This 2017 remake is really something. It manages to suck the life out of every character of the book and the performances of previous films. It tells also a sad story of the poor state of contemporary Finnish cinema.
The previous incarnations were the 1955 black and white classic with actors who had fought the war themselves and thus brought much of the genuine insight to their performances. This gave the film also a somewhat "light" and oddly jolly undertones that may feel out of place and dated to modern viewer. The actors were also older than their characters who were supposed to be of conscript age. However the film remains as monument and is to many "The only true Unknown Soldier".
The 1985 version is something different. The film has many then original aspects to it, such as hand held camera fight scenes and no background music at all. In its time itvwas criticized for being grim and gloomy but in all fairness, the 1985 Unknown is the one most true to the pacifist novel.
Most importantly the characters of 1985 Unknown are built carefully yet smoothly. The characters look and sound like they ought to so not only are the performances top-notch, the casting was done perfectly and in contrast to the times, favored new and literally unknown faces to seasoned actors.
Liutanent Lammios actor was even beaten on the street because of his likening to the unpopular character!
The social differences of the men, their brotherly banter and even the bully-masochist relationship of corporal Lehto and private Riitaoja is however something this new film lacks completely. Probably because few of the cast or crew have even experience of any band of brothers sort of male bonding and because the focus has been shifted from this ESSENTIAL and crucial aspect to more feminized direction where main charactes dream of their wives in flashbacks instead.
So, the casting is totally off here - the more distant, higher officers who were belieavable and charismatic "old school" men of iron, be their judgement wrong or right when issuing orders or simply excercising their authority are reduced to yelling, frustrated weaklings so un-authentic they seem to be straight out of some comic relief or from Louhimies political propaganda.
The latter may be the reason to many an issue with this film - it is supposed to depict men going through thick and thin and sticking together situation they have no power over. They do what they have to do to come out alive. Cowardism is understood but not tolerated or excused. In 2017 film there is no trace of this to be found.
The visual side is also something that is off here. For some reason, the latter part of the 2010's Finnish films have had seemingly an obsession to visualize the reality to look like sugary postcard! Was this supposed to be an ugly and down-to-earth war movie or a tourist commercial?
Absolute travesty. See 1985 Unknown Soldier instead if you prefer ride in Mercedes Benz to Ford Pinto, so to say.
The previous incarnations were the 1955 black and white classic with actors who had fought the war themselves and thus brought much of the genuine insight to their performances. This gave the film also a somewhat "light" and oddly jolly undertones that may feel out of place and dated to modern viewer. The actors were also older than their characters who were supposed to be of conscript age. However the film remains as monument and is to many "The only true Unknown Soldier".
The 1985 version is something different. The film has many then original aspects to it, such as hand held camera fight scenes and no background music at all. In its time itvwas criticized for being grim and gloomy but in all fairness, the 1985 Unknown is the one most true to the pacifist novel.
Most importantly the characters of 1985 Unknown are built carefully yet smoothly. The characters look and sound like they ought to so not only are the performances top-notch, the casting was done perfectly and in contrast to the times, favored new and literally unknown faces to seasoned actors.
Liutanent Lammios actor was even beaten on the street because of his likening to the unpopular character!
The social differences of the men, their brotherly banter and even the bully-masochist relationship of corporal Lehto and private Riitaoja is however something this new film lacks completely. Probably because few of the cast or crew have even experience of any band of brothers sort of male bonding and because the focus has been shifted from this ESSENTIAL and crucial aspect to more feminized direction where main charactes dream of their wives in flashbacks instead.
So, the casting is totally off here - the more distant, higher officers who were belieavable and charismatic "old school" men of iron, be their judgement wrong or right when issuing orders or simply excercising their authority are reduced to yelling, frustrated weaklings so un-authentic they seem to be straight out of some comic relief or from Louhimies political propaganda.
The latter may be the reason to many an issue with this film - it is supposed to depict men going through thick and thin and sticking together situation they have no power over. They do what they have to do to come out alive. Cowardism is understood but not tolerated or excused. In 2017 film there is no trace of this to be found.
The visual side is also something that is off here. For some reason, the latter part of the 2010's Finnish films have had seemingly an obsession to visualize the reality to look like sugary postcard! Was this supposed to be an ugly and down-to-earth war movie or a tourist commercial?
Absolute travesty. See 1985 Unknown Soldier instead if you prefer ride in Mercedes Benz to Ford Pinto, so to say.