Character development and acting are the strength of this drama of political conspiracy with dire economic consequences. Piirainen says that the events surrounding Escon are fictional, but in the wake of the collapse of the US company Enron, they are very believable. Kai Lehtinen plays Raid as an instinctive but troubled hero, surrounded by quirky, well-developed characters. Raid is at times almost a superhero, an effective, but self-restrained killing machine, but can be all too human. Lehtinen is stoically handsome, but not a pretty boy.
One wonders if Hollywood could ever cast a leading lady like Mari Rantasila (Tarja), or Kirsti Vaananen (Susisaari), both of whom were very fetching without being runway perfect (or surgically enhanced). Oiva Lohtander (Jansson), Tuula Nyman (Ms Hakala), Juha Muje (Sundman), Esko Salmonen (Uki) and Risto Aaltonen (Hallvik) struck me as utterly convincing in their parts. Pekka Huotari (Huusko) who is called 'Hopo' by coworkers, but Goofy in the subtitles, cracks lame jokes, makes inappropriate comments and delivers obscure lines about Wild Bill Hickock, but manages to be sympathetic. Tapio Liinoja (Hammar) was a deserving villain, not over-the-top, just a self-interested sociopath.
There are many references to American culture: Sundman's Beach Boys songs, posters of Clint Eastwood (homage to Sergio Leone), bottles of Johnnie Walker. There are few recognizable references to any other (non-Finnish) culture, except for automobiles. Two Mercedes, a BMW, a Toyota and a Jaguar figure prominently among the humble Ladas of the police force.
