Abhiroop Das
Written and directed by Jalmari Helander, ‘Sisu: Road to Revenge‘ serves as the sequel to ‘Sisu’ and returns to the cruel world that Aatami calls his own. At the height of World War II, Finland is forced to cede more of its territories to the Soviets, which means that Aatami has to leave his home and set up camp in safer territories. Determined to carry the memory of his loved ones forward, he decides to dismantle his house down to each log, and then begins a long journey by truck. What he doesn’t know, however, is that the man who killed his family all those years ago is now free again and intends to finish the job he started. In this Finnish film where high-octane action setpieces follow one after the other, the only one to never leave Aatami’s side is none other than his trusted dog. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Dog Lives to Tell the Tale in Sisu Road to Revenge
Aatami is not the only one who survives the Red Army and returns to Finland, as he is accompanied by his trusted dog in this miraculous journey. Although we briefly lose touch with the dog when Aatami’s tank is flipped, and he is arrested, it is implied that he rescues his pet off-screen. Given how he has complete control over the train car by the end of the movie, it makes sense for him to go back to the spot where the dog was being held. Following this, the duo returns to Finland with all the logs required to rebuild the home. As the only bit of family Aatami has left, the dog holds incredible significance in this final sequence, as it essentially becomes an observer in the Finnish hero’s quest to reunite with his family, at least in spirit.
Throughout the movie, Aatami’s journey is paralleled by that of the dog, which almost turns the latter into an extrinsic expression of the former. Fittingly, the dog is never given a name either, across both movies, as its main point of contact remains Aatami, ever the man of few words. What their dynamic does establish, however, is a sense of warm familiarity, as after hours of slaughtering people in the most gruesome fashion, Aatami returns to being an affectionate figure when it comes to his pet. This irony is amped up in ‘Sisu: Road to Revenge,’ where the dog is literally strapped to his side in the intense truck chase sequence, and later nearly drowns in the sea. In both cases, however, it comes out on top through its own resilience, and without the help of Aatami.
Notably, this is not the first time that Aatami’s pet finds itself in the middle of danger, as in the first movie, the dog has an even closer call with death. After its collar tag is discovered by the antagonist, Helldorf, it doesn’t take long for him to catch the dog. From there, he goes as far as to attach a hand grenade to its collar before sending it off for Aatami, who barely manages to detach the grenade in the nick of time. Compared to that, the dog’s predicament in the second movie doesn’t sound as alarming at first, but nonetheless reiterates the movie’s grand point. The word “sisu,” which roughly means unshakeable courage in Finnish, isn’t necessarily a description of Aatami, and applies just as well to anyone with grit, including the dog.
Jorma Tommila’s Pet Plays Aatami’s Dog on Screen
While Aatami’s pet might never be named in the film series, we know quite a lot about the real dog that brings him to life on screen. Actor Jorma Tommila’s own pet dog, a Bedlington Terrier named Sulo, plays its fictional counterpart, nailing each appearance along the way. Reportedly, the creators wanted to have a more fierce-looking pet, but their minds changed when they saw Sulo in the background of one of Tommila’s photos.
Instead of a dog matching Aatami in his viciousness, we now get a charming contrast in the form of Sulo, who wholly immerses himself in the role despite its challenging nature. For director Jalmari Helander, the bond between Jorma and his real-life pet is essential in translating this emotional dynamic to the screen, especially when scenes demand visual storytelling cues and subtleties.
Read More: Sisu Road to Revenge Ending Explained: Does Aatami Make it Back to Finland?
