The premise (see other reviews) could be set in any civil war situation and as such could be made into a workable movie. This film, however, has a few problems. For the domestic Finnish audience the film is frustrating because of the many historical inaccuracies, which, 90 years after the civil war, still make many people angry. For an international audience, the film has problems on other levels. It often feels unnecessary slow-paced and drawn-out. Sometimes you had the feeling the director was so in love with some of the shots that he could not let them go on the cutting floor despite ruining the pacing of the movie. The nude an homosexual themes also feel "mandatory" - I almost wanted to shout out "not again!" during the press showing. The film is competently photographed and scored, and has a professional feel. Mr Louhimies also presented himself as a nice and affable man during the press showing, and I wish everything good to him. He will be a great director. This film, however, won't be remembered as his best.
