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Sauna (2008) More at IMDbPro »
52 out of 56 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent Contemplative Horror, 25 lokakuu 2008
Author: peas-n-carrots from Canada
Having premiered his debut feature "Jade Warrior" at Toronto in 2006, A.J. Annila returned with his second film "Sauna", yet another blend of two unexpected genres. He was originally approached to make the movie as a teen slasher-comedy, but thankfully the producers had enough faith in him to make a serious horror movie that would appeal to both the art house crowd and die hard horror fans.
Sauna follows a group of Swedish and Russian soldiers who are assigning new borders after a decades long war between the two countries has ended. In this group are two brothers; Erik, the lifelong soldier who keeps a running tally of the innocent people he's killed, and Knut, the younger more pacifist brother who is part of the group because he is an expert mapmaker. After an unexpected encounter with a farmer and his daughter, the two are haunted by unshakable guilt as they continue with the expedition. The soldiers find a small isolated village in the very center of a large swamp, an eerie place where no children have been born in years and the old do not die. It seems almost as if God has forgotten them.
With the discovery of the village and its solitary sauna, Annila builds on the horror aspects of the film and presents some genuinely scary images. The review on the TIFF website says the film recalls both Tarkovsky and Eli Roth, and I agree; Sauna is at once contemplative and terrifying. It raises questions about morality and guilt, and at the same time has scenes that are as scary as a Japanese ghost horror. The acting from Ville Virtanen and Tommi Eronen, who played the brothers, was superb. The cinematography was was also really beautiful. Overall, I feel like this is one of the best horrors of the last few years and it is highly recommended. 8/10
35 out of 38 people found the following comment useful :-
Finally a surprise., 16 maaliskuu 2009
Author: suposrk from Serbia
When I saw people were comparing this movie with Tarkovski's work, I thought it was yet another exaggerated overstatement. I was wrong. While watching this I had Stalker flashbacks. It also reminded me of Guillermo del Toro's El labirinto del fauno. Antti-Jussi Annila knows his thing. Photography, sets, acting, editing were all at the highest level. I only had a problem with a subtitling mistake at the beginning. Some ignorant wrote: "war between Finland and Russia". lol The movie portrays events from the 16th century. You have to know some history in order to watch this movie. I would suggest consulting wikipedia, or some other source of information, about the Swedish- Russian conflict or you might get a little bit lost. This is not a movie for everyone and it's definitely not easy viewing. It asks a lot but gives everything back with interests. It is not a horror movie. It's narrative points more towards Bulgakov's Master and Margarita than the Stephen King novels. If you understood Tarkovski's work, exception made for Zerkalo, then you should have no problems with this one. Great questions demand great answers. Stay away from those that know the answers because they are lying. As Tarkovski said: "The goal of art is to give answers to difficult questions. If not that then, at least, it should pose the right question." That's exactly what this movie does. A must see for those that appreciate quality cinematography and witty film making. It's 9 out of ten because I'm expecting a lot more from Annila who is only at his second full feature length movie.
28 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
Finland showing cinematic muscles, 18 maaliskuu 2009
Author: Onderhond from http://www.onderhond.com/archive/onderhond/category/movies
Euro-horror is doing good business lately. France, Great-Britain and Spain are all battling on the front lines, but smaller countries like Belgium are producing splendid genre works too. Enter Finland, a somewhat cinematic void for me, showing their muscles with Sauna. A horror film that fairs well with its European peers but also succeeds in giving Finnish cinema a face, although a grim one.
The film's premise is kept rather vague and for people not living close to Finland or familiar with its history the film might take a flying start. Two teams, one Finnish and one Russian, are sent out to draft a new border after a long-raging war. They cross the barren lands in order to fight a more civilized war in trying to decide who gets what. Even though the film is set a good 400 years back in history, it could've well been just 50 years ago. Not that the film looks too modern for its setting, it's just that the characters are never really surrounded by recognizable cultural references. Safe from a pair of glasses and the clothing, it's all swamp and unforgiving nature that is served to the audience.
The two teams don't get along very well, but the one really stirring things up is Erik, a long-life warrior who has trouble adjusting to the new-found peace. Even though he wears glasses to fake a distinguished look, he is a true barbarian, murdering and abusing everyone coming across his way. The only one he seems to care for is his little brother, who was sheltered from the war as college student. The first half of the film is spent drawing out the relationships between the different characters, giving the audience some time to adjust to the happenings in the film. From the moment they arrive in an unlisted village in the middle of a swamp, the the core plot and the titular Sauna make their entrance.
Sauna has a couple of things going for it. First of all there is the performance of Ville Virtanen, portraying the Erik character as someone that is simply terrifying. As simple as those glasses may be, they make him out as someone with a certain sense of civilization while in reality he is as bad as they come by. His performance is hard as nails and unsettling. The rest of the casts plays along nicely, although none of them really make a big impression.
Visually the film is very consistent. Grey, dark colors and rough landscapes make up most of the visual scenery. No bright colors are seen, even the blood in the film is dark red, almost black. The camera work is solid too and helps in setting the atmosphere nicely. But even though it gives the film plenty of flair, there's never that little extra to make the film rise above its rivals. The soundtrack too is extremely fitting, with some very nifty sound deformations and good, supporting music. It has an ambient-like quality only furthering the grim and dark atmosphere of the film.
As the film progresses the story is slowly revealed an even though the premise is intriguing, you'll be left guessing at least for a little on how it all fits together. The ending is somewhat vague and even though impressive, won't bring you any clear answers. Looking back at the film, it has a lot of parallels with Vinyan (even small details - just think of the shots of water becoming blood-soaked), though Sauna is a much more subdued film, without any real climaxes or cinematic bursts. Depending on what you like more, you might prefer this one over Vinyan which has more curves compared to the straight line that is this film.
Nonetheless, Sauna is an impressive experience, solid in just about every department. Extremely strong lead, nice and fitting visuals, great soundtrack and intriguing storyline. And if you won't miss the climaxes, this will be exactly your thing. A recommendation for all fans of European horror out there. Just don't be expecting guts and gore, Sauna plays at atmosphere, grit and travels through the darker parts of the human mind. 4.0*/5.0*
14 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
minimalist, oblique, Shakespearean horror (interesting!), 28 maaliskuu 2009
Author: kimberlytp from United States
Two brothers, part of a border-recognition treaty detachment after a very long war, confront and deal with the wartime acts of brutality and violence of the older brother. The older brother has been part of this war for 25 years; the younger brother has been studying to become a professor and has been comparatively sheltered from the horrors. The younger brother comes face to face with his older brother's moral deterioration, and, disturbed by the older brother's acts of war, eventually persuades (and forces) the older brother to completely atone for those actions. The amount of spookiness achieved with no special effects other than blood, is truly remarkable, and a lesson for Hollywood. And in the end, the viewer is left with an uncertainty as to who must pay for sins, and why, and whether anyone, ever, is truly innocent.
6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Multi-layered Movie (it can be as deeper than a horror movie, if you want), 6 syyskuu 2008
Author: dfunkhou from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
There are multiple layers of interest in this film. On one hand, it's an entertaining horror movie for those that just want a Friday night film, and on the other, deeper hand it provides those who want a message something to take away from the theater with. I was there for the world prim- ere in Toronto and the director was there to share with us what he intended to say in the movie. It's not especially profound, but wise none-the-less. He said that if you go too far along in life without facing those you hurt then eventually it's too late to make amends, that eventually if you try to face your victims, they'll be faceless. He did say parts of the film were left up for interpretation, but overall, it seemed like there was little left that remained open. So, enjoy a great atmospheric horror movie (and it is a great horror movie in itself) or look for more.
13 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
Horror Movie, not quite, 5 huhtikuu 2009
Author: dschmeding from Germany
If someone told me "hey, watch this movie about a haunted sauna, its a really scary horror movie!".. I guess I'd stay as far away from the movie as possible. Luckily I saw some pictures of this Finnish movie and they looked really great.
Everyone looking for a horror movie should stay away from this. Its pretty laughable that so many people focus on the sauna and some ghosts in this movie as typical horror clichés while the director works so obviously on making every single piece and image in this movie a symbol for guilt.
"Sauna" or "Filth" (which is the far more fitting title referring to a statement by one of the Russian soldiers in this movie) is placed after the Russian/Swedish war around 1600 when a group of Russian and Swedish soldiers are setting for the new borders. The opening of the movie with the drawing of borders in blood and then the first shots of water turning red already indicate where this movie is going. Everything is carried by some great cinematography and the lead characters, 2 brothers of a very different kind. One is Knut, a mapmaker with high goals, the other is Erik, a soldier with a grim past who has his problems adjusting to the new peace.
Erik constantly looking for trouble soon gets the group of soldiers into problems when messing with a family. The town the group soon finds in the middle of a swamp becomes a clear symbol of Erics previous atrocities with as many inhabitants as victims on Erics list, a strange girl reminding them of recent wrongdoings (also involving a sauna) and animals and people who clawed out their eyes. The whole issue of not being able to face your past is present throughout the movie that is more like a fable. There is plenty of interesting historical information as well as philosophical dialog including the story about the king and filth or the thoughts if hell is just a place that god turned his back on. The place is soon presented and the irony is that yet everyone is fighting for the land soon there is a place that no one wants to take but rather wants to give to his enemy.
"Sauna" is full of these abstract images and the finale is far from a clear resolution. After all the director clearly tries to make the viewer have his own thoughts. Actually I am still working on figuring the closing images out but however this is a damn interesting and different movie with great cinematography, acting and an interesting setting. There sure are some horror elements in this movie, but I'd rather consider this a mix of art-house movie and drama and its definitely worth giving a chance.
3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
"What happened to me?", 17 elokuu 2009
Author: GeneticSugarKane from United States
Just finished watching this one, a very unpleasant, terrifying film about sin, guilt and redemption. The film can be looked at as a sort of metaphorical fable or can be taken literally as a supernatural horror story... or maybe one can look at it as a combination of both. The one thing certain is that the performances within the film are excellent from top to bottom.
This is an almost unbelievably brooding work and is not something you'll want to pop in as light "entertainment" when you're looking for some cheap thrills. While the film DOES deliver scares to the patient viewer, it is unusual to say the least.
Essentially, it's a Grimm Fairy Tale brought to life.
4 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Great looks, probably deep ideas, but a slow pace, 26 heinäkuu 2009
Author: siderite from Romania
The movie is beautifully done, with dark wet imagery and good acting. However, you either have to be Finnish to understand or I was too tired to get the message. All I could get was that for the Finns the sauna is a cultural heirloom, dating way before their christianizing, a place where they believed to wash their sins. Finns and their sins. Sorry, couldn't help it :) However, left long enough to rot, those sins become unattonable and even if you face them, it is pointless. I guess this is one of those life lessons that the Christian religion is desperately trying to hide from us.
Anyway, as I said, great imagery and the feeling of desolation and burden of sin is almost palpable. I liked the characters as well, deep and sharp. However, it was a slow thing and never in the movie there was any "aha!" moment. One has to make an effort to watch the film and to understand it. Being Finnish probably helps, too.
1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Sauna (Finnish w/Eng. SUB) brought about the horror through mysteries, shadows of the past and an unknowable horror., 30 elokuu 2009
Author: CinPhan from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Sauna (Finnish w/Eng. SUB) is a subtle but chilling horror film set in 1595, tells the tale of the 25 year war against Sweden and Russia…and the men who survived and the ghosts that haunt them as they head home. This movie is a rare treat! …it gave me nightmares…and that says volumes considering I watch hundreds of horror films a month and my collection is in the excess or 2200 horror films alone. I loved the movie 'Let the Right One in', as well as 'Cold Prey' and 'Dead Snow'…all excellent examples or Nordic horror (Vampires, Serial Killer and Zombies)…but Sauna actually made me think about the fear of the facing one's own demons (in the dark); the story being presented may be too subtle for some to get into, but believe me, well worth the time and effort. It was NOT an in your face with knives and blood type of scary movie; it brought about the horror through mysteries, shadows of the past and an unknowable horror. The best kind of fear is from things you do not understand and cannot explain…
3 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Eerie, disquieting and subtly nasty, 10 heinäkuu 2009
Author: TheatreX from Louisville, KY
I'm a sucker for movies that take place in swamps, preferably of the horror or science fiction genre, and while "Sauna" does take place in a swamp, it's a bit different from what I'm used to...no mossy cypress trees, no alligators or snakes, no giant bloodsucking leeches...but in a way, there are much worse things here.
A commission to set a border between Russia & Sweden is on a journey to where the treaty will be made law (as best as I could tell), and in their journey they come across a place where an old man and his daughter live. After the man & his daughter were found to be harboring religious icons, or some such thing, Eerik & Knut force them to take them to their winter supplies, where they stock up, and Knut locks the girl in the cellar away from his creepy & unpredictable brother, only to end up leaving her there to die.
The small band of soldiers are now making their way through a swamp and Knut keeps seeing a woman in the distance, although Eerik seems to see nothing, although his eyesight is not good (he wears glasses, even in 1595). Eventually the men happen across a building in the swamp and from there spot a small village which has some rather odd residents. The villagers claim that this village & the sauna (the building in the swamp) belonged to a group of monks that had lived there before but just suddenly abandoned the place, and when they found it they just moved in and lived there. But strange things are happening in the village, having to do with the sauna. Some of the people in the village are in a kind of hospital, one because he gouged his eyes out, etc.
Eventually, first Knut & then Eerik investigate the mysterious sauna, and of course, as you probably already know, the results are not particularly positive.
As atmosphere & creating a sense of dread go, this is a great film. It's mysterious, it's creepy, and it definitely creates a sense of unease. However, it also is a bit hard to follow what exactly is going on too, because there's not enough explanation of some things & you're not sure what's happened sometimes after you've seen it. I had to back it up and couple times & watch some scenes over because I wasn't sure exactly what I'd seen, and watching it a second time didn't help much either. It's still a very good watch though, not at all a typical horror film, more a psychological thriller with horrific overtones. And just creepy and nasty enough to keep you interested. 8 out of 10.
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