trowsea This strange, visually arresting morality-slash-horror play is well worth the time. Set in the dense forests and wilderness of 16th century Finland, the plot features two brothers-- one an embittered veteran of the recent wars between Sweden and Russia, the other a naive geographer hoping to make for himself during the map making expedition. They and the rest of the surveying team, including rival Russian troops, soon discover a mysterious village hidden deep within an immense swampland. While the villagers have all fled the wars, instead the brothers and the rest of the surveying group are forced by a merciless spirit to confront their wartime deeds as well as a bloody incident during the expedition. It's uncertain if the spirit is a demon or is a manifestation of their own inner ghosts, but either way (in the great last line of Session 9) it feeds on "the weak and the wounded." Whether the brothers are cleansed or are devoured by the possessive force leads to a dark, unsettling finale.For fans of slower, more thoughtful horror, and especially horror stories set within unique historical circumstances (e.g. Black Death or R-Point), Sauna is a must-see. The costumes, scenery and cinematography alone make for a memorable experience, never mind the universally strong acting and relentlessly chilling atmosphere.

Armand impressive images. inspired script.Ville Virtanen in a role who remembers many others of Max von Sydow. many influences from Tarkovsky universe. a horror who search to be more than a ghost story. maybe reflection about sin and life sense, about worlds as ambiguous circles, about links between people. a form of poetry, dark, foggy, cruel, slow, full of need to be more than another film about fear. a beautiful film. for noble intentions. for special atmosphere. for the its soul - mixture between profound questions. but, in few scenes, it seems be a thin ice. a puzzle who dispose by perfect pieces made in the time of game. but , in essence, an inspired exploration of history laws.

yeagger If you are looking for "pure horror", or 100% historical accuracy, this isn't the movie for you; simply walk away now. If you're a fan of foreign films, and don't mind a bit of confusion and tom-foolery when it comes to the plot, this may be the movie for you.Sauna's beautifully filmed and acted; even though the subtitles on my copy were rather choppy (I believe mine was a "fan translation", as it was filled with typos, grammatical errors, etc.), I got the emotional feel of the movie the entire time, just via the beautiful acting. It has some gorgeous sets and costumes as well - although this isn't historically accurate at times. As a horror movie, it fails. It isn't going to scare you while you watch it; it may be unsettling or unnerving at times, but you won't scream or wet yourself. I prefer this, personally. The end scene hit me, mostly because that sort of thing (I won't reveal much, as to not ruin it) terrifies me. In fact, it was after a nightmare related to that damned scene that I woke up and decided to write this!If it was trying to be more than unsettling though, it failed.The plot is confusing, and can be draggy. I think if someone sat down and gave this movie proper subtitles (it seems no one has yet), it would be less confusing, but not much so. Some of the "mysteries" never panned out, and there are a few plot holes that aren't exactly small. If this movie had had another 15 minutes of screen time (it's a very short movie, imo), it would of been much more creepy (and less tiring, trying to puzzle out those plot holes).I would watch it again - for the acting, beautiful filming, and the occasionally unnerving scene. I wouldn't watch it for horror, or consider it the best movie ever made.

CinPhan Sauna (Finnish w/Eng. SUB) is a subtle but chilling horror film set in 1595, tells the tale of the 25 year war against Sweden and Russia…and the men who survived and the ghosts that haunt them as they head home. This movie is a rare treat! …it gave me nightmares…and that says volumes considering I watch hundreds of horror films a month and my collection is in the excess or 2200 horror films alone. I loved the movie 'Let the Right One in', as well as 'Cold Prey' and 'Dead Snow'…all excellent examples or Nordic horror (Vampires, Serial Killer and Zombies)…but Sauna actually made me think about the fear of the facing one's own demons (in the dark); the story being presented may be too subtle for some to get into, but believe me, well worth the time and effort. It was NOT an in your face with knives and blood type of scary movie; it brought about the horror through mysteries, shadows of the past and an unknowable horror. The best kind of fear is from things you do not understand and cannot explain