“Unknown Soldier 2017” is a Finnish war drama. It follows a group of soldiers fighting in World War II with brutal realism. The film doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war, showing the physical and psychological toll it takes on those involved. The story is told through the eyes of several different characters, each with their own struggles and experiences. Despite its unflinching portrayal of war, “Unknown Soldier 2017” also highlights themes of brotherhood, sacrifice, and patriotism – making it a moving depiction of the Finnish war experience.
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Review
Unknown Soldier: The Invisible Costs of War
If you think war is expensive, wait until you see the price that soldiers and civilians pay for it. Unknown Soldier, a Finnish movie directed by Aku Louhimies, portrays the personal and political consequences of a platoon fighting against Soviet Union during the Continuation War in 1941-1944. The movie is based on Väinö Linna’s novel with the same title, which was published in 1954 and became a classic of Finnish literature. However, Louhimies updates the story with modern visuals and soundscapes that enhance its emotional impact and intensity.
The plot revolves around Rokka (played by Joonas Saartamo), a tough and loyal soldier who fights for survival, revenge, and respect. Rokka’s comrades are diverse in class, age, personality, and skills: there is Kariluoto (Eero Aho), an educated officer who struggles to lead his men effectively; Koskela (Johannes Holopainen), a gentle giant who loves poetry and nature; Lahtinen (Samuli Vauramo), an opportunist who trades with Russians; Hietanen (Arttu Kapulainen), a young recruit who learns hard lessons about war; and others who have their own stories to tell or hide.
The historical context of the movie is also essential to understand its themes and messages. The Continuation War was part of World War II but has received less attention than other conflicts such as Stalingrad or Normandy. Finland had fought against Soviet Union before in the Winter War (1939-1940) but had to cede some territories to Russia. However, when Germany invaded Soviet Union in 1941, Finland saw an opportunity to regain those lands and joined the Axis powers. This decision divided the Finnish society into pro- and anti-German factions and caused diplomatic tensions with the Allies.
Unknown Soldier does not dwell on politics or strategy but rather focuses on the everyday life of soldiers in the trenches, forests, and villages of Karelia. The movie depicts the horrors and absurdities of war with grim realism and occasional humor. The characters face not only enemy fire but also hunger, disease, boredom, cold, and fear. They also witness atrocities committed by both sides, such as massacres of civilians or prisoners of war. Louhimies does not shy away from showing the brutality of violence but also highlights the humanity and dignity that some soldiers try to preserve.
The acting in Unknown Soldier is superb and convincing. Saartamo delivers a nuanced performance that captures Rokka’s complexity: his toughness, his loyalty, his vulnerability, his anger, his despair. Aho portrays Kariluoto as a man torn between duty and doubt, trying to balance discipline and compassion. Holopainen gives Koskela a soulful presence that contrasts with his physical strength. Vauramo shines as Lahtinen who embodies the ambiguity of survival in wartime: he may be a traitor or a survivor or both.
The cinematography of Unknown Soldier is stunning and immersive. Louhimies uses handheld cameras to follow the characters closely and create a sense of intimacy with their experiences. He also employs wide shots to show the vastness and beauty of nature that surrounds them. The visual effects are impressive too: explosions, fires, smoke, snowstorms all look realistic and vivid without overpowering the story.
The music score by Lasse Enersen complements the visuals very well by providing different moods: melancholic melodies for introspection scenes; dynamic rhythms for action scenes; atmospheric tones for suspenseful scenes; patriotic songs for nationalistic scenes. The sound design by Kirka Sainio enhances the realism by mixing various sounds such as footsteps, gunshots, whispers, shouts, birds, wind, and silence.
The popularity of Unknown Soldier in Finland has been overwhelming since its premiere in 2017. The movie broke all previous box-office records and became the most-watched Finnish movie ever with over one million tickets sold. The critical reception has been generally positive too, although some reviewers have criticized the length (almost three hours) or the violence. However, most of them have praised the direction, the acting, and the adaptation.
Unknown Soldier has also received several awards and nominations at international film festivals. For example, it won the Best Director Award at Shanghai International Film Festival in 2018 and was selected as Finland’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 90th Academy Awards.
The development and production of Unknown Soldier were challenging for various reasons. The budget was around ten million euros which is relatively high for a Finnish movie. The shooting took over six months, mostly outdoors, in various locations such as forests, swamps, riversides, and historical buildings. The crew had to face extreme weather conditions such as blizzards or heatwaves that affected both logistics and actors’ health. Louhimies himself suffered from stress and exhaustion that led to his hospitalization during post-production.
The editing of Unknown Soldier deserves special attention because it shapes how the story unfolds and how emotions are conveyed to the audience. Louhimies worked closely with Antti Reikko (who edited his previous movies) to create a rhythm that balances exposition with action, humor with drama, intimacy with epicness. They also used flashbacks and flashforwards to reveal some surprises or foreshadowings that enrich the plot.
The dialogue in Unknown Soldier is well-written but sometimes hard to understand for non-Finnish viewers who rely on subtitles or dubbing. The language used by soldiers is crude and slangy which reflects their social background or regional origin. Some expressions may sound funny or inappropriate depending on one’s cultural context. Moreover, the dialects may vary from one region to another which adds to the authenticity of the movie but also challenges the translators.
The special effects in Unknown Soldier are not only visual or auditory but also emotional and ethical. The movie raises important questions about the value of human life, the cost of national pride, and the meaning of heroism. It shows how war can break or make a person, a group, a nation. It reveals how patriotism can be both a virtue and a vice. It demonstrates how history can be both a source of inspiration and a burden of guilt.
The criticism of Unknown Soldier is not about its artistic merit but rather about its political stance or historical accuracy. Some viewers may argue that the movie glorifies Finnish soldiers who fought alongside Nazi Germany or neglects the sufferings of Soviet citizens who were victims of Finnish aggression. Some viewers may question whether Rokka represents or distorts the reality of frontline experiences. Some viewers may find some scenes too graphic or disturbing for their taste.
However, these criticisms do not diminish the value and impact of Unknown Soldier as a work of art that transcends national borders and historical contexts. The movie speaks to human emotions and dilemmas that are universal and timeless: love, hate, fear, courage, loyalty, betrayal, hope, despair. The movie reminds us that war is not only an event but also a process that scars generations beyond its duration. The movie urges us to remember those who served or suffered in silence before they became unknown soldiers.
Technical Data
- Release : 2017-10-27
- Runtime : 179
- Genre : War, Drama
- Cast : Eero Aho as Rokka, Johannes Holopainen as Kariluoto, Jussi Vatanen as Koskela, Aku Hirviniemi as Hietanen, Hannes Suominen as Vanhala
- Crew : JúlÃus Kemp as Co-Producer, Ingvar Þórðarson as Co-Producer, Samuli Torssonen as Visual Effects Supervisor, Aku Louhimies as Screenplay, Aku Louhimies as Director
- Revenue : $15,550,000
- Budget : $8,000,000
- Company : SCOPE Pictures, Elokuvaosakeyhtiö Suomi 2017, Kvikmyndafélag Ãslands
- Popularity : 10.477
- Summary : The film follows Finnish army machine gun company in Continuation War against Soviet Union, 1941–1944. Based on Väinö Linna’s best selling novel Tuntematon Sotilas (The Unknown Soldier) and the novel’s uncensored version, Sotaromaani (A War Novel).
- Tagline : Finland, behold, thy daylight now is dawning.
