Raid

Raid (2000) is a gritty and uniquely Finnish crime drama that stands out thanks to its strong characters, dark humour, and subtle political themes. At the centre is Kai Lehtinen as Raid - a quiet, tough fixer with a sense of right and wrong. He returns to Helsinki to look into the mysterious death of a woman he once loved. While the basic plot sounds like a typical detective story, Raid adds Finnish style and cultural details that make it special.

What really sets Raid apart is its unusual and colourful supporting cast: the sarcastic Lieutenant Jansson, the sleazy but oddly likable porn dealer Sundman, and the wildly over-the-top "Arska the Arse." Each character feels real and flawed, part of a world where no one is truly innocent.

The show's look and feel are similar to 1970s noir films but with a Finnish twist. It's not flashy - the visuals are dark, the action rough, and the pacing sometimes slow - but it all feels honest. The series explores topics like corruption, power, and moral grey areas in a thoughtful way (although Finland is one of the least corrupted countries in the world). At 12 episodes, it might feel a bit too long, and the production quality can seem outdated. Still, the writing and acting keep it engaging. It's rare to find a series that mixes crime, dark comedy, and social commentary so well.

Raid is more than just a great Finnish TV show - it's a unique mix of crime story and character study, and a hidden gem worth watching. I gave it 8 out of 10, though I might have rated it higher if I'd seen it 25 years ago. Personally, as regards Finnish series, I tend to prefer Sorjonen now.

Character development and acting are the strength of this drama of political conspiracy with dire economic consequences. Piirainen says that the events surrounding Escon are fictional, but in the wake of the collapse of the US company Enron, they are very believable. Kai Lehtinen plays Raid as an instinctive but troubled hero, surrounded by quirky, well-developed characters. Raid is at times almost a superhero, an effective, but self-restrained killing machine, but can be all too human. Lehtinen is stoically handsome, but not a pretty boy.

One wonders if Hollywood could ever cast a leading lady like Mari Rantasila (Tarja), or Kirsti Vaananen (Susisaari), both of whom were very fetching without being runway perfect (or surgically enhanced). Oiva Lohtander (Jansson), Tuula Nyman (Ms Hakala), Juha Muje (Sundman), Esko Salmonen (Uki) and Risto Aaltonen (Hallvik) struck me as utterly convincing in their parts. Pekka Huotari (Huusko) who is called 'Hopo' by coworkers, but Goofy in the subtitles, cracks lame jokes, makes inappropriate comments and delivers obscure lines about Wild Bill Hickock, but manages to be sympathetic. Tapio Liinoja (Hammar) was a deserving villain, not over-the-top, just a self-interested sociopath.

There are many references to American culture: Sundman's Beach Boys songs, posters of Clint Eastwood (homage to Sergio Leone), bottles of Johnnie Walker. There are few recognizable references to any other (non-Finnish) culture, except for automobiles. Two Mercedes, a BMW, a Toyota and a Jaguar figure prominently among the humble Ladas of the police force.

This is a dark and confusing TV series from Finland. The pace drags and has the tendency to put you to sleep. The actors are morose characters and the plot is ultra confusing. Persist with it but can only be watched intermittently to avoid falling asleep.

When I started to watch this series I was skeptical. Finnish crime drama, how could that work. Well it did, big time. First of all, the characters are truly unique. Raid, Hopo, Sanna, truck driver, porn salesman, "perse-arska"... wow! And you gotta love the lieutenant Jansson's sarcastic one-liners. Brilliant! Also, the plot is interesting enough to keep you awake. It is also nice to see Hopo's and Sanna's relationship to evolve. The neighborhood's maradona was also a funny figure. There is no doubt that Raid is the best finnish crime drama ever. Particularly, because it contains enough finnish humour to keep us all at our seats. :-)

Kai Lehtinen is amazing in the part of Raid. Raid is a hitman with morals. Now he has come back to Finland after many years to investigate the strange circumstances surrounding the suicide of his former loved one. The series is packed with colorful characters who are played by the best of the best finnish actors. Writer/director Piirainen has adapted the series from Nykänen's novels. I have not read the books, but I've heard that the series is even better. So, for anyone who hasn't seen it yet... if you have a chance to catch this somewhere, I warmly recommend. It's available on DVD in Finland.

***** / *****