Movie Review: Kummeli V

Kummeli V

Starring: Timo Kahilainen, Heikki Silvennoinen, Heikki Vihinen, Heikki Hela, Kaisa Mattila, Ville Myllyrinne, Jussi Vatanen, Tom Pöysti

Director: Aleksi Mäkelä
Nummela Filmi, Porkkana Ryhmä, Finland, 2013.

Comedy-group Kummeli (Cairn in English) was very popular in Finland in 1990s and early 2000s with six seasons and spin off series. In the groups fifth movie they return to structure similar to first movie Kummeli Stories with four intertwined stories.

Kurt "Kurre" von Riikonen (Ville Myllyrinne) is making action movie Excalibur IV. Tomi Paatelainen (Heikki Hela) is stressed to design a poster for the movie. His wife Stina (Kaisa Mattila) wants their villa renovated so they hire Monkki Mähönen (Heikki Silvennoinen) who is Tomi's old bandmate. Monkki is crude, breaks everything and plays his drums all the time so he is getting on Stina's nerves. Monkki brings also the other band members (Timo Kahilainen and Heikki Vihinen).

Monkki Mähönen

Tomi and Stina have different opinions about hiring Monkki

The King of Riffs: Gerhard Rihmakallo

In the second story Jouni (Timo Kahilainen) and his twixter motorist gang gets humiliated at local shop. They decide to rob the shop Hollywood style.

Jouni and his gang

Jouni's ride

Bootcamp for burglars

In the third story reporter Erkki "Slop Bucket" Sysimetsä (Heikki Hela) gets fired because his out of date style. He remembers a story about organ repairman and superstud Arvo Hakala (Heikki Silvennoinen) in the wild 1960s.

Ladies man Arvo

Heikki Kinnunen as local priest

Superstud

In the last story "Kurre" von Riikonen is trying to get funding for Excalibur IV. The team then goes to party and hunting trip. They get ambushed by local hillbillies led by patriarch Isaskar Toukka (Aake Kalliala).

Isaskar and the boys

Kurre finds a donkey

The film has many Finnish actors and comedians in supporting roles (Iina Kuustonen, Markku Toikka, Jukka Rasila, Heikki Kinnunen, Aake Kalliala and more). Movie has many references to popular films such as Mission Impossible, Gladiator, Deliverance and also Mäkeläs own movie Pahat Pojat (Bad Boys). Also a Dracula-like character is named Ivan Drago(!)

John Excalibur in his spaceship

Kummeli's humour has always been more based on weird characters and one-liners instead of direct jokes. However it's humour has the same limitations as Monty Python's, the jokes work better in sketch comedy TV-series format as in full-length movies. Some of the jokes are about Swedish-speaking population of Finland and gays but nothing to be taken seriously. All's well that ends well. The fans of Kummeli will definitely get more out of the movie than non-fans. On DVD extras Making of-section one of the original Kummeli-members Olli Keskinen appears as interviewer, which was a nice touch. As a side note the special effects of Excalibur movies were made by Troll Vfx, a company founded by Samuli Torssonen known for Star Wreck and Iron Sky movies. 

Rating: Average