If you’re looking for a powerful and authentic war film to stream, The Winter War – hailed by fans as a “masterpiece” and “one of the most realistic portrayals of war ever filmed” – is streaming on Amazon Prime. Released in 1989 and directed by Pekka Parikka, this harrowing Finnish epic tells the true story of Finland’s desperate fight against the Soviet Union during the Winter War of 1939–40.
While many war films focus on large-scale battles or heroic glory, The Winter War is praised for its brutal honesty and striking realism. Viewers and critics alike have highlighted how it shows ordinary Finnish soldiers forced into unimaginable conditions as they defend their homeland in bitter winter cold, outnumbered and outgunned by the Red Army.
The film follows a group of men from rural Finland who are called up to the front, many with no idea of the horrors that await them.
What makes The Winter War stand out is its commitment to historical detail – from authentic uniforms and weapons to the raw, muddy trenches and snow-covered forests that turn the battlefield into a freezing nightmare.
While not as well-known internationally as some Hollywood war blockbusters, The Winter War has earned a dedicated following among military history enthusiasts and movie lovers who appreciate gritty, realistic depictions of combat.
Many regard it as Finland’s answer to Saving Private Ryan – unflinching, emotional and grounded in the harsh reality of ordinary men caught in extraordinary times.
The film won six Jussi Awards and was Finland’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 63rd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
The main character is Martti Hakala, a married farmer who deploys to the front line with his younger brother Paavo.
Their mother sends them off with a request that Martti look after Paavo at the front. Martti asks their platoon leader to put them into a squad together, and so the brothers train, march, and dig along battle lines.
Film enthusiasts have continued to express their admiration for the epic war drama over the years, which has received a superb 88% rating on Rottentomatoes. One reviewer on the website gushed: “A relatively less known Finnish masterpiece about The Winter War 1939-40. One of first ‘gritty, realistic war movies’, if not The First, which had direct or indirect influence to most war movies directed after it. No Hollywoodisms, no artificial forced plot, no superheroes, no glorification of war.”
Another reviewer on IMDb wrote: “An unknown gem – one of the most powerful war films ever made’.’
A third, speaking about the film’s realism, added: “I think this movie is one of the most realistic war-movies ever made.”