The Winter War

1989 [FINNISH]

Action / Drama / History / War

19
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 88%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 88% · 5K ratings
IMDb Rating 7.6/10 10 9167 9.2K

based on novel or book world war ii finnish winter war

Plot summary

Russia attacked Finland in late November 1939. This film tells the story of a Finnish platoon of reservists from the municipality of Kauhava in the province of Pohjanmaa/Ostrobothnia who leave their homes and go to war. The film focuses on the farmer brothers Martti and Paavo Hakala.

Director

Pekka Parikka Photo
Pekka Parikka

Top cast

Pirkko Hämäläinen Photo
Pirkko Hämäläinen as Marjatta Hakala
Martti Suosalo Photo
Martti Suosalo as Private Arvi Huhtala
Ville Virtanen Photo
Ville Virtanen as 2nd Lieutenant Jaakko Rajala
Pertti Lamberg Photo
Pertti Lamberg as Fleeing soldier
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
1.77 GB
1214*720
Finnish 2.0
NR
Subtitles fi  
23.976 fps
3 hr 17 min
Seeds 4
3.64 GB
1808*1072
Finnish 5.1
NR
Subtitles fi  
23.976 fps
3 hr 17 min
Seeds 10

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by Jinx420 9 / 10

Chilling

Though I'm not a great fan of war-movies I must say this one made quite the impression. I can't really tell what it was but the story struck me.Not only did this movie give you a story about the war itself, but also on the impact it had on the families afflicted by it. Excellent acting and a chillingly choice of filming made this movie one to remember. Forget about "saving private ryan" this movie shows a war in all it's roughness without the fancy actors doing their best to be the "brave soldier" (no offense to some, but lots to others). After Full Metal Jacket (to me a totally different genre but still for many a war-movie) one of the favourite movies in the "war-theme"
Reviewed by darkmage7280 9 / 10

When Hell freezes over.

This movie explores the mostly unknown, and extremely bloody part of Second World War, the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1939-40. For 105 days the Finns fought a numerically superior enemy before the war ended with 25,000 Finns and over 200,000 Russians dead. Forget Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line, this movie shows what desperate war against overwhelming odds is about; desperation, lack of ammunition, constant bombardment, and nothing but your wits and your rifle to help you survive. Rightfully, the horrors of war are shown having effect on both sides; Finns are pinned down to the point of hardly living at all in dirt and constant fear of death, while Russians are mowed down in hundreds and mercilessly shot in the back. Excellent performances, good effects and marvelous photography makes this masterpiece not only one of the finest Finnish movies ever, but also a reminder that war is brutal, bloody, futile, and that it's the men on the front, Finnish or Russian, who have to die and bear the price for mankind's ultimate stupidity. Word of warning: violence is very graphic at times, especially in the close combat scenes.
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