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, English Descriptive Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital

Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish

Dynamics: While there is no Atmos mix presented here, the Dolby TrueHD presentation does its best to compensate. It is very boisterous and loud with plenty of good depth and layering to put you in the mix both in the loudest moments and its most quiet.

Height: N/A

Low Frequency Extension: Every explosion, punch, engine rumbling, tank crushing and gunshot moment really pounds the subwoofer.

Surround Sound Presentation:  This one works the room all around, though much of the big stuff is going on up front. Sound travel is effective and accurate. Rear channels have some terrific contributions while also building some smooth ambiance.

Dialogue Reproduction: Vocals are clear and crisp.

Extras

Sisu comes with the standard Blu-ray edition and a redeemable digital code.

Indestructible: Making Sisu (HD, 24:26) – This is a pretty entertaining and educating piece on the film’s production with solid intelligible interviews and good behind the scenes footage.

Pushing the Boundaries of Reality: The Visual Effects of Sisu (HD, 10:49) – A pretty engaging and impressive look at the film’s visual effects from previsualization. shooting it and post work done.

Summary

Sisu goes down as one of the “cool” movie recommendations you can dish out this year for people who don’t deep dive a lot into movies. Its a thoroughly pleasing action picture, complimentary to many of the modern trends but also carving its own creative path. This 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray has a top notch presentation with the elements afforded it and carries two pretty nice introspective featurettes in tow. For a nice sale price, this is a pretty solid recommend to pick up and add to your collection.

This is a paid Amazon Associates link