The story is realistic because the writer of the book (the Unknown Soldier) actually served in the Continuation war and the story is based on his unit and his experiences. In addition to being a squad-leader, he wrote notes and observations about his and his unit's experiences. Many of those characters are based on a real person and some of the movie quotes were actually used in a real life, especially Rokka's quotes.
@Mikko Väänänen88 No mentions for their top notch export industry. Oh, well. I don't read much news, and I don't recommend it for anyone amongst the current information war. We are not lacking far behind. Give as another decade, and we are in the very same spot with the uncontrolled immigration.
What i like about this movie is that it has no propaganda. Everyone gets hurt the same. Thats war, not this "Hell yea, get some" glorified bs where the other side seems to somehow be enjoying themselves while the others get shredded...
Yes. Even though russians were the enemies, it doesnt really portray them as "bad guys". It is more an anti-war movie. So don't expect it to be a finnish propaganda movie about continuation war
The movie isn't full blown propaganda, but there's some heavily romanticized portions. Most common critique is the home of the Rokka's family. It 100% wasn't idyllic clean clothes, smiles, love and support. Leave from the front lines meant 15-hour workday trying to make the place not fall apart between visits.
The first half SEEMS to be that propaganda but then it spirals into true horror of war. Thats why its so genius. You can see the general morale drop troughout the film.
@@GreedAndSelfishness i dont think that is made to seem propaganda During continuation at attack ohase moral was quite high and things went better than expected. The morale started to drop when finns crossed the old border, which made some soldiers question the justification if the wsr. Thenn came the long trench warfare phase which dropped the morale further.. 1944 when soviet launched the huge offensive started so called retreat phase. Lots of losses and losing the land that was gained back absolutely destroyed the morale. Yoy could say Finland's army came close to total collapse, higher ups did their best to try make soldiers stand their ground . I think it well represented in the movie (well the author fought in the war)
I was one of the two historical / military advisers on the film. We trained all the actors and extras and made sure everything on set was as historically correct as possible. This is my favorite review of the film so far. You obviously get the state of mind of these characters as they are thrust into that unfamiliar and stressful world, and how they each change as the result of the things they experience. Great commentary!
Then you may know... Was there a specific campaign that they were in and what town was it that they had advanced too? Not sure if I missed that information trying to keep up with the subtitles or if it was kept general for a reason.
@@RoyRissanen The events in the movie loosely follow the war trail of the Machine Gun Company of the 1st Infantry Battalion of Infantry Regiment 8 through the whole Continuation War 1941 - 1944. The author of the book the movie is based on served in that unit during the war, so many places and events in the movie correlate with real history. There is a Finnish war trail internet database, where a lot of the real units' war trails are marked. As an extra assignment my colleague created the imaginary war trail of the unit in the movie which you can see here: www.sotapolku.fi/sotapolut/tuntematon-sotilas-2017/ It is in Finnish, but you can click the numbers on the map to see the events and places in chronological order, and images on how they match with the movie.
Every time I watch this movie I have tears in my eyes in the ending scene with Finlandia playing. I feel so grateful to our great grandparents and other relatives that we are a free nation.
Mun pakko pistää kommentti sulle. Nainen omilla kasvoilla kertoo suoraan ja rehellisesti mitä tuntee. Ei sotahulluutta, vaan pelkästään tuntemuksia. Hitto et mä tykkään ! Sinä ja sinunlaisesi naiset saatte mut aika hiton onnelliseksi suomen naisista. silloin ja nyt!
@@bleakcognitivefuture7913 Ei tuettais liittovaltioksi ryhtymistä, ei myytäis tätä maata euroopalle reilun 100v itsenäisyyden jälkeen, ei otettais turvapaikkahakemuksia muista EU:n maista jotka on btw kaikki todettu turvallisiksi, ei ryhdyttäis tähän vitun vammaiseen ilmastopolitiikkaan mikä pelaa loppupeleissä jonkun herra iso herran taskuun kaikki viimesetkin rahat tästä maasta, ei tehtäis samaa virhettä turvapaikkapolitiikan kanssa kuin mm. saksa, ranska ja ruotsi, vai haluatteko te vihreitten kannattajat tänne oikeasti samallaisen meiningin mitä esim näissä edellämainituissa maissa on meneillään?
Hienoa taidetta. Kiitti. vähän palautetta: mun korvissa sä mukailet ja samaan aikaan jatkat koko ajan Finlandiaa. jos olisit säveltänyt ok juttuja, niin olisin pitänyt turpani kii, mut sävelsit oikeasti taidetta. Arvostan isosti! sä oot tosi lahjakas! Kaikki näyttelijät ja ohjaaja onnistuivat kybällä. olin alus tosi skeptinen, siis enneku olin nähnyt, mut voihan nenä ,eli paras leffa minkä mä oon nähny 61vuoteen. Ps. must oli tosi sydäntä lämmittävää, et naiset ja esim juutalaisvapaaehtoiset saivat ansaitsemaansa huomiota! terveisin, ex-säveltäjä.
Here's a fun fact: in the early phase of the war, all movement on screen is from left to right, representing the advance east into Soviet territory. Later, as the troops are retreating, they move from right to left.
Not only because of their combat effectiveness, but also from brutality they inflicted. During period of constant warfare and atrocities and before any agreements about conduct of warfare being especially brutal means you are very nasty. Most likely Hakkapeliitat were maybe slightly more brutal than every other mercenary warband roaming Germany are then.
I am Finnish. My grandfather fought in the continuation war in 1941. He was in artillery battalion. After some 2 few months of war, they all were hit by russian artillery...and everyone went for cover. It was a direct hit and most of their unit was decimated on the spot. He lost his leg...only some skin was holding his leg together. His best friend cried for "mother" and was dying few meters away. He had lost both arms and legs...in that hit and was bleeding out. My grandfather crawled to him and hold his friend on his arms. He begged "kill me...shoot me since it hurts so much". My grandfather had a pistol on his hand and tried but coudn't do it and his friend bled to death in his arms very soon after holding him and crying. It took him 30 years to be able to tell his sons what happened that day. My father told me that story what his father told him...some 50 years later. Only lesson there is. War is and can be horrible and can and will scar you for life mentally. Sacrifice you make for yourself and for others and pain and suffering for all. When i was a little boy in 80´s.... i was some some 6 yo kid...i was smiling and asking my Grandpa "hey since you are one leg short...and jumping around sometimes like a kangaroo...tell me what sucks most when you are one leg short (omg omg children can be so straight shooters and not understanding any pain or concequences"....( i was latter told i was asking stuff like that) My grandpa always smiled and said "you know it sucks mostly when my toes on this lost leg are tickling and i can't scratch them since they are not there" :) He then asked me "can you imagine when you need to scratch something what is tickling and it is not there....just imagine?".... We always made up everything since i volunteered to scratch his leg stump and asking "will this help?"....and he always smiled "yes son...it does" :) Now 42 years later i understand what he went through and how nice he was with all that. And also knowing now the pain him getting up in the middle of some nights when his (missing leg) was hurting or tickling or so... War....it is not nice ever not in any form. Now when he is gone...I appreciate his and all the Veterans dedication back then and all they had to sacrifice. We as younger generation should never ever forget their sacrifice....ever. Most of the western world now sees it in "Call of Duty" and sadly most of the Ukraine sees it once more as realism. Help...Support....and never forget...Amen
@ Anon Non : Kirjoitit poikkeuksellisen syvällisellä tavalla isoisästäsi ja sodasta. Arvostan sitä, liikutuin. Minunkin isoisäni oli siellä, Summassa. Hän joutui mielisairaalaan n. 25 vuodeksi. Viimeiset vuotensa hän vietti osittain meillä, osittain omassa kodissaan. Hän ei kuitenkaan pärjännyt, ja kun veimme hänet sairaalaan, hänellä todettiin syöpä. Hän ei pystynyt puhumaan, mutta nauroi vielä pari päivää ennen kuolemaansa, koska minulla oli kirkkaanvihreää kynsilakkaa. Rakas pappani... Hänen isoisänsä ja muitakin sukulaisia oli kuollut 1918. Minulla on valokuva surullisen näköisestä pojasta, joka oli tuolloin pikkusiskonsa kanssa lähdössä kerjäämään leipää. Rukoilen ettemme enää joudu sotaan. 😔
Kiitos kun jaoit tämän. Valtava kunnioitus isoisällesi! My grandfather was also in the same war, he was in a konekiväärikompanja (machine gun company?) And very rarely he told us anything about the war, but when he did he was very drunk. Those stories are gruesome and makes me respect him so much for what he went through. Hard men, hard times they never complained about a thing no matter how much they suffered during and after the war. Almost every Finn has a relative who has been in a war and I love that we have such a respect for our veterans. I think young people should think them way more though.
My grandpa was at same war he fell.....then stood up and kept fighting. Joke aside, he got wounded by artillery shrapnel only few week on field. He said that shrapnel most likely saved his life because he was taken to hospital and meanwhile there where he was serving real mayhem break loose. So maybe without that shrapnel this text would not exist either.
Hey! A Finn here. This movie was really popular here when it came out in 2017, but its most famous version was produced in 1955 by Edvin Laine, and is very often played on TV during independence day (Dec, 6). Even if you're not very patriotic, most Finns hold these stories about the Winter War and the Continuation War in high regard, as they reveal a lot about the nuances of wartime living and the attitude of the common soldier and man towards war. This commentary is really good, btw! Very detailed and respectful of the source material!
There was a part in the movie that hit home where you see a clock on the wall on Rokka’s home; a home which subsequently had to be abandoned. My Great Grandfather had the same kind of clock on the wall in their home in Viipuri which they also had to abandon. Story is told that he carried it out as the home burned. (He lost four sons in the war)
Viipuri that we lost was the second largest city after Helsinki. Lost of Carelia was lost one third of our national soul. Yet we hate no russians, it was soviets that took it from us.
@@RoyRissanen Wow, nice to know this, my mothers family is from Viipuri, this is only one generation separated from me, my mother had to take her sister by the hand and leave their home in 1944 for the last time, after my grandparents had rebuilt their home from having to leaving Viipuri in 1939-40. I honor your Great Grandfather's four sons, your great uncles for paying the highest price possible that allowed their generation and the generations to come to have the privilege to be born in a free country. Because of their heroism, I was born in Finland, a free country and it has made all the difference in my life. I was bornin Finland however have lived in the USA since the age of 2, I grew up in a very Finnish houshld and still speak the language and go back often. I must add that I too had a great uncle fallen in the Winter War, my fathers uncle.
@@RoyRissanen , Wow yes, even though I have lived in the USA since age of 2, there is a calling for me to always go back. I have many relatives including my mother, I was to go this summer, however not possible, so hopefully soon. Since my Finnish blood is now very thin living in the warmer climates, I prefer to go back between May and October......the winters are brutal for me, however you are probably more accustomed to it living in Canada!
This movie and the novel is also very famous in Sweden. I am half Finnish half Swedish, just like 80 % of the people in my hometown so we all knew about this story and used to watch the older version as kids.
As Im a half finn and half chinese and voluntarily completed my service at Nylands Brigad during 80's, had a great experience. I must watch this movie.
@@holoholopainen1627 I grew up in Hong Kong during 6-17 yrs old , service started when i was 18 , so swedish was hard for me to manage during nylands time but i made it eventually.😅
I own a small house that was gifted by Sweden during the war. Sweden gave a lot of help in rebuilding homes for those who had lost everything. In the miniseries you can feel the bitterness of leaving your home behind. Rokka was a refugee, an accomplished wounded soldier, who was still lucky to be alive with his family. He won, but lost everything at the same time. It made me imagine what went on the minds who first moved into this house during the winter 1941.
@Niko Omasta mielestäni kaikki paitsi totaalikieltäytminen on hyväksyttävää, mutta siviilipalvelusta pitäisi kehittää kriisiajan kannalta hyödyllisemmäksi.
This movie is on my shelf. I watched it about 2 years ago with my (Finnish) wife. It’s really awesome. My stepfather received some of the highest Finnish military awards. He told a lot about what he experienced during the war. I am French but I can speak fluently Finnish. By the way, my son did conscript in the Finnish military.... Greetings from the beautiful Helsinki.
I think "varusmiespalvelu" should be translated as "did conscript in the Finnish military" and the meaning of "served in the Finnish military" actually means "palveli kantahenkilökunnassa" or served as paid soldier in the Finnish military.
One comment about the dialogue is that the soldiers in the movie are from all around Finland and without proper dialect differences it might even be impossible to dub and also it's one major point in the novel too, since it's been just over 20 years after the civil war that tore people apart, and yet here they are together against a common foe. A huge point in the novel is that former reds and whites are now in the same grays together.
Also the ones familiar with Linna’s other novels might know that lieutenant Koskela is a son of an old Red Guard officer, who went through a devastating captivity in a prison camp after civil war. You can see Koskela’s resentment for Hitler-admiring higher officers during the drunken festivities of Mannerheim’s birthday party.
I may be wrong, but in that time it would have been rare to all those people in different parts of Finland to serve together. There were people from same area serving together usually, but the author wanted to have more diverse dialogue in Finnish dialects and that's why he placed those people together in his novel.
@@mariak175 You're wrong, what you're describing was the practice during Winter War. They then realized that it's already bad enough if a unit gets destroyed, but it's way worse if a whole village loses all their young men on the same go. That's why in Continuation War it was already common practice to comprise a unit out of men from different areas of the country.
@@5ilverSouls Some do know, I spoke with one guy last summer on his 20's who could name all his red relatives who were executed and the places where. But for lot of people it doesn't matter, and I guess that's ok. It's kind of sad how partisan this issue still is after more than 100 years.
I am from Finland and this movie captures Finnish nature, atmosphere, and the personality of Finnish people so accurately that I cried my eyes out since it's my third year living in Spain and I started to miss Finland sooooo much. Best movie I've ever watched.
My grandfather fought in the neighbouring regiment as a runner and was pretty much in the same battles. He also knew personally the author Väinö Linna as they came from the same area. Grandpa never spoke about war until he was 80 years old. After that he shared a lot of war memories. He passed away at the age of 92 having still schrapnels in his hip.
@@villevee1332 I can understand that. My grandfather struggled with it to his death. My grandfather only spoke once about it. He said. 'We destroyed the first vehicle and the last. then we waited until they starved or tried to run, then the hunt was on. We saw them as animals, you had to in order to pull the trigger. And what were we? In hindsight we were also no better than animals. You did things and saw things that you will never forget, no matter if you try hard.The savagery on both sides was appaling, out there in the cold forests. I Don't fool your self in thinking that war is glorious. I volunteered and even lied about my age. I saw it as my "duty". The best you ever can hope for is to never have be a part of any war.'
Every year on the 6th of December, the Finnish independence day, they'll show the original version from 1955 on tv, black and white. No matter I've seen it countless times, I'll get stuck on watching it. There is something... it brings the memories of my own served time and I honor these guys what they sacrified for this country.
The battle cry in 22:53 Hakkaa päälle Pohjanpoika! basically it means Cut them down son of the north! and it comes from Thirty Years' war when finnish light cavarly hakkapeliittas attacked the enemy. And it was my units motto.
I really wish there was a way to properly translate the accents and dialects they use, it adds so much to the movie. Obviously it's impossible and you have to be Finnish or have to have been talking the language most your life to pick up on them/understand them at all.
Yeah true. But still subtitles would certainly help. I dont get why he didn't include them. I mean if the dvd cover is in English, i assume that there would be english subtitles? @Combat Arms Channel you could turn the contributions on for this video. I'm sure someone would gladly translate those Finnish parts. It wouldn't be perfect, but at least better than nothing.
@@jonezu1175 He had to remove the subtitles as they brought another layer of copyright issues, and the video kept taken down. He did watch the video with subs, but unfortunately we cannot see the subs in this video due to the reason mentioned above.
A related fact. The Swedish translation of the original book used different Finland Swedish dialects for the main characters. This was quite an authentic approach, because the Swedish speaking Finns (or Finland Swedes) fought in the war, too. Most of them in their own regiment en.wikipedia.org/wiki/61st_Infantry_Regiment_(Finland) I really enjoy reading the book in Swedish also because of this.
“The Unknown Soldier” in the title is not a reference to a soldier who is unknown (like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier), but to the unknown side of soldiers. “We do not know what soldiers are really like” -> “Soldiers are unknown” -> “Unknown soldier” The traditional view of soldiers is that they are all heroes, selfless and self-sacrificing paragons of virtue. It makes sense: you wouldn’t want to badmouth the men who fight for the country, after all. But anyone who has actually fought in a war knows what soldiers are really like: normal men put in a horrible situation. Aside from the heroics, which do happen, they also get angry, they summarily execute prisoners, they steal booze and get drunk, they run away in panic in a fight… Or how unfair war is sometimes: the gallant officer in the beginning gets unceremoniously mowed down; a new recruit gets shot in the head on his first day… That’s what The Unknown Soldier is about: depicting what men fighting in a war are really like. It’s a slice-of-life of soldiers.
@Elias Kalliokoski I should have mentioned in my comment that it was just my interpretation, not something Linna (the author) himself said. Although that interpretation is closely linked: it’s a book about what these unknown soldiers were really like.
As a Finn I must say this breakdown of Unknown Soldier is great. I have never ever watched review this long. Actually I've never watched any reviews more than few minutes long. This sucked me in even though I've watched the movie a few times. I think too that this is one of the best war movies there is, even though I am finnish (no offense to Band of Brothers nor Saving private Ryan etc.). Keep up the good work man, you seem to be well focused and your video was pleasant to watch and hear your points and thoughts of the movie. 5/5 review.
You’ve never watched a review more than a few mins? 🤦🏼♂️ You got the shortest attention span ever, or are you deeply intellectually lazy? SMFH! Don’t know how that’s anything to be proud of 🙄
This is one of the best shows you have ever done. God bless! This film is based on a book, "Unknown Soldier", by Väinö Linna. And when I was young this book was used at the Swedish War Academy in the officer's indoctrination phase to give the "cadets" av understanding for how to be a good officer in relation to your NCO:s and your men in the field (i.e. "when should discipline be enforced; when should be relaxed?", etc.)
My grandfather was a messenger during the Continuation War and he actually lied about his age because at the time he was too young to join. He got wounded but survived to be funny and loving husband, father and grandfather. I miss him and it's sad that he passed away when I was too young to truly understand, appreciate and ask about his experience and all he and his brothers in arms did to protect our home.
Had a chance to travel to Helsinki, Turku and Eurajoki before COVID hit Europe. Amazing people and beautiful country. I met two gentlemen that fought the Russians, and the stories they told were eye opening.
@@LustWaffel what every Finn asks someone traveling to small Finnish towns, what the hell are you doing here......funny and true! Not that Finns are being unwelcoming just Finns cant understand an outsider being in small Finnish town for the hell of it.
I actually like to see smaller towns and villages whenever I’m travelling. Think people are generally getting more curious and want to see more in addition to all the tourist stuff
@@bige1106 I can safely confirm that Finns are some the of the most hospitable people! My partner lived there on exchange and she always wanted to go back so I could meet her host family...and video me drinking koskenkorva salmiakki...
@@JACKBLACKTOSE Indeed, I agree if I may be so bold as a Finn to brag about that, we do not like to brag too much. I am so glad to hear you say that! Indeed, Kossu salmiakki is great! Way back when, before they made it, Finns would drop salmiakki candy into the kossu or other vodka and let it sit overnight. Now its easy, just buy it ready to go!
The book Unknown Soldier was first filmed after the war in 1955 and 30 years later in 1985 came a new version for a new generation. This third one was released in 2017 when Finland celebrated its 100 years as an independent country. It was a really big production and nearly all the actors are nationally famous. The original movie has probably the most amount of fans in Finland but the latter is also popular. It's a tradition to watch the first one in Independence Day, 6th of December. The national broadcast company sends it annually.
The women riding the car in the clip beginning at 13.05 are Lottas, a voluntary auxilary organisation comprised of women working closely with the armed forces, they operated hospitals and other support tasks but they weren't a part of the army. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotta_Sv%C3%A4rd if anyone is interested.
I am not going to lie, but i really was scared how would you think about the movie. You nailed it. You understood parts that are kinda hard if you are not Finn. Great job.
Beign a finnish man who has completed hes mandatory service and had a grandfather who fought for my indepence in the war, im really happy you did this review so more people can see this great movie and understand partially what our elderly had to go through during that period of time. Thank you sir!
I was honored to be part of the making of this film. If I recall right it was July 2016 when I was at Vekaranjärvi for 5 days as an extra. 12-14h of shooting( the film) every day. My legs will never forget.
Every time watching this movie gives me tears in my eyes, knowing what it’s based on and the sacrifice that generation had to give for us to be independent today.
My dad had his dad and his family's horse send to this war. His dad, my grand dad, came back with injured leg on september 1944 after spending some time in military hospital, and the horse came back with injured mind. Every time the horse heard sound of an aeroplane it went totally out of control. Poor thing probaply got pts from the war.
@@stevek8829 thank you, much appriciated! My dad was born in 1941, so he was just a toddler by that time. Anyways, that horse became soon useless for the field working, but my granddad refused to send it to the "sausage factory". They kept the horse until she died late 50's in her old days. My dad used to wonder that maybe my granddad felt the horse a bit like 'brother in arms', because they were quite poor and those days it was not common at all to keep horse, unfit for work, on the farm. My granddad used that veteran horse for transportation and aquired a new horse for field & forest work.
Most people forget about the horse, so thanks for letting us know how everyone came back. PTSD and horses is a real thing, I had a horse survive a hurricane, and was always spooky about very high winds and storms after that, and she wasn't even close to the only one like that in the area. I imagine your family was kind and empathetic to the horse. My grandfather-in-law lost a leg in the continuation war, getting close enough to take out a tank with a Molotov cocktail. As he was always fond of saying, he got the tank though. His experiences were more those of the underrated Framom främsta linjen movie.
28:17 To me it opens yet another layer when knowing that Rokka fought in the previous Winter War, lost his home and farm in Karelia for the enemy and had his family moved to another part of the country as refugees (like 11% of the Finnish population at that time). Then he needs to join this Continuation War, still having glimpses of hope for getting his own home back. At one point in the movie, you may notice when Rokka's family is in another house, which is the old home in Karelia, in the area occupied by the Finnish army. Then when the war events start to go south, his family leaves their dear home for the second time while at the same time the army retreats in front of a seriously outnumbering and overpowered enemy. Already before Rokka's character became disconnected, but when all hope of returning back to his home farm is lost, that is when he turns seriously grim.
Also, a nice little detail is when in the beginning of the movie someone offers Rokka a cigarette but Rokka asnwers "no, I don't smoke". Towards the end of the movie though, just before the river crossing retreat scene, Rokka is just sitting there without any cover, smoking a cigarette.
My grandfather served in the winter war and the continuation war. The book has been made into a movie multiple times, but when i saw this version and as a father myself the full emotional load of having to leave your family really hit home. My grandfather never really wanted to talk about his war experience but did tell me one story. At some point his buddy had time to shoot first, and if he hadn't then my father and myself would never had existed. Those kind of stories really put things into perspective. Sometimes it's not about anything else than trying to survive.
The Finns do make great warmovies in my oppinion they are the best at it. I love the original unknown soldier even more than the latset remake. Cheers from a very old Swedish guardsman.
And if nobody mentioned yet, Antero Rokka was written into this movie from reality. The real person behind Rokka was Viljam Pylkäs. You can find his story from internet, of course. Also you should watch the original version of this movie from 1955. The book was written in 1954. Also worth reading imo. Btw, i work for finnish military and nice to see lot of our stuff on your channel. Cheers.
I did my paper we have to write before we can enter university on the finish russian winterwar and continuation war (talvisota ja jatkosota) since also my grandmother experienced it as a child. I was able to do some interviews with some of the vererans of which many were close to hundred years old. In many of the interviews you were able to feel the horrors they have experienced. The air got really tense and some of the veterans began shaking from the horrors they lived through again when narraiting. One of the veterans was actually the man that Vainö Linna based the caracter of Lehto on in the book Tuntematon Sotilas.
My grandfather’s brother died in the war at the age of 19, just a week after arriving at the front. It happened right before Christmas. The villagers, who lived near their family, knew about his death but chose to wait until after Christmas to tell the family, sparing them sorrow during the holiday.
That is the most striking part of the book and the movie for me, you get attached to these characters and then they are gone. It really captures the tragedy of the terrible loss of life they faced.
My mothers father survived the hell of Ihantala. His name was Helmer Selin, infantry scout and commando specialist for volunteer-only-missions. He was a warrior poet who died peacefully at the age of 98. What wisdom he taught me, I consider my privilege to pass on to my son. My fathers' side of family is from the Karelian isthmus, which we lost. And the sorrow of the loss of the beautiful Karelia has followed us throughout times, over generations. I, myself, am trained as a arctic guerilla warfare, as a sniper team leader. And even those prime service days are behind me, I still am going to take my precision rifle and nordbotten spetz tomorrow to have a field day at hunting grouse. Not just to walk the dog, or get sustenance or to have physical exercise or fun. But to maintain some of what I've been given. Ci vis pacem, para bellum. Thank you for your videos, sir. You made my day.
I have seen all 3 cuts of this movie, the international cut (ca 2.5 hours), the Finnish cut (3 hours) and the 5 episode TV series cut (5 hours) love them all, the 5 episode gives really the best depth of the characters in the movie.
Thanks for this one. Nice to hear a review from someone who has seen what the movie portrays. One detail about this movie: The world record of high explosives was used filming this movie, so more real explosives than in Saving private Ryan, Pearl Harbour, Hacksaw Ridge etc. So, this Rokka: the real guy was Viljam Pylkäs from the Karelian Isthmus but the name Rokka came from ingerian guy who served in Finnish army.
It's an amazing movie, I was in the Canadian forces and deployed, and even despite not being a Finn, never having been to Finland, met a Finn or been exposed to the culture, and despite my war and theirs being so completely different, there's just something that I can identify with in this movie. The men, the sense of humour, the small things you mentioned, we all have the platoon goofball, the hardass, the softies, the guy who is kinda the father figure or big brother, we've all seen the green junior officers etc, it just hits in a way other movies don't. The fact that towards the end they just look done, done with the dumb missions, the dumb war, the dumb officers, the hopeless situation, which I certainly felt towards the end of my deployments. Like you I really sympathized the most with Rokka, maybe because I'm a family man too now, or that I'm getting closer to his age than the 19 year old kid with a rifle but yeah, it's well worth a watch and worth buying, for those who never served or fought this is kind of a glimpse into what it's like to be 19 and caught up in a war and how you deal with it.
You might find our Finnish/Canadian podcast interesting. We also reviewed this film (all three versions). Mostly we talk about Finland, Canada, folklore, conspiracies and occult :)
Excellent review and insights, good sir. It is a little heralded part of World War Two but the Talvisota (Winter War) where the inconceivably outnumbered Finns stood up to the Russians is Rourke’s Drift or 300 Spartans levels of courage and sacrifice. When I was in Riihimäki the other year (was buying a house there but Brexit wrecked things) I went for a walk around the town and ended up at a little cemetery and it was quite moving and sobering to see so many headstones with 1939/1940 on them. I speak a tiny bit of Finnish but nowhere near enough for conversation ... so I am glad to hear the DVD has English subtitles:D.
Most small finnish towns have such sections in their graveyards. Whenever possible we brought our fallen back to rest at their local churchyards. Most also have small memorials to ”unknown soldiers”, for those men who could not be reclaimed in death for various reasons such as direct artillery hit or being lost to the field. Even to this day few bodies are found yearly over old battlefields and brought back to home to rest with their brothers. As the saying goes "Kaveria ei jätetä".
In Winter War, Finnish company's were pretty much always guys from same municipalitys, communes, villages etc. Practically real life neighbours next to each other in trenches. Helped a lot to create fighting spirit but could be devastating, when one company's demise could wipe out 30% of some communes young men, brothers, friends.
I watched the entire movie on UA-cam after watching a bit of this video. It's a great war movie, I didn't feel good about war after watching it. Some war movies do that, they make war seem cool and glorious. Unknown Soldier shows that there is no glory in war
I had a great little conversation with some Russian person here in UA-cam in another channel about how we both agree war is just simply something nobody wants really, if they have any idea of what it means. This kind of movies kind of show that there is no romance or glory in a war.
I worked with Aku Louhimies in January 2018 just after the release of this film. He was very proud of what he had achieved with this film and he was very passionate about his work. He did a great job with this.
Wow, I did not expect this review to focus on the psychology of soldiers. Kudos for reflecting on these deeper themes based on your own experience. It takes courage to talk openly about difficult feelings. Tbh, I expected analysis of tactics or gear, but this was even more interesting to watch.
I dont cry very often, but I did during watching this movie. My grandpa was out there, he barely survived(lost a leg). He lost his farm(next to Laatokka), but after the war he started new one in central Finland.
Not all my ancesters survive the war, and few lost their homes at Laatokka and other parts of Karelia. These things still mark Finnish culture very strongly, even though many don't regodnize it anymore. Shout out to you o/ "Mikäs tässä karjalaisen ollessa, ei tartte pelätä että kotionsa kuolis" - "No worries when beeing a karelian, don't have to fear dying at home". Old saying I read somewhere from post war. Tells a perfect tale of Finnish sense of humour actually...
I watch this movie every independence day. That war is still strongly in our memories. My grandfather and grandmother were in that war, the least I can do is to remember why I can live in a free country without oppression❤
I'm Finnish and I've seen this movie and the extended mini-series which I really recommend btw. It was interesting to hear another opinion/perspective on arguably my favourite movie. Keep up the good work and good luck with the military.
I really appreciated this great review. I watched this while living in the U.S. with my American wife (I’m from Finland) While I believe you know this per your own experience, but the movie is much deeper than the English subtitles does for it.
If you like books, the Unknown Soldier (by Väinö Linna) is also found as an English translation. This movie is based on that book, which is like THE Finnish classic about WWII. The author was in the front himself, most of the stories are from what happened to his company, or what he heard from the neighbouring companies. And he changed some incidents a bit, like who destroyed a certain tank in a certain battle etc., and changed the names of course. Though the book was censored a bit in the 50 - the war was still a bit too close that Finns didn't want to upset the Soviets, so some of the more touchy issues the author needed to leave oit from the book. The uncensored version is called War Novel, I'm not sure if that's in English as well.
Thanks Dude. TUNTEMATON SOTILAS or « Unknown Soldier » Based on the novel with the same name by Väinö Linna, who participated in Winter and Continuation War (1939-1944). I was born in Suomi-Finland. My father was also on the Carelia Isthmus fighting against Stalins Red Army in the Continuation War 44 Thanks for your analysis. Greetings from sunny, tropical Thailand 🇹🇭 ua-cam.com/video/fPZxJCqLzbc/v-deo.html
I was truly impressed how you dissected some of the scenes analyzing the acting down to the smallest detail and showing how it portrayed the kind of experiences that you've also had yourself in your military life, particularly when it come to the relationships between the soldiers and their families during leave in the film. I think the popularity of your channel has to have a lot to do with your ability to pick up details like this and put them into context and shed light on what goes on in the minds of the people you're talking about.
Thanks for making this video. I haven't heard of this movie before, though after watching your video i definitely will get a copy of this and watch it. I particularly enjoy watching war movies that focus on the human elements of how traumatic experiences can change a person and how they react to those experiences. Really good video, thanks for sharing some personal feelings about how realistic the movie captures the emotional experiences of being in combat and how the film-makers did a really good job of capturing that on film.
Both of my grandfathers fought in the Continuation war and one of my grandmothers was a lotta, the other took care of her younger siblings during the evacuation (she actually met her husband then). The clip of the lottas getting a lift made me chuckle, because my grandma actually got a lift from Field Marshal Mannerheim, when she was walking to an event during her time off.
To non-Finns: Lotta Svärd was the name of the organisation of women volunteers. Lottas served as medics, air or costal surveillance sentries, HQ clerks and other support roles.
My family from my mothers (mothers mothers family) side actually had a car that Mannerheim went in. My grandfather (mothers father) fought in the winter war, continuation war and against the germans in Finland. Vääpeli. Nightmares haunted him till he died.
Because of this war I didn't have any grand fathers. They died there. Because of that I haven't ever expected I should have grand fathers. Someones have prayed during there war time because Finland still exits. Thank you for great movie review 👍
I'm sorry to hear that :( my grandpa survived the war. Though he was stuck in his past, he couldn't recognize me or his children and grandchildren. He called me by a name that wasn't really my name. He probably thought I was in a war too and called me by an old finnish name. Unfortunately he passed away 4 years ago.
I still feel a sense of despair and sadness when I think about the old 1955 Unknown Soldier movie where a soldier had lost his leg and was being pulled away, all the while screaming about how he couldn't feel his legs. It just felt extremely real, and the acting at the time was just really good for it.
We used the book and also the original movie (1985), as educational in the leadership education at Krigshögskolan Karlberg (War Academy Karlberg est. 1792, the oldest war academy in the world that still exists in the same place).
@@penakakoni you are correct, but we used the 2:nd version. They are all 3 very good and realistic in many ways. So very different from the Hollywood war glorified ones.
Hopefully you were critical and kept in mind, that the book was written by a very left-wing author and was/is not a document. E.g. from the military point of view 2nd/1st Lt Koskela was not as good and 1st Lt/Capt Lammio was better than what they were portrayed in the book/films. The 1985 movie is the worst - a film by a very red director, based on a novel by a very red author. I've seen the film two times and that's enough for the rest of my life. The newest film is technically the best. However I still prefer the original 1955 film. I think it portrays the war quite well - better than the book it is based on.
@@timoterava7108 You don't have to go further than note that the actors were unrealistically built for the time it tried to portray lol. The other points would be an encouragement for those who are inclined that way.
Was aware of this movie and had seen a few clips but haven't seen it yet. You cannot help but be moved by the Finns in the Winter and Continuation war as you look in to the details of what took place. What they achieved against massive odds was truly astonishing.
You should see the original version filmed in 1955. That is hardcore! Black and white and it wasn't that long time from the winter war, only 15 years. Great review, thanks :)
I spent a month+ as an extra during this film's shoot, so a couple of behind-the-scenes notes regarding your themes. Production costs - it's amazing how much time and personnel are needed just to be present on the set. Especially behind the cameras (plural!): directors, catering, SFX/explosive/animal specialists, wardrobe department, lightning and audio crew... The amount of people present must've accrued quite a bill in food alone. Though most of scenes were filmed in FDF grounds, so it was pretty easy to rely on support of their facilities (IDK did they pay "rent" for this). We also had an international SFX team (IFX), with experience from Band of Brothers and Batman Begins. They even made a World Record with Unknown Soldier: most high-explosives detonated in a single take. And there were lots of explosions. Camaraderie - I actually joined the shoot by invite from an another NCO, with whom I served in same basic platoon, later company and eventually same battalion. Most of us had gone through military and slept in the same military accommodation (tents). There were definitely same elements as in active duty: we didn't know what exactly is going to happen, where, for how long, is the lunch soon... Some of the days were comparable to the miseries of military service, particularly with combination of long overtime + any form of wetness. There was a bunch of us "veterans", who after time would start to guide the new guys in. Some would stay in for 40+ days, some came just for a day. This veteran group had a very tight bond. Many of us came to the press showing in Helsinki with the same wartime uniforms for the one last time :) We've even taken part in some the voluntary exercises of the actual military with guys recruited from the filming. Feeling at the back of the head - We had a few things during the shoot that slightly "traumatized" us and made us to be on our guard all the time. One was the command "AP!", short for "starting positions". Sometimes this meant very fast movement back to our starting points very frequently. The worst was waiting behind a T-34 tank. The exhaust was rather painful for the eyes and throat. You didn't know if you'd be thrown into something unpleasant or when any movement orders would be give. It was stressful. The second was the spray bottle (remember pointing out wetness earlier?). Some scenes had to have us look like wet. Cold air and wind + water sprayed all over you was hated by everyone. Just like in the military, people starting cursing the wind, forest, clouds and whatnot! Overall though 10/10 experience. Met great people, different experience, traveled around and got my name in the credits of this Finnish cultural milestone.
Thanks for this! My grandpa was 17 when he was sent to the front in this exact war. It affected him for the rest of his life, like it did for so many Finnish veterans. It's important to remember that these men fighting to protect our little nation against the Soviet Union, they weren't military, they were just regular boys and men, taken straight from home, given a weapon, and told to start shooting Russians. Most of them had little to no training. They didn't choose this. It wasn't like enlisting in the military in the US, where you actually make a choice to attend. The Finnish men didn't have a choice.
Finland was well trained. Civil war, occasional shooting with civil guards, finnish jaegers leading, adapted to winter in continuation war in the end it was more young ppl but they werent rly given frontline roles and made to do things like Koskela in the beginnig
@Jenni Sutinen "It's important to remember that these men fighting to protect our little nation against the Soviet Union" Finland is one the largest countries in the world, not little.
@@mmestari Large territory, but a relatively small population. We consider ourselves a small country, since there are so few of us. During the continuation war, the population was a bit under 4 million, and it's currently at 5.5 million.
The lyrics of the hymn from 32:00 really evoke some feelings from the characters: Time flies, the years roll past generations of men fall into oblivion Always bright, the song of souls the heavenly chord is preserved forever
I've seen it, and I'm not Finnish :) I loves me some Finnish metal bands, so I started getting into all things Finnish a few years back...this one came highly recommended from several sources, so I bought the DVD. Awesome movie. I recognized several of the actors from other Finnish movies/tv shows.
At 16:00 Rokka actually has a point; its useless to look through the periscope 24/7, your eyes get weary. Its also very useful to listen in the post, not just look. OFC he might be slightly distracted from carving that lampstand ;) But there was a book about the stale-mate situation in the Continuation War, were was explained the differences between the enlisted and the officers; enlisted men actually gave AF about the enemy, whereas the officers first priority was to make sure their command posts look nice. And thats actually in the movie also where Lammio wants Rokka and his men to decorate his CP surroundings with nice round stones :D
I come from a strict military family. My Great grandfather fought in both the winter and continiuation war. He had sixteen brothers but after the wars he only had one. I got to see some pictures and even got to read some diary entries. He got a lot of medals but also refused some because of the attitude People held towards our veterans after the wars. When i was drafted i did everything i could to honour his and his brothers sacrifice for our country, and now my very own medals hang beside his
In times like these it's good to look back to the time when the important stuff actually mattered. This movie helps us remember that, hopefully. Thank you for reviewing!
Wow... I'm a Finn and reaaally want to point out that it isn't anything but what we all are. People are awesome, People can be cruel... and bad... and try to be good too. And it really is the same everywhere. I've been trying to learn the history and it is so sad what has happened. Hopefully the future is more kind and vice,
Good movie. IF you liked this you will love movie about "forgotten war" called "Talvisota", when soviets did carge to finland with 400+k troops, planes and tanks making normady charge look like childs play. Those Finns were insane against all odds. Best war movie ever still is "come and see" tho.
@@CombatArmsChannel My cousin played in " Talvisota ( Winter War 1989 ) " as an extra a Russian soldier. No lines to speak, just running forward and falling down ( dying ) during Russian attacks to Finnish trenches. At the time he was serving in the Army and his company was ordered to take part in. According to him, easiest time during his service but more waiting time than in service for waiting something to happen but better food. Great review. Keep up the good work.
I watched this film at school after reading the book, so I already knew the story on top of knowing the general history of it. Inspite of all that when Rokka announced that Karjala was lost I pretty much broke down. Somehow the film managed to hammer it home in a way the book didn't. I just couldn't stop thinking that my grandma could still be living there, that I might have been going there multiple times a year instead of having visited once. Somehow it just hit something and made me fully break down at school. I really don't know if I like the film, but it is magnificent.
LIT review! Did you know that Finnish public broadcasting company shows original version of Unknown Soldier every independence day? And quite many people watch it over and over again..
The story is realistic because the writer of the book (the Unknown Soldier) actually served in the Continuation war and the story is based on his unit and his experiences. In addition to being a squad-leader, he wrote notes and observations about his and his unit's experiences.
Many of those characters are based on a real person and some of the movie quotes were actually used in a real life, especially Rokka's quotes.
antti rokka was Viljam Pylkäs in real life
Most likely the real man behind the captain Kaarna character at 22:30 fi.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toivo_Kärnä
Also a key factor is that the book is anti-war. It is the best war book there is. Brutally honest.
Rokka is a symbol of finnish style and sisu
This was the author of Unknown soldier.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A4in%C3%B6_Linna
When Finns make something, it is always good. Greetings from Sweden
This comment section: "peace was never an option"
Well.. Not all😁.
Nokia Angry Birds Koskenkorva Sauna Perkele!
Yeah, but usually Swedes make it even better :D
@Mikko Väänänen88 No mentions for their top notch export industry. Oh, well.
I don't read much news, and I don't recommend it for anyone amongst the current information war. We are not lacking far behind. Give as another decade, and we are in the very same spot with the uncontrolled immigration.
@Mikko Väänänen88 Do you have link to those reports ?
What i like about this movie is that it has no propaganda. Everyone gets hurt the same. Thats war, not this "Hell yea, get some" glorified bs where the other side seems to somehow be enjoying themselves while the others get shredded...
Yes. Even though russians were the enemies, it doesnt really portray them as "bad guys". It is more an anti-war movie. So don't expect it to be a finnish propaganda movie about continuation war
The movie isn't full blown propaganda, but there's some heavily romanticized portions. Most common critique is the home of the Rokka's family. It 100% wasn't idyllic clean clothes, smiles, love and support. Leave from the front lines meant 15-hour workday trying to make the place not fall apart between visits.
@@TealJosh but wasnt that the case in the movie. Rokka is working in the fields etc. Basicly first things the wife said "there is stuff to do"
The first half SEEMS to be that propaganda but then it spirals into true horror of war. Thats why its so genius. You can see the general morale drop troughout the film.
@@GreedAndSelfishness i dont think that is made to seem propaganda
During continuation at attack ohase moral was quite high and things went better than expected. The morale started to drop when finns crossed the old border, which made some soldiers question the justification if the wsr.
Thenn came the long trench warfare phase which dropped the morale further.. 1944 when soviet launched the huge offensive started so called retreat phase. Lots of losses and losing the land that was gained back absolutely destroyed the morale. Yoy could say Finland's army came close to total collapse, higher ups did their best to try make soldiers stand their ground .
I think it well represented in the movie (well the author fought in the war)
I was one of the two historical / military advisers on the film. We trained all the actors and extras and made sure everything on set was as historically correct as possible. This is my favorite review of the film so far. You obviously get the state of mind of these characters as they are thrust into that unfamiliar and stressful world, and how they each change as the result of the things they experience. Great commentary!
Tuliko PV:n puolelta paljoakaan rajoituksia?
T: II/10 korppi
Have you done similar in other war movie's ??
No mut sehän meni sit hyvin, ei osunu silmään mitään virheitä, tosin en niitä aktiivisesti ettinykkää.
Then you may know... Was there a specific campaign that they were in and what town was it that they had advanced too? Not sure if I missed that information trying to keep up with the subtitles or if it was kept general for a reason.
@@RoyRissanen The events in the movie loosely follow the war trail of the Machine Gun Company of the 1st Infantry Battalion of Infantry Regiment 8 through the whole Continuation War 1941 - 1944. The author of the book the movie is based on served in that unit during the war, so many places and events in the movie correlate with real history.
There is a Finnish war trail internet database, where a lot of the real units' war trails are marked. As an extra assignment my colleague created the imaginary war trail of the unit in the movie which you can see here: www.sotapolku.fi/sotapolut/tuntematon-sotilas-2017/
It is in Finnish, but you can click the numbers on the map to see the events and places in chronological order, and images on how they match with the movie.
Every time I watch this movie I have tears in my eyes in the ending scene with Finlandia playing. I feel so grateful to our great grandparents and other relatives that we are a free nation.
Mun pakko pistää kommentti sulle. Nainen omilla kasvoilla kertoo suoraan ja rehellisesti mitä tuntee. Ei sotahulluutta, vaan pelkästään tuntemuksia. Hitto et mä tykkään ! Sinä ja sinunlaisesi naiset saatte mut aika hiton onnelliseksi suomen naisista. silloin ja nyt!
Mulla meinas tulla tippalinssiin jo täm kommentojan näyttäessä joulu kohtaus... Huh puhumattakaan taas koko elokuvasta.
Vieläkun pidettäis tää meidän isänmaa meidän isänmaana..
@@GolBDeze Eli kaikki ruskeat ihmiset pois?
@@bleakcognitivefuture7913 Ei tuettais liittovaltioksi ryhtymistä, ei myytäis tätä maata euroopalle reilun 100v itsenäisyyden jälkeen, ei otettais turvapaikkahakemuksia muista EU:n maista jotka on btw kaikki todettu turvallisiksi, ei ryhdyttäis tähän vitun vammaiseen ilmastopolitiikkaan mikä pelaa loppupeleissä jonkun herra iso herran taskuun kaikki viimesetkin rahat tästä maasta, ei tehtäis samaa virhettä turvapaikkapolitiikan kanssa kuin mm. saksa, ranska ja ruotsi, vai haluatteko te vihreitten kannattajat tänne oikeasti samallaisen meiningin mitä esim näissä edellämainituissa maissa on meneillään?
Composer here. So amazing to see how you completely nailed understanding every little nuance the whole cast and crew was going for. Thank you!
Lasse Enersen himself! Wow that's badass! Thanks for the kind words! And thank you for your awesome job on the movie🙌
Oho
Mahtavaa työtä! Fantastic work!
Hienoa työtä❤
Hienoa taidetta. Kiitti. vähän palautetta: mun korvissa sä mukailet ja samaan aikaan jatkat koko ajan Finlandiaa. jos olisit säveltänyt ok juttuja, niin olisin pitänyt turpani kii, mut sävelsit oikeasti taidetta. Arvostan isosti! sä oot tosi lahjakas! Kaikki näyttelijät ja ohjaaja onnistuivat kybällä. olin alus tosi skeptinen, siis enneku olin nähnyt, mut voihan nenä ,eli paras leffa minkä mä oon nähny 61vuoteen. Ps. must oli tosi sydäntä lämmittävää, et naiset ja esim juutalaisvapaaehtoiset saivat ansaitsemaansa huomiota! terveisin, ex-säveltäjä.
Here's a fun fact: in the early phase of the war, all movement on screen is from left to right, representing the advance east into Soviet territory. Later, as the troops are retreating, they move from right to left.
djjangler You can see that from left to right, right to left in many movies.
@@akivak4660 🤡
@@fatherlandchild2780 ?
Yeah, many movies actually use this, especially in the western world.
@@UncleHam1337 what?
"Hakkaa päälle" war cry is 400 years old. Hakkapeliitas were most feared cavalry in europe back in 1600.
Badass, what does it mean?
@@CombatArmsChannel "Cut them down" or more literally "strike upon them"
Nokian Hakkapeliitta -studded winter tires are also named after them.
@@CombatArmsChannel They were so damn badass cavarly in the Swedish army that did some fucking work.
Not only because of their combat effectiveness, but also from brutality they inflicted. During period of constant warfare and atrocities and before any agreements about conduct of warfare being especially brutal means you are very nasty. Most likely Hakkapeliitat were maybe slightly more brutal than every other mercenary warband roaming Germany are then.
I am Finnish. My grandfather fought in the continuation war in 1941. He was in artillery battalion. After some 2 few months of war, they all were hit by russian artillery...and everyone went for cover. It was a direct hit and most of their unit was decimated on the spot. He lost his leg...only some skin was holding his leg together. His best friend cried for "mother" and was dying few meters away. He had lost both arms and legs...in that hit and was bleeding out.
My grandfather crawled to him and hold his friend on his arms. He begged "kill me...shoot me since it hurts so much". My grandfather had a pistol on his hand and tried but coudn't do it and his friend bled to death in his arms very soon after holding him and crying. It took him 30 years to be able to tell his sons what happened that day. My father told me that story what his father told him...some 50 years later.
Only lesson there is. War is and can be horrible and can and will scar you for life mentally. Sacrifice you make for yourself and for others and pain and suffering for all.
When i was a little boy in 80´s.... i was some some 6 yo kid...i was smiling and asking my Grandpa "hey since you are one leg short...and jumping around sometimes like a kangaroo...tell me what sucks most when you are one leg short (omg omg children can be so straight shooters and not understanding any pain or concequences"....( i was latter told i was asking stuff like that)
My grandpa always smiled and said "you know it sucks mostly when my toes on this lost leg are tickling and i can't scratch them since they are not there" :)
He then asked me "can you imagine when you need to scratch something what is tickling and it is not there....just imagine?"....
We always made up everything since i volunteered to scratch his leg stump and asking "will this help?"....and he always smiled "yes son...it does" :)
Now 42 years later i understand what he went through and how nice he was with all that. And also knowing now the pain him getting up in the middle of some nights when his (missing leg) was hurting or tickling or so...
War....it is not nice ever not in any form.
Now when he is gone...I appreciate his and all the Veterans dedication back then and all they had to sacrifice. We as younger generation should never ever forget their sacrifice....ever.
Most of the western world now sees it in "Call of Duty" and sadly most of the Ukraine sees it once more as realism.
Help...Support....and never forget...Amen
@ Anon Non : Kirjoitit poikkeuksellisen syvällisellä tavalla isoisästäsi ja sodasta. Arvostan sitä, liikutuin. Minunkin isoisäni oli siellä, Summassa. Hän joutui mielisairaalaan n. 25 vuodeksi. Viimeiset vuotensa hän vietti osittain meillä, osittain omassa kodissaan. Hän ei kuitenkaan pärjännyt, ja kun veimme hänet sairaalaan, hänellä todettiin syöpä. Hän ei pystynyt puhumaan, mutta nauroi vielä pari päivää ennen kuolemaansa, koska minulla oli kirkkaanvihreää kynsilakkaa. Rakas pappani... Hänen isoisänsä ja muitakin sukulaisia oli kuollut 1918. Minulla on valokuva surullisen näköisestä pojasta, joka oli tuolloin pikkusiskonsa kanssa lähdössä kerjäämään leipää.
Rukoilen ettemme enää joudu sotaan. 😔
Voi vaan kuvitella, minkä laista se silloin on ollut.
Kiitos kun jaoit tämän. Valtava kunnioitus isoisällesi!
My grandfather was also in the same war, he was in a konekiväärikompanja (machine gun company?) And very rarely he told us anything about the war, but when he did he was very drunk. Those stories are gruesome and makes me respect him so much for what he went through. Hard men, hard times they never complained about a thing no matter how much they suffered during and after the war. Almost every Finn has a relative who has been in a war and I love that we have such a respect for our veterans. I think young people should think them way more though.
Phantom pain is no fun. (Looks at left hand, and the shortened ring finger.)
My grandpa was at same war he fell.....then stood up and kept fighting. Joke aside, he got wounded by artillery shrapnel only few week on field. He said that shrapnel most likely saved his life because he was taken to hospital and meanwhile there where he was serving real mayhem break loose. So maybe without that shrapnel this text would not exist either.
Hey! A Finn here. This movie was really popular here when it came out in 2017, but its most famous version was produced in 1955 by Edvin Laine, and is very often played on TV during independence day (Dec, 6). Even if you're not very patriotic, most Finns hold these stories about the Winter War and the Continuation War in high regard, as they reveal a lot about the nuances of wartime living and the attitude of the common soldier and man towards war. This commentary is really good, btw! Very detailed and respectful of the source material!
Fun fact, the drinking scene was not acted. The actors actually got hammered for that scene.
"fact"
Sounds like us finns 😂😂
It's easier to act drunk... if you are. :D
Aku Hirviniemi has confirmed this fact.
@@therealyones I don't know how much closer to the definition of the word "fact" we can get when the director and actors have confirmed this.
You did a way better review than any proffessional movie critics. Hats off. 👌
My son and I had just ordered and watch it last week as well. He’s looking forward to going to Finland next year to do his conscription service. 🇨🇦 🇫🇮
There was a part in the movie that hit home where you see a clock on the wall on Rokka’s home; a home which subsequently had to be abandoned. My Great Grandfather had the same kind of clock on the wall in their home in Viipuri which they also had to abandon. Story is told that he carried it out as the home burned. (He lost four sons in the war)
Viipuri that we lost was the second largest city after Helsinki. Lost of Carelia was lost one third of our national soul. Yet we hate no russians, it was soviets that took it from us.
@@RoyRissanen Wow, nice to know this, my mothers family is from Viipuri, this is only one generation separated from me, my mother had to take her sister by the hand and leave their home in 1944 for the last time, after my grandparents had rebuilt their home from having to leaving Viipuri in 1939-40.
I honor your Great Grandfather's four sons, your great uncles for paying the highest price possible that allowed their generation and the generations to come to have the privilege to be born in a free country. Because of their heroism, I was born in Finland, a free country and it has made all the difference in my life. I was bornin Finland however have lived in the USA since the age of 2, I grew up in a very Finnish houshld and still speak the language and go back often.
I must add that I too had a great uncle fallen in the Winter War, my fathers uncle.
@@bige1106 It was my first time going back to Finland last year. Did it ever feel like home.
@@RoyRissanen , Wow yes, even though I have lived in the USA since age of 2, there is a calling for me to always go back. I have many relatives including my mother, I was to go this summer, however not possible, so hopefully soon. Since my Finnish blood is now very thin living in the warmer climates, I prefer to go back between May and October......the winters are brutal for me, however you are probably more accustomed to it living in Canada!
This movie and the novel is also very famous in Sweden. I am half Finnish half Swedish, just like 80 % of the people in my hometown so we all knew about this story and used to watch the older version as kids.
As Im a half finn and half chinese and voluntarily completed my service at Nylands Brigad during 80's, had a great experience. I must watch this movie.
Nylands Brigad - Andra JK - SEP 1982 - 1983
@@holoholopainen1627 I was 1986 feb 2nd Battery. Sounds great , at least we were at the same brigade.
@@xiaoyatang3160 How was Your Swedish ? Jag kunde mycket dåligt svenska !
@@holoholopainen1627
I grew up in Hong Kong during 6-17 yrs old , service started when i was 18 , so swedish was hard for me to manage during nylands time but i made it eventually.😅
This was a great movie definitely underrated especially as an American
In finland this is a big thing there is an older version that is black and white and its on tv when its finlands independence day
@Timo You have such a different history to world war 2 than here in Sweden. Finland really fought ferociously!
@@kristofferhellstrom Was it something like 8200 voluntary Swedes who came to our help. We never forget. Not forgetting the private donations either.
@@moodle1950 There´s also one made in 1984.
I own a small house that was gifted by Sweden during the war. Sweden gave a lot of help in rebuilding homes for those who had lost everything.
In the miniseries you can feel the bitterness of leaving your home behind. Rokka was a refugee, an accomplished wounded soldier, who was still lucky to be alive with his family. He won, but lost everything at the same time.
It made me imagine what went on the minds who first moved into this house during the winter 1941.
We have mandatory military service in Finland so almost all actors in this movie have actually been in military.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Hirviniemi didn't. 🤔
I went to movies four times to see this one. 😂
@@s1n1 Dayum you are right.
Btw did you like movie or tv-serie more?
Tuntematon Sotilas 🙂
And not just actors, probably the vast majority of men who were involved. The director, screenwriters and camera crew and so on.
@Niko Omasta mielestäni kaikki paitsi totaalikieltäytminen on hyväksyttävää, mutta siviilipalvelusta pitäisi kehittää kriisiajan kannalta hyödyllisemmäksi.
This movie is on my shelf. I watched it about 2 years ago with my (Finnish) wife. It’s really awesome. My stepfather received some of the highest Finnish military awards. He told a lot about what he experienced during the war. I am French but I can speak fluently Finnish.
By the way, my son did conscript in the Finnish military....
Greetings from the beautiful Helsinki.
I think "varusmiespalvelu" should be translated as "did conscript in the Finnish military" and the meaning of "served in the Finnish military" actually means "palveli kantahenkilökunnassa" or served as paid soldier in the Finnish military.
@@MikkoRantalainen Olet varmaan oikeassa. Pitää korjata. Kiitos huomiosta.
One comment about the dialogue is that the soldiers in the movie are from all around Finland and without proper dialect differences it might even be impossible to dub and also it's one major point in the novel too, since it's been just over 20 years after the civil war that tore people apart, and yet here they are together against a common foe. A huge point in the novel is that former reds and whites are now in the same grays together.
Also the ones familiar with Linna’s other novels might know that lieutenant Koskela is a son of an old Red Guard officer, who went through a devastating captivity in a prison camp after civil war. You can see Koskela’s resentment for Hitler-admiring higher officers during the drunken festivities of Mannerheim’s birthday party.
I may be wrong, but in that time it would have been rare to all those people in different parts of Finland to serve together. There were people from same area serving together usually, but the author wanted to have more diverse dialogue in Finnish dialects and that's why he placed those people together in his novel.
@@mariak175 You're wrong, what you're describing was the practice during Winter War. They then realized that it's already bad enough if a unit gets destroyed, but it's way worse if a whole village loses all their young men on the same go. That's why in Continuation War it was already common practice to comprise a unit out of men from different areas of the country.
right? like i dont even know was my relatives red or whites lmao
@@5ilverSouls Some do know, I spoke with one guy last summer on his 20's who could name all his red relatives who were executed and the places where. But for lot of people it doesn't matter, and I guess that's ok. It's kind of sad how partisan this issue still is after more than 100 years.
I am from Finland and this movie captures Finnish nature, atmosphere, and the personality of Finnish people so accurately that I cried my eyes out since it's my third year living in Spain and I started to miss Finland sooooo much. Best movie I've ever watched.
My grandfather fought in the neighbouring regiment as a runner and was pretty much in the same battles. He also knew personally the author Väinö Linna as they came from the same area. Grandpa never spoke about war until he was 80 years old. After that he shared a lot of war memories. He passed away at the age of 92 having still schrapnels in his hip.
retrieveri mine as well. JR4 in his case.
My grandfather was also somewhere there but he never talked about it and drink himself to grave very early.
@@villevee1332 Sorry to hear that.
@@villevee1332 alcoholism gang rise up
@@villevee1332 I can understand that. My grandfather struggled with it to his death.
My grandfather only spoke once about it. He said.
'We destroyed the first vehicle and the last. then we waited until they starved or tried to run, then the hunt was on. We saw them as animals, you had to in order to pull the trigger. And what were we? In hindsight we were also no better than animals. You did things and saw things that you will never forget, no matter if you try hard.The savagery on both sides was appaling, out there in the cold forests. I Don't fool your self in thinking that war is glorious. I volunteered and even lied about my age. I saw it as my "duty". The best you ever can hope for is to never have be a part of any war.'
Every year on the 6th of December, the Finnish independence day, they'll show the original version from 1955 on tv, black and white. No matter I've seen it countless times, I'll get stuck on watching it. There is something... it brings the memories of my own served time and I honor these guys what they sacrified for this country.
Crowmoor78 its the best movie i dont like these new ones 🇫🇮🇫🇮🇫🇮🇫🇮
They've been alternating between the 1st and the 2nd version, not the 1955 version every year.
Better characters in 1955 version. Acting them better. Especially "Rokka".
The battle cry in 22:53 Hakkaa päälle Pohjanpoika! basically it means Cut them down son of the north! and it comes from Thirty Years' war when finnish light cavarly hakkapeliittas attacked the enemy. And it was my units motto.
Respect!
From a Norwegian lieutenant (reserves, though)...
Enjoyed this a lot!
And... Don't fuck with the Fins!!! ;-)
Don't fuck with us! But we're a happy country :)
@@tommir2624 indeed we do
I really wish there was a way to properly translate the accents and dialects they use, it adds so much to the movie. Obviously it's impossible and you have to be Finnish or have to have been talking the language most your life to pick up on them/understand them at all.
I agree, the dialects add so much emotion to it.
Yeah true.
But still subtitles would certainly help. I dont get why he didn't include them. I mean if the dvd cover is in English, i assume that there would be english subtitles?
@Combat Arms Channel you could turn the contributions on for this video. I'm sure someone would gladly translate those Finnish parts. It wouldn't be perfect, but at least better than nothing.
@@jonezu1175 He had to remove the subtitles as they brought another layer of copyright issues, and the video kept taken down. He did watch the video with subs, but unfortunately we cannot see the subs in this video due to the reason mentioned above.
A related fact. The Swedish translation of the original book used different Finland Swedish dialects for the main characters. This was quite an authentic approach, because the Swedish speaking Finns (or Finland Swedes) fought in the war, too. Most of them in their own regiment en.wikipedia.org/wiki/61st_Infantry_Regiment_(Finland) I really enjoy reading the book in Swedish also because of this.
Note that there is a war film about IR61, too. www.imdb.com/title/tt0377935/
“The Unknown Soldier” in the title is not a reference to a soldier who is unknown (like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier), but to the unknown side of soldiers. “We do not know what soldiers are really like” -> “Soldiers are unknown” -> “Unknown soldier”
The traditional view of soldiers is that they are all heroes, selfless and self-sacrificing paragons of virtue. It makes sense: you wouldn’t want to badmouth the men who fight for the country, after all. But anyone who has actually fought in a war knows what soldiers are really like: normal men put in a horrible situation. Aside from the heroics, which do happen, they also get angry, they summarily execute prisoners, they steal booze and get drunk, they run away in panic in a fight… Or how unfair war is sometimes: the gallant officer in the beginning gets unceremoniously mowed down; a new recruit gets shot in the head on his first day… That’s what The Unknown Soldier is about: depicting what men fighting in a war are really like. It’s a slice-of-life of soldiers.
well said
Well said!! Couldnt have said it better
It is based on a book which title originally was 'War Novel' but before publishing it was much edited and finally published as 'The Unknown Soldier'.
@@kristo1981 this movie is based on 3 previous movies and the first one is from 1950s, not from any book
@Elias Kalliokoski I should have mentioned in my comment that it was just my interpretation, not something Linna (the author) himself said. Although that interpretation is closely linked: it’s a book about what these unknown soldiers were really like.
As a Finn I must say this breakdown of Unknown Soldier is great. I have never ever watched review this long. Actually I've never watched any reviews more than few minutes long. This sucked me in even though I've watched the movie a few times. I think too that this is one of the best war movies there is, even though I am finnish (no offense to Band of Brothers nor Saving private Ryan etc.). Keep up the good work man, you seem to be well focused and your video was pleasant to watch and hear your points and thoughts of the movie. 5/5 review.
Cheers, glad you enjoyed!
You’ve never watched a review more than a few mins? 🤦🏼♂️ You got the shortest attention span ever, or are you deeply intellectually lazy? SMFH! Don’t know how that’s anything to be proud of 🙄
This is one of the best shows you have ever done. God bless! This film is based on a book, "Unknown Soldier", by Väinö Linna. And when I was young this book was used at the Swedish War Academy in the officer's indoctrination phase to give the "cadets" av understanding for how to be a good officer in relation to your NCO:s and your men in the field (i.e. "when should discipline be enforced; when should be relaxed?", etc.)
Thanks
🤯🤯 no way! Dude you're a legend!! Thanks so much! I appreciate ya 😎🤙
If it's possible, nothing to take granted for, we are going to fight! Thank you!
@@Viljuri hell yeah! Mad respect for that mindset 💪
My grandfather was a messenger during the Continuation War and he actually lied about his age because at the time he was too young to join. He got wounded but survived to be funny and loving husband, father and grandfather. I miss him and it's sad that he passed away when I was too young to truly understand, appreciate and ask about his experience and all he and his brothers in arms did to protect our home.
- A Finnish soldier can take on 10 Russian ones.
- What happens when the 11th one comes?
A great piece from the conversation at the 4min mark
The pun was "of course we can. But what would we do when the 11th comes?"
Had a chance to travel to Helsinki, Turku and Eurajoki before COVID hit Europe. Amazing people and beautiful country. I met two gentlemen that fought the Russians, and the stories they told were eye opening.
As a guy who lives quite close to Eurajoki. What on earth were you doing there 😂
@@LustWaffel what every Finn asks someone traveling to small Finnish towns, what the hell are you doing here......funny and true! Not that Finns are being unwelcoming just Finns cant understand an outsider being in small Finnish town for the hell of it.
I actually like to see smaller towns and villages whenever I’m travelling. Think people are generally getting more curious and want to see more in addition to all the tourist stuff
@@bige1106 I can safely confirm that Finns are some the of the most hospitable people! My partner lived there on exchange and she always wanted to go back so I could meet her host family...and video me drinking koskenkorva salmiakki...
@@JACKBLACKTOSE Indeed, I agree if I may be so bold as a Finn to brag about that, we do not like to brag too much. I am so glad to hear you say that! Indeed, Kossu salmiakki is great! Way back when, before they made it, Finns would drop salmiakki candy into the kossu or other vodka and let it sit overnight. Now its easy, just buy it ready to go!
The book Unknown Soldier was first filmed after the war in 1955 and 30 years later in 1985 came a new version for a new generation. This third one was released in 2017 when Finland celebrated its 100 years as an independent country. It was a really big production and nearly all the actors are nationally famous. The original movie has probably the most amount of fans in Finland but the latter is also popular. It's a tradition to watch the first one in Independence Day, 6th of December. The national broadcast company sends it annually.
Kyllä se eka tuntematon sotilas oli paras versio.
@@jannetapio2384 nii oli
Excellent movie... Love the Finnish fighting spirit.. regards from Sweden
The women riding the car in the clip beginning at 13.05 are Lottas, a voluntary auxilary organisation comprised of women working closely with the armed forces, they operated hospitals and other support tasks but they weren't a part of the army. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotta_Sv%C3%A4rd if anyone is interested.
The author Väinö Linna fought in the war himself so he had a pretty good understanding about what they were going trough
I am not going to lie, but i really was scared how would you think about the movie. You nailed it. You understood parts that are kinda hard if you are not Finn. Great job.
Beign a finnish man who has completed hes mandatory service and had a grandfather who fought for my indepence in the war, im really happy you did this review so more people can see this great movie and understand partially what our elderly had to go through during that period of time. Thank you sir!
Koskela's face when he is getting chewed out for dumping the machine guns in the lake. I just can't even handle that level of sass.
I was honored to be part of the making of this film. If I recall right it was July 2016 when I was at Vekaranjärvi for 5 days as an extra. 12-14h of shooting( the film) every day. My legs will never forget.
Every time watching this movie gives me tears in my eyes, knowing what it’s based on and the sacrifice that generation had to give for us to be independent today.
My dad had his dad and his family's horse send to this war. His dad, my grand dad, came back with injured leg on september 1944 after spending some time in military hospital, and the horse came back with injured mind. Every time the horse heard sound of an aeroplane it went totally out of control. Poor thing probaply got pts from the war.
yeah same happened to my moms moms familys horse and if it heard gunshot in distance it also went out of control and it got panick attack.
I'm glad your dad, grandad and the horse came back. A blessing even if damaged.
Greetings from US.
@@stevek8829 thank you, much appriciated! My dad was born in 1941, so he was just a toddler by that time. Anyways, that horse became soon useless for the field working, but my granddad refused to send it to the "sausage factory". They kept the horse until she died late 50's in her old days. My dad used to wonder that maybe my granddad felt the horse a bit like 'brother in arms', because they were quite poor and those days it was not common at all to keep horse, unfit for work, on the farm. My granddad used that veteran horse for transportation and aquired a new horse for field & forest work.
Most people forget about the horse, so thanks for letting us know how everyone came back. PTSD and horses is a real thing, I had a horse survive a hurricane, and was always spooky about very high winds and storms after that, and she wasn't even close to the only one like that in the area. I imagine your family was kind and empathetic to the horse. My grandfather-in-law lost a leg in the continuation war, getting close enough to take out a tank with a Molotov cocktail. As he was always fond of saying, he got the tank though. His experiences were more those of the underrated Framom främsta linjen movie.
28:17 To me it opens yet another layer when knowing that Rokka fought in the previous Winter War, lost his home and farm in Karelia for the enemy and had his family moved to another part of the country as refugees (like 11% of the Finnish population at that time). Then he needs to join this Continuation War, still having glimpses of hope for getting his own home back. At one point in the movie, you may notice when Rokka's family is in another house, which is the old home in Karelia, in the area occupied by the Finnish army. Then when the war events start to go south, his family leaves their dear home for the second time while at the same time the army retreats in front of a seriously outnumbering and overpowered enemy. Already before Rokka's character became disconnected, but when all hope of returning back to his home farm is lost, that is when he turns seriously grim.
Also, a nice little detail is when in the beginning of the movie someone offers Rokka a cigarette but Rokka asnwers "no, I don't smoke". Towards the end of the movie though, just before the river crossing retreat scene, Rokka is just sitting there without any cover, smoking a cigarette.
"I already lost my home, now I'm here to collect as high a payment as I can"
- Rokka on killing the enemy.
Correctomundo
I'm Swede and I love your reaction to this very well made movie. I think I'l have to see it again soon.
My grandfather served in the winter war and the continuation war. The book has been made into a movie multiple times, but when i saw this version and as a father myself the full emotional load of having to leave your family really hit home.
My grandfather never really wanted to talk about his war experience but did tell me one story. At some point his buddy had time to shoot first, and if he hadn't then my father and myself would never had existed. Those kind of stories really put things into perspective. Sometimes it's not about anything else than trying to survive.
interesting!
The Finns do make great warmovies in my oppinion they are the best at it. I love the original unknown soldier even more than the latset remake.
Cheers from a very old Swedish guardsman.
And if nobody mentioned yet, Antero Rokka was written into this movie from reality. The real person behind Rokka was Viljam Pylkäs. You can find his story from internet, of course. Also you should watch the original version of this movie from 1955. The book was written in 1954. Also worth reading imo. Btw, i work for finnish military and nice to see lot of our stuff on your channel. Cheers.
This was the first Unknown Soldier movie based on the uncensored book, tho.
Antero mokka
"Sotaromaani".
I'll second the recommendation for the original b/w film. The 1985 version is also worth watching.
I did my paper we have to write before we can enter university on the finish russian winterwar and continuation war (talvisota ja jatkosota) since also my grandmother experienced it as a child. I was able to do some interviews with some of the vererans of which many were close to hundred years old. In many of the interviews you were able to feel the horrors they have experienced. The air got really tense and some of the veterans began shaking from the horrors they lived through again when narraiting. One of the veterans was actually the man that Vainö Linna based the caracter of Lehto on in the book Tuntematon Sotilas.
Not at all the kind of review I would have expected. Much better, brilliant and insightful.
My grandfather’s brother died in the war at the age of 19, just a week after arriving at the front. It happened right before Christmas. The villagers, who lived near their family, knew about his death but chose to wait until after Christmas to tell the family, sparing them sorrow during the holiday.
I'm swedish and I have seen it! It's really a great movie!
Finally someone outside Finland took the movie as a sort of buddy movie.. as it is exactly that. Well done mate
The uncut miniseries is a lot better than the movie.
On Netflix in Sweden. And thats so good.
Just to clarify: the series is the same as the movie, but a lot longer with extra footage that tells more of the story.
Actually yes, the movie is so long
@@m.p3982 no shit
It works really well as a mini series
The fact that only a few of the company survived the war, really shows the horrors of the war.
That is the most striking part of the book and the movie for me, you get attached to these characters and then they are gone. It really captures the tragedy of the terrible loss of life they faced.
first time watching your channel and i expected the regular "reaction" video but you analyzed every scene and understood whats happening
respect
My mothers father survived the hell of Ihantala. His name was Helmer Selin, infantry scout and commando specialist for volunteer-only-missions. He was a warrior poet who died peacefully at the age of 98. What wisdom he taught me, I consider my privilege to pass on to my son.
My fathers' side of family is from the Karelian isthmus, which we lost. And the sorrow of the loss of the beautiful Karelia has followed us throughout times, over generations.
I, myself, am trained as a arctic guerilla warfare, as a sniper team leader. And even those prime service days are behind me, I still am going to take my precision rifle and nordbotten spetz tomorrow to have a field day at hunting grouse. Not just to walk the dog, or get sustenance or to have physical exercise or fun. But to maintain some of what I've been given.
Ci vis pacem, para bellum. Thank you for your videos, sir. You made my day.
I've totally missed this movie!! As a Swede i love finland. Have to check it out asap! The happyness you feel when you've missed out on a movie gem :D
Kolla på oklippta, finns på Netflix
@@wlos4029 Ska kolla på i helgen!
I have seen all 3 cuts of this movie, the international cut (ca 2.5 hours), the Finnish cut (3 hours) and the 5 episode TV series cut (5 hours) love them all, the 5 episode gives really the best depth of the characters in the movie.
Thanks for this one. Nice to hear a review from someone who has seen what the movie portrays. One detail about this movie: The world record of high explosives was used filming this movie, so more real explosives than in Saving private Ryan, Pearl Harbour, Hacksaw Ridge etc. So, this Rokka: the real guy was Viljam Pylkäs from the Karelian Isthmus but the name Rokka came from ingerian guy who served in Finnish army.
The use of explosives was thanks to the Finnish Defence Forces officially taking part with the filming.
Also the old Tuntematon sotilas made in 1955 is top class. Thanks for a nice video!
It's an amazing movie, I was in the Canadian forces and deployed, and even despite not being a Finn, never having been to Finland, met a Finn or been exposed to the culture, and despite my war and theirs being so completely different, there's just something that I can identify with in this movie. The men, the sense of humour, the small things you mentioned, we all have the platoon goofball, the hardass, the softies, the guy who is kinda the father figure or big brother, we've all seen the green junior officers etc, it just hits in a way other movies don't. The fact that towards the end they just look done, done with the dumb missions, the dumb war, the dumb officers, the hopeless situation, which I certainly felt towards the end of my deployments.
Like you I really sympathized the most with Rokka, maybe because I'm a family man too now, or that I'm getting closer to his age than the 19 year old kid with a rifle but yeah, it's well worth a watch and worth buying, for those who never served or fought this is kind of a glimpse into what it's like to be 19 and caught up in a war and how you deal with it.
You might find our Finnish/Canadian podcast interesting. We also reviewed this film (all three versions). Mostly we talk about Finland, Canada, folklore, conspiracies and occult :)
Welcome to Finland honestly. You can teach us ice hockey and we are already brothers in arms.
Excellent review and insights, good sir. It is a little heralded part of World War Two but the Talvisota (Winter War) where the inconceivably outnumbered Finns stood up to the Russians is Rourke’s Drift or 300 Spartans levels of courage and sacrifice.
When I was in Riihimäki the other year (was buying a house there but Brexit wrecked things) I went for a walk around the town and ended up at a little cemetery and it was quite moving and sobering to see so many headstones with 1939/1940 on them.
I speak a tiny bit of Finnish but nowhere near enough for conversation ... so I am glad to hear the DVD has English subtitles:D.
@disadadi Thank you for that recommendation, disadadi. Next time I get over to Finland I shall seek it out. Kiitos.
Most small finnish towns have such sections in their graveyards. Whenever possible we brought our fallen back to rest at their local churchyards. Most also have small memorials to ”unknown soldiers”, for those men who could not be reclaimed in death for various reasons such as direct artillery hit or being lost to the field. Even to this day few bodies are found yearly over old battlefields and brought back to home to rest with their brothers. As the saying goes "Kaveria ei jätetä".
@@JyrrSol A splendid and honourable tradition :bows head:.
In Winter War, Finnish company's were pretty much always guys from same municipalitys, communes, villages etc. Practically real life neighbours next to each other in trenches. Helped a lot to create fighting spirit but could be devastating, when one company's demise could wipe out 30% of some communes young men, brothers, friends.
I watched the entire movie on UA-cam after watching a bit of this video. It's a great war movie, I didn't feel good about war after watching it.
Some war movies do that, they make war seem cool and glorious. Unknown Soldier shows that there is no glory in war
I had a great little conversation with some Russian person here in UA-cam in another channel about how we both agree war is just simply something nobody wants really, if they have any idea of what it means. This kind of movies kind of show that there is no romance or glory in a war.
I haven't seen it. The movie looks good though
It has been discussed a lot here at Finland, that book is actually meant to be anti war.
I went through 12 months of military training and I don't ever want to see war. War is always horrifying. There is nothing cool about it.
@@ratflail215 No. It can sound cool but in practice it really isn't. Are you still in the military?
It's a tradition that our whole family warch it on indepence day, they always show it on tv 6.12. Greetings from Suomi Finland 💖🙏🇫🇮
Pakko sanoa että arvostan sitä että televisiossa näytetään sitä vieläkin. Se on todella iso osa suomea ja suomen henkeä.
I worked with Aku Louhimies in January 2018 just after the release of this film. He was very proud of what he had achieved with this film and he was very passionate about his work. He did a great job with this.
Wow, I did not expect this review to focus on the psychology of soldiers. Kudos for reflecting on these deeper themes based on your own experience. It takes courage to talk openly about difficult feelings. Tbh, I expected analysis of tactics or gear, but this was even more interesting to watch.
I dont cry very often, but I did during watching this movie. My grandpa was out there, he barely survived(lost a leg). He lost his farm(next to Laatokka), but after the war he started new one in central Finland.
Not all my ancesters survive the war, and few lost their homes at Laatokka and other parts of Karelia. These things still mark Finnish culture very strongly, even though many don't regodnize it anymore. Shout out to you o/
"Mikäs tässä karjalaisen ollessa, ei tartte pelätä että kotionsa kuolis" - "No worries when beeing a karelian, don't have to fear dying at home". Old saying I read somewhere from post war. Tells a perfect tale of Finnish sense of humour actually...
@@SK-nw4ig my grandparents lost their house in Karelia.
@@neoone75 I'm sorry. This is the truth in many of our families.
Many Thanks from Finland for doing this review!
This video put tears in my eyes. You really understood this movie throughly.
I watch this movie every independence day. That war is still strongly in our memories. My grandfather and grandmother were in that war, the least I can do is to remember why I can live in a free country without oppression❤
I'm Finnish and I've seen this movie and the extended mini-series which I really recommend btw. It was interesting to hear another opinion/perspective on arguably my favourite movie. Keep up the good work and good luck with the military.
I really appreciated this great review. I watched this while living in the U.S. with my American wife (I’m from Finland) While I believe you know this per your own experience, but the movie is much deeper than the English subtitles does for it.
If you like books, the Unknown Soldier (by Väinö Linna) is also found as an English translation. This movie is based on that book, which is like THE Finnish classic about WWII. The author was in the front himself, most of the stories are from what happened to his company, or what he heard from the neighbouring companies. And he changed some incidents a bit, like who destroyed a certain tank in a certain battle etc., and changed the names of course.
Though the book was censored a bit in the 50 - the war was still a bit too close that Finns didn't want to upset the Soviets, so some of the more touchy issues the author needed to leave oit from the book. The uncensored version is called War Novel, I'm not sure if that's in English as well.
If you decide to read it has to be the 2015 Liesl Yamaguchi's translation. The older ones don't even follow the plotline.
Sotaromaani/Linna.
Thanks Dude. TUNTEMATON SOTILAS or « Unknown Soldier »
Based on the novel with the same name by Väinö Linna, who participated in Winter and Continuation War (1939-1944). I was born in Suomi-Finland. My father was also on the Carelia Isthmus fighting against Stalins Red Army in the Continuation War 44 Thanks for your analysis. Greetings from sunny, tropical Thailand 🇹🇭
ua-cam.com/video/fPZxJCqLzbc/v-deo.html
I was truly impressed how you dissected some of the scenes analyzing the acting down to the smallest detail and showing how it portrayed the kind of experiences that you've also had yourself in your military life, particularly when it come to the relationships between the soldiers and their families during leave in the film.
I think the popularity of your channel has to have a lot to do with your ability to pick up details like this and put them into context and shed light on what goes on in the minds of the people you're talking about.
Thanks for making this video.
I haven't heard of this movie before, though after watching your video i definitely will get a copy of this and watch it.
I particularly enjoy watching war movies that focus on the human elements of how traumatic experiences can change a person and how they react to those experiences.
Really good video, thanks for sharing some personal feelings about how realistic the movie captures the emotional experiences of being in combat and how the film-makers did a really good job of capturing that on film.
Awesome review dude, my wife has just ordered the DVD from Amazon. 👍
Both of my grandfathers fought in the Continuation war and one of my grandmothers was a lotta, the other took care of her younger siblings during the evacuation (she actually met her husband then). The clip of the lottas getting a lift made me chuckle, because my grandma actually got a lift from Field Marshal Mannerheim, when she was walking to an event during her time off.
To non-Finns: Lotta Svärd was the name of the organisation of women volunteers. Lottas served as medics, air or costal surveillance sentries, HQ clerks and other support roles.
Explenation,what needs to tell for foregners. Good work.
My family from my mothers (mothers mothers family) side actually had a car that Mannerheim went in.
My grandfather (mothers father) fought in the winter war, continuation war and against the germans in Finland.
Vääpeli. Nightmares haunted him till he died.
Martin-Éric Racine Thanks. Was wondering.
Because of this war I didn't have any grand fathers. They died there. Because of that I haven't ever expected I should have grand fathers.
Someones have prayed during there war time because Finland still exits.
Thank you for great movie review 👍
I'm sorry to hear that :( my grandpa survived the war. Though he was stuck in his past, he couldn't recognize me or his children and grandchildren. He called me by a name that wasn't really my name. He probably thought I was in a war too and called me by an old finnish name. Unfortunately he passed away 4 years ago.
Holy crap this comment made me cry. Massive respect from the US. Hugs
My grandmother got evacuated from around Karelia when she was a child, and then later met my grandfather. I would not exist if the war never happened.
Same here. Both died in 1944, 6 days apart.
My grandfather died there, I never saw him and neither did my father.
I still feel a sense of despair and sadness when I think about the old 1955 Unknown Soldier movie where a soldier had lost his leg and was being pulled away, all the while screaming about how he couldn't feel his legs. It just felt extremely real, and the acting at the time was just really good for it.
The best unknow soldier version is The oldest from year 1955 directed by Edvin Laine. Tuntematon sotilas in Finnish.
We used the book and also the original movie (1985), as educational in the leadership education at Krigshögskolan Karlberg (War Academy Karlberg est. 1792, the oldest war academy in the world that still exists in the same place).
The original movie isn't from 1985, it's from 1955 and it's directed by Edvin Laine. The one made in 1985 was directed by Rauni Mollberg.
@@penakakoni you are correct, but we used the 2:nd version. They are all 3 very good and realistic in many ways. So very different from the Hollywood war glorified ones.
Hopefully you were critical and kept in mind, that the book was written by a very left-wing author and was/is not a document. E.g. from the military point of view 2nd/1st Lt Koskela was not as good and 1st Lt/Capt Lammio was better than what they were portrayed in the book/films.
The 1985 movie is the worst - a film by a very red director, based on a novel by a very red author. I've seen the film two times and that's enough for the rest of my life.
The newest film is technically the best. However I still prefer the original 1955 film. I think it portrays the war quite well - better than the book it is based on.
@@timoterava7108 You don't have to go further than note that the actors were unrealistically built for the time it tried to portray lol. The other points would be an encouragement for those who are inclined that way.
Was aware of this movie and had seen a few clips but haven't seen it yet. You cannot help but be moved by the Finns in the Winter and Continuation war as you look in to the details of what took place. What they achieved against massive odds was truly astonishing.
You should see the original version filmed in 1955. That is hardcore! Black and white and it wasn't that long time from the winter war, only 15 years. Great review, thanks :)
The 1955 version of Tuntematon sotilas with english subtitles (official release)
elonet.finna.fi/Record/kavi.elonet_elokuva_113528?lng=en-gb
@Niko juurikin näin ja sillä he osasivat tuoda tunteet esiin kokemuksen kautta.
@Niko Just to translate Niko's comment: many of the actors in that movie were actual veterans of the Continuation War themselves.
The 80s version is my favourite!
@@chefren77 Just ment wrote,what you send.
Really enjoyed the realness in this video, I appreciate how you explained the perspective of a serviceman of how it felt like to be on that side.
Thank you for opening everything "behind the scenes". Very well evaluated/opened things to the viewers. Awesome.
I spent a month+ as an extra during this film's shoot, so a couple of behind-the-scenes notes regarding your themes.
Production costs - it's amazing how much time and personnel are needed just to be present on the set. Especially behind the cameras (plural!): directors, catering, SFX/explosive/animal specialists, wardrobe department, lightning and audio crew... The amount of people present must've accrued quite a bill in food alone. Though most of scenes were filmed in FDF grounds, so it was pretty easy to rely on support of their facilities (IDK did they pay "rent" for this). We also had an international SFX team (IFX), with experience from Band of Brothers and Batman Begins. They even made a World Record with Unknown Soldier: most high-explosives detonated in a single take. And there were lots of explosions.
Camaraderie - I actually joined the shoot by invite from an another NCO, with whom I served in same basic platoon, later company and eventually same battalion. Most of us had gone through military and slept in the same military accommodation (tents). There were definitely same elements as in active duty: we didn't know what exactly is going to happen, where, for how long, is the lunch soon... Some of the days were comparable to the miseries of military service, particularly with combination of long overtime + any form of wetness.
There was a bunch of us "veterans", who after time would start to guide the new guys in. Some would stay in for 40+ days, some came just for a day. This veteran group had a very tight bond. Many of us came to the press showing in Helsinki with the same wartime uniforms for the one last time :) We've even taken part in some the voluntary exercises of the actual military with guys recruited from the filming.
Feeling at the back of the head - We had a few things during the shoot that slightly "traumatized" us and made us to be on our guard all the time. One was the command "AP!", short for "starting positions". Sometimes this meant very fast movement back to our starting points very frequently. The worst was waiting behind a T-34 tank. The exhaust was rather painful for the eyes and throat. You didn't know if you'd be thrown into something unpleasant or when any movement orders would be give. It was stressful.
The second was the spray bottle (remember pointing out wetness earlier?). Some scenes had to have us look like wet. Cold air and wind + water sprayed all over you was hated by everyone. Just like in the military, people starting cursing the wind, forest, clouds and whatnot!
Overall though 10/10 experience. Met great people, different experience, traveled around and got my name in the credits of this Finnish cultural milestone.
Thanks for this! My grandpa was 17 when he was sent to the front in this exact war. It affected him for the rest of his life, like it did for so many Finnish veterans. It's important to remember that these men fighting to protect our little nation against the Soviet Union, they weren't military, they were just regular boys and men, taken straight from home, given a weapon, and told to start shooting Russians. Most of them had little to no training. They didn't choose this. It wasn't like enlisting in the military in the US, where you actually make a choice to attend. The Finnish men didn't have a choice.
There used to be conscription in the United States, but for some reason they discarded the system after the Vietnam War. 🙄
Finland was well trained. Civil war, occasional shooting with civil guards, finnish jaegers leading, adapted to winter in continuation war in the end it was more young ppl but they werent rly given frontline roles and made to do things like Koskela in the beginnig
@Jenni Sutinen "It's important to remember that these men fighting to protect our little nation against the Soviet Union"
Finland is one the largest countries in the world, not little.
@@mmestari Large territory, but a relatively small population.
We consider ourselves a small country, since there are so few of us. During the continuation war, the population was a bit under 4 million, and it's currently at 5.5 million.
@@Shannis75 "We consider ourselves a small country, "
It's not all Finnish that consider Finland is small, it's only certain people.
To me the best "part" about the movies is that all the characters are on the same line...There is no action heroes...They are just average guys
Well Rokka kinda is :D But yeah, i got what you meant.
@@Jsteri Antti Rokka was an expert fighter but not an action hero.
The lyrics of the hymn from 32:00 really evoke some feelings from the characters:
Time flies, the years roll past
generations of men fall into oblivion
Always bright, the song of souls
the heavenly chord is preserved forever
I've seen it, and I'm not Finnish :) I loves me some Finnish metal bands, so I started getting into all things Finnish a few years back...this one came highly recommended from several sources, so I bought the DVD. Awesome movie. I recognized several of the actors from other Finnish movies/tv shows.
At 16:00 Rokka actually has a point; its useless to look through the periscope 24/7, your eyes get weary. Its also very useful to listen in the post, not just look. OFC he might be slightly distracted from carving that lampstand ;) But there was a book about the stale-mate situation in the Continuation War, were was explained the differences between the enlisted and the officers; enlisted men actually gave AF about the enemy, whereas the officers first priority was to make sure their command posts look nice. And thats actually in the movie also where Lammio wants Rokka and his men to decorate his CP surroundings with nice round stones :D
I come from a strict military family. My Great grandfather fought in both the winter and continiuation war. He had sixteen brothers but after the wars he only had one. I got to see some pictures and even got to read some diary entries. He got a lot of medals but also refused some because of the attitude People held towards our veterans after the wars. When i was drafted i did everything i could to honour his and his brothers sacrifice for our country, and now my very own medals hang beside his
In times like these it's good to look back to the time when the important stuff actually mattered. This movie helps us remember that, hopefully. Thank you for reviewing!
So.....Finland is one BAD ASS little country....GOT IT. RESPECT!
Wow... I'm a Finn and reaaally want to point out that it isn't anything but what we all are. People are awesome, People can be cruel... and bad... and try to be good too. And it really is the same everywhere. I've been trying to learn the history and it is so sad what has happened. Hopefully the future is more kind and vice,
Good movie. IF you liked this you will love movie about "forgotten war" called "Talvisota", when soviets did carge to finland with 400+k troops, planes and tanks making normady charge look like childs play. Those Finns were insane against all odds. Best war movie ever still is "come and see" tho.
Name of that war is "winter war".
I played a small role as extra! One of the best experiences i have had.
Haha that's awesome
@@CombatArmsChannel My cousin played in " Talvisota ( Winter War 1989 ) " as an extra a Russian soldier. No lines to speak, just running forward and falling down ( dying ) during Russian attacks to Finnish trenches. At the time he was serving in the Army and his company was ordered to take part in. According to him, easiest time during his service but more waiting time than in service for waiting something to happen but better food. Great review. Keep up the good work.
Alkupaikat! Olkaahyvät!
On that drinking scene at 7:25, those actors were actually drunk. The scene continues to commanders bunker. Method acting.
Which involves some fistie cuffs and wrestling.
The author of the unknown soldier was from my tiny hometown and somehow seeing a random person from us talking about the story, absolutely amazing
I watched this film at school after reading the book, so I already knew the story on top of knowing the general history of it. Inspite of all that when Rokka announced that Karjala was lost I pretty much broke down. Somehow the film managed to hammer it home in a way the book didn't. I just couldn't stop thinking that my grandma could still be living there, that I might have been going there multiple times a year instead of having visited once. Somehow it just hit something and made me fully break down at school. I really don't know if I like the film, but it is magnificent.
LIT review! Did you know that Finnish public broadcasting company shows original version of Unknown Soldier every independence day? And quite many people watch it over and over again..
As a Finn and seen all the versions. This review was nice as it was from totally fresh perspective and brings out new ways to see it.