Shadow of the Eagle
Kaksipäisen kotkan varjossa

Finland 2005 colour 105min Artista Filmi

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Musical

cast: Vesa-Matti Loiri (Verneri), Mikko Leppilampi (Aaro Manner), Helena Vierikko (Ella), Anneli Saaristo (Saara), Esko Nikkari (Aaro's father), Seela Sella (Aaro's mother), Vesa Vierikko (vicar), Tapio Liinoja, Kai Lehtinen, Heikki Nousiainen, Tuija Ernamo, Tuija Piepponen
credits: dir., prod., & script and music (with assistant director Susanna Palin) Timo Koivusalo, DOP Pertti Mutanen, costumes Leila Jäntti

Well, well... There hasn't been a Finnish musical for years - at least not this big. This one takes place before the early years of Finland, while the country was still part of Russia. Russian officers are looking after every move that learned Finns make. Aaro is one of them whose writings make him as threat for the Russian empire. He must escape and hide from soldiers but then his darling Ella's father is imprisoned and evil tongues start to tell that Aaro has killed this nice man. Of course nobody believes this and everybody try to help Aaro and Ella. But can poor and peaceful people win the mighty Russia?

The music in the movie is almost excellent. Vesa-Matti Loiri and Anneli Saaristo (who is actually a singer, not an actress as it can be noticed from the screen) sing the most of director Timo Koivusalo and his assistant Susanna Palin's songs. They do this work very well. Also the costumes and technical part of the movie seems to be good. Unfortunately Timo Koivusalo is not really a professional director (not even now, after all these years while he has been in the movie business) and that's probably why he can make even the finest actors sound and look like they would be in a school play. This, of course, doesn't mean all of the movie's actors. For Example Vesa-Matti Loiri and Esko Nikkari are almost delightful to watch in their roles. It's a good looking movie with a slightly hollywoodian lovestory. Although the movie takes place in the past, its situations and characters are not real.

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