FINLAND, BEHOLD, THY DAYLIGHT NOW IS DAWNING.

The third screen adaptation of Väinö Linna’s classic novel follows a fictional Finnish machine gun company during the 1941-1944 Continuation War with Russia. Thunderously staged, it is a brutally realistic history lesson illustrating how the slaughter just went on and on. At the center of the story is an older corporal who shows no respect toward his superiors; there is very little in this war to inspire the ”cannon fodder”. Technically impressive, but throughout its long running time there is little here to set the film apart from many similarly horrifying war chronicles.

2017-Finland. 180 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Aku Louhimies. Novel: Väinö Linna. Cast: Eero Aho (Antero ”Antti” Rokka), Johannes Holopainen (Jorma Juhani Kariluoto), Jussi Vatanen (Vilho ”Ville” Koskela), Aku Hirviniemi, Severi Saarinen, Hannes Suominen.

Trivia: Original title: Tuntematon sotilas. Also released as an expanded miniseries.

IMDb