I typically get excited when I see a big-budget picture which has been produced by a country whose language is not commonly spoken. Finland definitely qualifies here. These movies are made with extra care and attention to script and detail. Often they are quite long, since if you're going to do it, you may as well get a lot out of it. Talvisota is just such a film. Three hours long and superb quality from start to finish (Finnish?).Firstly, the subject is not familiar to many. It is set in 1939 when Finland was invaded by the Red Army. Interestingly, the fact that the Finns did so well gave other countries (read Germany) an idea that the Red Army could be dealt with quite easily. What I find particularly fascinating in this film is the fantastic insight it gives into Finland and Finnish rural society of the time. Very detailed, equally interesting.After watching this I recommend you watch "Tali Ihantala", a similarly excellent Finnish film about the "Continuation War", set in 1944 when the USSR again invaded. All in all, I can't speak highly enough of these two fine movies. Each deserves a nine.

While many reviewers compared this to Private Ryan, there really isn't much to compare other than the setting is placed in the same conflict. It should be remembered that this movie came out in 1989, and the attention to gritty, dirty warfare was not the norm back then.If this could be compared to a war story, it would be more accurately paralleled with "All Quiet on the Western Front" in that the characters were plucked from home and cast into the horror and chaos of war. Unlike Private Ryan where there is a story by which the war is the backdrop, or Band of Brothers which followed the lives of those of Easy Company within the conflict, this is a portrayal of war itself. The characters were just unlucky pieces of the ugly mosaic.As picky as this sounds, one thing I liked about this movie was that it had one small detail that most war movies tend to ignore, that is shell casings. Most of the time, like others I suppose, I am either caught up in the effects, story line etc...but this time, that one detail stood out. Yes, I know brass flies out and strip clips ping in most new war films, but in this one, the brass is scattered on the ground after the battle scenes. (Just an interesting observation)For the average movie goer, who's favorites are Matrix and Batman, this will certainly not be your cup of tea. If you like war movies, and you liked "Windtalkers", then I suggest you pass this one up as well. However, if you are a history buff who had seen "Stalingrad", "Downfall", and you would love to see a version of "All Quiet on the Western Front" done with all the grit of the book, then you will get something from this movie.I won't go so far as to say it didn't have some "cheesy" moments, but no film can be perfect. But I will go so far as to say this film is definitely worth a look.

What I find as the greatest bad sides in some Hollywood war films (american perspective) is that too often their sole message is true patriotism, killing 'fritzes' and 'japs', and usually the movies lack the feeling of true war. Europeans, maybe because the war was mainly fought in Europe, look the war in exactly the way as it should be: there is nothing glorious in war. And Talvisota is no exception.Talvisota pictures the desperate David & Goliath battle from perspective of basic Finnish soldiers, the same normal humans that feel pain, fear and exhaustion. That gives the image of typical men, not any Schwartznegger-type superheroes, or ever-fighting Finns of German WW2 propaganda. You may even feel of being one of the soldiers in the trench, waiting for next the assault. Although the atmosphere is mainly sad, there are lighter things like lost kitten, military humor and meetings with family (althought they are not always so happy meetings).This is a magnificent movie, definitely the best Finnish movie (both war and non-war) I have ever seen. I recommend everyone who likes war films to watch it, it has the mentality of "All Quiet On Western Front" and the 'action' of "Saving Private Ryan".

For being made by Finland this is a great movie and have more emotions then big Hollywood movies. You ca really see in this movie how bad the conditions were during the war. Its amazing how the Finns really could stand up so hard against communist Russia. And its a great how to see Hakala loose his brother and still keep his focus up and don't give in. Im glad that they have done this more dirty than the newer movies, conditions in war are dirty in reality. The Finns doesn't have much ammunition or clothes and was bombed with mortars but still they kept they faith up. The Russians pumped out mass-soldier attacked and was in the beginning pushed back time after time by the Finns, but after a time the Russians begun to take the control of the situation and Finland doesn't have enough men to fight. But a heroic try to keep the Russians back as long as they could.I love this movie, one of the best I ever seen.