Breaking through on a review aggregator like Rotten Tomatoes is a tall task these days. There is more content than ever, and critics who take a few hours out of their busy days to watch something expect the best. They also aren’t going to give a movie special treatment because it’s a sequel to a beloved film. Just look at Wicked: For Good, which is struggling to stay above 70% on the Tomatometer, a mark that its predecessor blew past on the way to an 88% finish. The powers that be can’t take their foot off the gas and expect the same results.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The higher-ups at Stage 6 Films are well aware of that, which is why they aren’t pulling any punches with their latest release, Sisu: Road to Revenge. The first film, about a former member of the Finnish Army defending himself against a group of Nazis trying to rob him blind, took the world by storm, earning a 94% on the Tomatometer for delivering incredible action sequences and a satisfying story. Expectations were sky-high for the follow-up, and it’s somehow exceeding them.
With 64 reviews in its back pocket, Road to Revenge currently sits at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, one percentage point higher than its predecessors. The fans are picking up what critics are putting down, as they have the movie at a 90% on the Popcornmeter, a 2% increase from the original. The scuttlebutt seems to be that Road to Revenge takes everything that makes the first film great and doubles down on it, ensuring that the story and its characters don’t go stale.
A franchise that has its ear to the ground earns a lot of leeway, especially when there are no signs of decline. However, Road to Revenge serves as a great bookend for the duology, meaning the band doesn’t have to get back together if it’s content. It doesn’t seem like the door is totally closed on Sisu, though.
The Future of the Sisu Franchise Is Bright
During the press tour for Road to Revenge, director Jalmari Helander was asked about the possibility of a third installment. He didn’t sound like a man ready to get back behind the camera tomorrow, but he didn’t shoot anything down either.
“I don’t know yet. For me, [Road to Revenge] feels like a perfect ending also,” he told MovieWeb. “Like, maybe Aatomi may have found something that whatever piece or purpose he could have anymore, maybe that’s their thing, but I don’t know, maybe trouble finds him again.”
Even if a third entry isn’t in Helander’s immediate future, at least he can hold his head high knowing that all the people flocking to Rotten Tomatoes to sing his film’s praises will always be ready for Aatomi’s return. John Wick better watch out, because he has some real competition in the stoic action-hero department.
Sisu: Road to Revenge is in theaters now.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Paramount+
