IL review: One thing is really confusing about the new Kalevala movie: Where is everyone?

In the role of Untamo, Eero Aho is the supporting force of the entire film. MAREK SABOGAL

Kalevala: The story of Kullervo

Finland, 2026

Directed by: Antti J. Jokinen

IL rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Five million euros paid and years of work Kalevala: The story of Kullervo is finally ready.

Antti J. Jokinen directed by Jokinen and Jorma Tommilan the film they wrote together is about a fratricidal war and its dark consequences in the rugged forests of Karelia in the 12th century.

Village head Untamo (Eero Aho) quarrels with his brother and, after murdering him, ends up raising his nephew Kullervo (Elias Salonen) as his own child. Eventually, however, the truth about the past begins to dawn on Kullervo.

The film is visually spectacular and contains some intense fight scenes. The cinematography and staging believably take the viewer to a bygone world. Although the harsh life of the 12th century is depicted quite realistically, it is ultimately more of a fantasy film, which can be seen especially in the characters’ fine costumes and weaponry.

So what will you get from Jokinen’s film? If it had to be described in one word, it would be: “worthy”.

There are many good things in the film, but unfortunately there are also many solutions that are difficult to understand.

First of all, it must be emphasized that Elias Lönnrotin (1802–1884) from the collection From the Kalevala only a few main points of Kullervo’s sad adventure have been included in the film. Of course, there are also a few scenes of carnival-inspired poetry singing, which has been brought into the story admirably naturally. Similarly, a quite satisfactory compromise has been reached in the dialogue, where the speech of the characters is not too modern, but also not something that would not open up to a modern viewer.

The absolute best thing about the movie is its lead actors.

One thing becomes clear quickly: If you want to save your film, hire Eero Aho to star in it. Eero Aho, who played Rokka in the 2017 version, saved the day Aku Lohimiehen The unknown soldier and now Aho saves Jokinen’s film.

Like a world-class star, Eero Aho, 57, dominates the screen in the role of Untamo with an intensity that only a few actors are capable of. He supports it Kullervo’s story on his shoulders almost alone for the entire first hour. After that, Kullervo itself gets more space.

Fortunately, Jokinen has been successful in his casting choices. Elias Salonen, who plays Kullervo, is believable as a man for whom nothing succeeds and who is gnawed from the inside by an inexplicable rage. It would be easy to fail in a complex role, but Salonen keeps her character together, is able to convey the pain she experienced to the audience nicely, and acts as a strong counter force to Ahon Untamo.

Kalevala: The story of Kullervo is a movie about men, and women are popularly pushed to the sidelines. So Krista Kosonen, Ronja from Ora and I am Airola to see you along only briefly.

The actors need to be mentioned separately Ilkka Koivulawhose interpretation of a Wäinö scientist like Väinämöinen is extremely delicious.

So the actors and the visual side are fine. However, many things are not.

Although the nature shots in the film mostly look great, the dramatic cuts to bubbling rapids that continue at the two-hour mark begin to repeat themselves a little annoyingly.

There are several things in the film that are disproportionately annoying. The unevenness of the script is certainly the biggest of them. The story is not as clear as it should be and in some places the characters wander from place to place quite strangely. Some scenes linger for too long, others are skipped almost with a shrug.

The film is also slightly overlong. A lot of material has certainly been filmed and the creators must have had a job to condense it down to 143 minutes, but an even 10 minutes shorter version could have made the film more dynamic and better maintained the central charge of the story.

It’s a great achievement, however, that the film doesn’t feel unintentionally comic except for maybe one or two points. However, that risk is always high in action adventures like this, which are rare for Finns.

But one thing is really confusing: Where are all the people? Mostly only a few characters can be seen on the big screen and the world feels very empty.

The film would have badly needed even a few scenes where there would have been a party, some kind of gathering in the center of the village or a bigger battle. You would think that five million euros would have been enough money to even hire 50 assistants. Now, at worst, it sometimes feels as if the lives and border disputes of a few cottagers are being followed here.

The film’s music is also a big disappointment. It’s mainly a nondescript twang of string instruments, until it finally rises to the kind of spheres you’d expect from a production of this size towards the very end of the film.

It is respectable that Jokinen has set out to make a story inspired by the Kalevala for modern viewers. The task has certainly not been easy. Someone has also hinted that a sequel might be possible. Let’s hope that it comes true, so that the problems plaguing this film can be fixed.

Kalevala: Kullervo’s story premiered on Friday, January 16, 2026.