Die Erlösung

A very strong, powerful, wild and emotional movie about such times during the Finnish Civil War of 1918. How could I say it... this is how those times should be portrayed in cinema. Kari Heiskanen does great work as Patrick Sillman. Tom Wentzel looks like Svejk lost, tired and wounded.

Too bad that short runtime doesn't appeal to great audiences - short movies are usually better cut thus can make a stronger message.

One of the best movies I've seen. Olli Saarela has not made so strong movies after this one, although Rukajärven Tie (Ambush) was pretty good.

If you somehow still get a chance to see this pearl, please do. It's certainly worth it.

The basic idea is workable: a priest/teacher caught between two warring side: his brother is a "white", while his whole township is "red". Kari Heiskanen is quite good as the Christ-like priest, though it often seems as if he stays in one (sullen) mode throughout the whole film. The townspeople (and the reds and the whites) are portrayed with little depth. There's a madman, a drunk, etc-- each not much more than a plot device. Heiskanen's priest's brother is hardly a more rounded character: quite ruthless with one redeeming moment. The film's surprise comes as a young red doesn't act like you would expect him to, to him the priest stands for exactly what's wrong with the system, despite his humane qualities.

Technically, the film is adequate with an authentic enough feel. Still, very little in the picture is remarkable. Some interesting ideas, sure, but they aren't developed in a way that would hoist the film above the countless similar movies about war in the world.