Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- somber
- tense
- melancholic
- historical film night
- serious cinema viewing
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Eero Perkola becomes distracted during his platoon's mission after hearing that Kaarina may have died.
The platoon crosses into Russia during the 1941 Finnish Continuation War, linking personal ordeal to Finnish wartime history.
Perkola's platoon searches for Russian defensive positions through the wilderness around Lieksa lake.
The mission moves through lakeside wilderness and a newly conquered village while civilians are killed and military danger persists.
Films like Ambush, and why
The Unknown Soldier
shared world war ii combat drama, soldier-centered perspective, and morally troubling battlefield experience
Cross of Iron
shared intimate war drama, infantry missions, and focus on psychological strain amid military violence
Come and See
shared historical war setting, grounded combat realism, and emotional consequences of battlefield loss
Movie Details
- Director
- Olli Saarela
- Release Date
- 1999-01-22
- Runtime
- 123 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (45)
Cast
- Peter Franzén
- Irina Björklund
- Kari Heiskanen
- Kari Väänänen
- Tommi Eronen
- Taisto Reimaluoto
- Pekka Heikkinen
- Pekka Huotari
- Tero Jartti
- Rauno Juvonen
Common questions
- What is Ambush about?
- A Finnish platoon leader’s wartime reconnaissance mission becomes emotionally fractured when news of his fiancée’s possible death reaches him in the field.
- What is Ambush like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ambush as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Ambush violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Ambush as graphic.
- Which films are like Ambush?
- Films with a similar feel include The Unknown Soldier, Cross of Iron, and Come and See.
- How long is Ambush?
- Ambush runs 123 minutes.
