Land of Hope

I started watching this film because the rating was 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon which in my opinion is highly misleading. I've watched nearly 3/4 of the film, but abandoned it because it's boring. I've seen plenty of great films which have had me on the edge of my seat and this certainly isn't one of them. The plot is very simplistic. There's nothing special about the acting or the music. I need to keep on writing because I have to have a minimum word count for this review. There isn't really a lot more to say. I would not recommend this film. I was expecting a lot more of the film based on rating.

A movie about real people, falling in love during the war, putting their own values ahead of parental judgments. No glamour just real struggles and hard work when two peole have a common goal and have a fullfilling life together no matter what.

Beautiful scenes of intimate relashionships between husband and wife, father and daughter, sisters and a great moment when the mother reaches out to her daughter's wrongful husband when she realizes the strength of their authentic love and gives him hope to win her back. We learn a lot of what it is to live in wartime in Finland. I compare this film to " A hidden life" and "Testament of youth". This film is incredibly comforting. An excellent choice.

I enjoy watching historical movies, but this one is not a great movie. Not a good narrative, each persona character is not well contoured,a lot of unnecessary sexual images. Why? I am not interested to see that. Is that a good movies because of it, trying to compensate for lack of the narrative? There are movies from 20th century ten times better. No pornographic scenes etc, good quality. Nowadays film industry is so lacking. I have expected more from a Finish movie, unfortunately, as many movies on Netflix they are made within a short time frame for money purposes. Maybe we have better cameras nowadays, but not better plots.

I lack the words to properly discribe this film. All of it is stunning and for international viewers super interesting. The film deals with the aftermath of WWII in Finland which is a fairly unexplored topic outside Finland. It's fascinating to explore the cultural, natural and socio-economic setting.

It's a movie about hard work, standing up for neighbors, perseverance, and love. In many ways, this movie has a lot in common with American Western settler movies but this one is, of course, distinctly Finnish.

I appreciate that the movie doesn't glamorize relationships, it shows the commitment and hard teamwork. The characters don't dandy around in wildflower fields on romantic picnics. Instead, we see them covered in mud, shivering in the snow, and working the land with every bit of energy they have left, complete with the zooming of mosquitos. It feels real and yet, it's absolutely beautiful in every way.

It's romance, and history, and amazing scenery, real costumes and sets, and interesting storyline. Give me more!

Anni leaves a sheltered life with her wealthy family to marry and live with Veikko in North Karelia. Veikko is an orphan, lonely, badly wounded in the war but has a good heart.

Anni's love for Veikko is tested by the harsh realities of northern living and isolation that are so new to her. The strength love against odds of survival is probably one of the messages of the film.

Having said that, I do not suggest that we need profound messages to enjoy a film. Good acting, rich cinematography, era-appropriate costumes and settings, as well as expert direction, are sufficient ingredients to create a fine work of cinematic art. These ingredients are all present in Markku Pölönen's film.

A small trivia: The Shostakovich Waltz No. 2 is heard at the wedding, indicating that this piece, written in 1938 one year before the Soviet invasion of Karelia, was a hit, at least in Finland.