This time, the heroes of the Arctic Circle are chasing tofu in the hope of love.
The film stars Heikki Ranta, Mikko Töyssy and Timo Lavikainen. Kristina Salmen
Heroes of the Arctic Circle 4
Finland, 2022
Directed by: Juha Wuolijoki
IL Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
In the first three the heroes of the Arctic Circle -film starred Janne (Jussi Vatanen), but in the latest part he has passed away.
The Polar Heroes 4 movie begins at a significantly faster pace than its predecessor.
After the quick initial introduction of the new main character of the film series, Paavo (Heikki Ranta), he is just moments later another fresh face, Turo (Mikko Töyssy), with the widowed Inari (Pamela Tola) doing chores at home.
Inari’s neighbor takes the liberty of inviting Paavo to Inari’s surprise party after noticing the special chemistry between the two who have just met.
The neighbor asks SpongeBob to bring tofu to the party, because Inari is vegan.
Information about Paavo’s invitation does not make Inari’s ex-boyfriend happy and celebrate the planned Little Mickey (Kari Ketonen), who has gotten closer to Inari after Janne’s death. A huge battle starts between SpongeBob and Mickey Mouse for Inari’s attention through the acquisition of tofu, which continues until the end of the film.
Pekko Pesonen, who wrote all the Arctic Circle Heroes movies, has managed to build a smoothly flowing plot around tofu, which is an achievement in itself.
Appearing in the lead role in movies is new for Ranna. Vatanen is difficult to follow, but Ranta succeeded in the difficult task relatively well, even though he did not play quite the same role.
However, the film does not only revolve around the main character’s challenges. The other characters also have their own problems this time around, which is a more than welcome addition.
The change of crew seemed to bring a much-needed edge to the Napapiiri films, as Turo’s role is also significant in terms of the plot. The same cannot be said about Kämäräinen’s contribution in the previous part.
In addition to comedy, the film also shows surprise and sentimentality. Especially Räihänen (Timo Lavikainen) shows a slightly more sensitive side of himself as the film progresses.
The final scene drags on a bit unnecessarily long and special. As a whole, however, the film has a good balance of different elements. After the fun-filled first two parts, the film series has taken leaps forward in maturity and wistfulness.
Arctic Heroes 4 in cinemas on 23.12.2022.