Overview
A gripping portrayal of camaraderie and sacrifice amidst the chaos of war.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- grim
- gritty
- somber
- serious movie night
- historical film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an honest, gritty, and psychologically perceptive anti-war epic, while some found it too conventional beside earlier adaptations.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Finnish infantrymen confront the horror and pointlessness of the Continuation War, while the film foregrounds personal sacrifice over military glory.
Rokka, Kariluoto, Koskela, Hietanen, Vanhala, and Susi form a diverse infantry unit whose conflicting personalities shape the story.
Finland allies with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union while remaining a democracy, placing its soldiers in a politically fraught position.
The unit advances through Karelia, endures prolonged trench warfare, and experiences battle as an unpleasant disruption of bodies, landscapes, and relationships.
Films like Unknown Soldier, and why
The Thin Red Line
shared anti-war perspective, immersive combat realism, and emphasis on soldiers' psychological strain
Come and See
shared infantry camaraderie, prolonged battlefield hardship, and grim historical war drama
Das Boot
shared grounded military ensemble, moral ambiguity, and unsentimental depiction of combat
Paths of Glory
shared historical war setting, brotherhood under fire, and critique of military glory
Movie Details
- Director
- Aku Louhimies
- Release Date
- 2017-10-27
- Runtime
- 179 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (229)
Cast
- Eero Aho
- Johannes Holopainen
- Jussi Vatanen
- Aku Hirviniemi
- Hannes Suominen
- Arttu Kapulainen
- Paula Vesala
- Samuli Vauramo
- Joonas Saartamo
- Juho Milonoff
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Kino Film Collection
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Unknown Soldier about?
- A Finnish infantry unit’s march through the Continuation War becomes a grim, intimate portrait of camaraderie, sacrifice, and the futility of military glory.
- What is Unknown Soldier like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Unknown Soldier as measured, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Unknown Soldier violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Unknown Soldier as graphic.
- What did critics think of Unknown Soldier?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an honest, gritty, and psychologically perceptive anti-war epic, while some found it too conventional beside earlier adaptations.
- Which films are like Unknown Soldier?
- Films with a similar feel include The Thin Red Line, Come and See, Das Boot, and Paths of Glory.
- How long is Unknown Soldier?
- Unknown Soldier runs 179 minutes.
- Where can I watch Unknown Soldier?
- In United States, Unknown Soldier streams on Kino Film Collection.
