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The Unknown Soldier

The Unknown Soldier

Finland, behold, thy daylight now is dawning.

2017132 minMidcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Director
Aku Louhimies
Starring
Eero Aho, Johannes Holopainen, Jussi Vatanen, Aku Hirviniemi

The film follows Finnish army machine gun company in Continuation War against Soviet Union, 1941–1944. Based on Väinö Linna's best selling novel Tuntematon Sotilas (The Unknown Soldier) and the novel's uncensored version, Sotaromaani (A War Novel).

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Unknown Soldier?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Unknown Soldier streaming on Kino Film Collection via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Unknown Soldier?

The Unknown Soldier earns 9 badges, led by Top 5% of films and Universally Loved.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is The Unknown Soldier worth watching?

The Unknown Soldier's Midcredits score is the 96th percentile of all films, from 25K ratings across 4 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

96th percentile

Better received than 96% of films

96th percentile among Drama96th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)92nd
Approval (how many liked it)96th

76 /100

92nd percentile of all films

94th percentile among Drama92nd percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

87% liked it

96th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Drama97th percentile among 2010s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 6 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

90th percentile

25K ratings across platforms

92nd percentile among Drama91st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 28% in 30 days

Box office

Budget€7M

In euro, not converted to dollars.

Worldwide gross$16M

88th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a technically accomplished, visually beautiful war epic that prioritizes historical authenticity over conventional heroics.

Fans praised

  • brutally realistic combat that avoids glorification
  • powerful ensemble acting anchored by Eero Aho's Rokka
  • authentic period detail in uniforms, weapons, and tactics

Detractors panned

  • wooden, poorly directed dialogue and amateurish acting
  • incomprehensible to viewers unfamiliar with the novel or earlier films
  • slavish imitation of Malick's visual style and Zimmer's score

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive85

grim, immersive depiction of forest warfare and soldier exhaustion

CinematographyDivisive85

stunning Finnish landscapes; some find overt Malick imitation distracting

Effects and spectacleDivisive80

authentic weapons, real tanks, intense combat; minor tank model accuracy questioned

TensionDivisive80

relentless final hour especially gripping; some find combat scenes repetitive

ActingDivisive75

Eero Aho's Rokka widely praised; detractors call performances wooden and amateurish

Emotional impactDivisive75

raw sadness and loss powerfully conveyed; detractors feel emotionally flat

CharactersDivisive65

well-drawn main figures like Rokka and Koskela; detractors find them cardboard-thin

PacingDivisive60

fans say three hours fly by; detractors and mixed find it sluggish and padded

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 15 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Unknown Soldier like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Harrowing: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for a hard story that does not look away.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
DreadMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brutal · 7% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material with grave seriousness, never winking at the audience; it presents the horror and pointlessness of war with unflinching realism.
The rideA sustained atmosphere of dread and melancholy as the men confront the horror of war, with no letup until the ceasefire.
StructureThe story is told chronologically from the initial advance in 1941 to the ceasefire in 1944, following a conventional linear structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsDevastating · 3% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lingering sense of the futility and human cost of war, with the camaraderie only deepening the loss.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film follows a Finnish infantry unit through the Continuation War, showing how men are ground down by forces beyond their control. There is no single monster or quest; the tragedy is the war itself, which spares no one.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfWarSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% (this title) · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

War · 1% of filmsFriendship · 9% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the experience of war, its horror and pointlessness, and the camaraderie that sustains the soldiers through it.
StanceThe film mourns the pointlessness and human cost of war, focusing on the collective experience of an infantry unit.

The world

Mid 20th centuryWildernessInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingThe forests of Karelia during the Continuation War (1941–1944), with trench lines and field camps.
MusicThe score likely underscores the bleak atmosphere and emotional weight of the soldiers' journey.

Content guide

Is The Unknown Soldier okay for kids?

As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (95/100), sexual content at moderate (53/100), language at intense (60/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (59/100) and frightening material at severe (92/100). Overall it is heavier than 93% of all films.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • JapanR15+
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • SK12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 93% of all films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavier than 96% of all films
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
heavier than 70% of all films
Profanity
Intense
heavier than 63% of all films
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavier than 84% of all films
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavier than 97% of all films

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence, frightening material, and language.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Unknown Soldier have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Unknown Soldier?

Cast

Eero Aho
as Rokka
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Johannes Holopainen
as Kariluoto
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jussi Vatanen
as Koskela
Aku Hirviniemi
as Hietanen
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Hannes Suominen
as Vanhala
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Arttu Kapulainen
as Susi
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Paula Vesala
as Lyyti
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Samuli Vauramo
as Lammio
Joonas Saartamo
as Lahtinen
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Juho Milonoff
as Honkajoki
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

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What are movies like The Unknown Soldier?

Movies like The Unknown Soldier include Hamburger Hill (1987), Bullet in the Head (1990) and Blizzard of Souls (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, most are military films, and most are found-family stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its subject: war. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Unknown Soldier?

813 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: war epic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.