December 5, 2024
FILM: THE ORDER
DIRECTED BY: JUSTIN KURZEL
STARRING: JUDE LAW, NICHOLAS HOULT, TYE SHERIDAN
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
The new crime thriller The Order takes us back to the 1980s but what happens in the film is totally relevant to today. Specifically, the focus is on hunting down white supremacists who have it as their goal to take back what they view as their country. The film is based on actual events. “The Order” is a group of men who rob banks and create counterfeit money with the intention of developing their own militia. The leader of the gang, Bob Mathews, is played by a very good Nicholas Hoult. He’s got the blue eyes and good looks of the supposed ideal of an American male. Jude Law plays an FBI agent named Terry Husk who has previously dealt with the mafia and is now settled in Idaho. He’s been around but perhaps has not experienced what “The Order” is most capable of.
The film is set throughout the region, moving from Denver to Spokane to Seattle. The scenery is beautifully shot suggesting that even such a pristine part of the country could be the center of significant violence and hatred. Director Justin Kurzel also does a great job of re-creating the era via cars that trudge through the various small towns and roadways. But while steeped in the 1980s, what the film is exploring relates to the various events that have taken place in the U.S. in recent years. Matthews follows the guidelines found in a book entitled The Turner Diaries which has been reportedly used by terrorist groups. Some might find this disturbing to watch, which it very much is. However, Kurzel doesn’t exploit or glamorize anything that “The Order” is planning.
Husk represents the good and another kind of order in society that is viewed by one religious leader as a cult. There’s a connection made here too between anti-Semitism and the rise of extreme Christian hate groups. Matthews and his men are said to be the “strays” of the Christian church who take it upon themselves to rid the country of those they fear will “exterminate” them. The Turner Diaries tells them how to do it.
The film is filled with some well-staged car chases and gun fighting scenes. These don’t come across as overly gratuitous though as Kurzel certainly seems to want the film’s messages to take center stage over excess Hollywood-style action. There’s also an interesting motif associated with two of the characters which explores the power of not taking shots. Whether this works or not can be debated once the credits role.
The primary cast members, which also includes an excellent Tye Sheridan as Officer Jamie Bowen, all have at least one scene to really shine. Jude Law’s Husk is a middle-aged, weathered, gum chewing agent who has clearly experienced some hardships in his life. Marc Maron turns up as a radio host who takes calls from listeners that argue with him about his liberal and humanistic views. His perspective forms the heart of the film. There are also some great supporting performances from Alison Oliver as Debbie Mathews and Jurnee Smollett as Officer Joanne Carney. Watch out for Matias Lucas as new “Order” member Tony Torres. This guy has smoldering good looks which will likely garner him some plum roles in the future.
The entire film is well-balanced between gripping action and strong character arcs. Because we don’t make a lot of westerns anymore, The Order represents a new kind of western where good fights evil using weapons which are now capable of being more destructive than ever. The film also brings to mind 1967’s classic Bonnie & Clyde which featured its own gang of thieves. What is most disturbing though is that while the “Barrow Gang” of that story was primarily interested in taking money to survive during tough financial times, this “Order” is not only greedy but feeling even more put out by where the U.S. has landed by the early 1980s. They mean even more violence and dominance that goes well beyond what Bonnie and Clyde were capable of. Sadly, things haven’t improved since then as those wanting to take what they believe is theirs may be more powerful than ever in today’s climate.
The Order opens theatrically this week.
FILM: THE ORDER
DIRECTED BY: JUSTIN KURZEL
STARRING: JUDE LAW, NICHOLAS HOULT, TYE SHERIDAN
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
The new crime thriller The Order takes us back to the 1980s but what happens in the film is totally relevant to today. Specifically, the focus is on hunting down white supremacists who have it as their goal to take back what they view as their country. The film is based on actual events. “The Order” is a group of men who rob banks and create counterfeit money with the intention of developing their own militia. The leader of the gang, Bob Mathews, is played by a very good Nicholas Hoult. He’s got the blue eyes and good looks of the supposed ideal of an American male. Jude Law plays an FBI agent named Terry Husk who has previously dealt with the mafia and is now settled in Idaho. He’s been around but perhaps has not experienced what “The Order” is most capable of.
The film is set throughout the region, moving from Denver to Spokane to Seattle. The scenery is beautifully shot suggesting that even such a pristine part of the country could be the center of significant violence and hatred. Director Justin Kurzel also does a great job of re-creating the era via cars that trudge through the various small towns and roadways. But while steeped in the 1980s, what the film is exploring relates to the various events that have taken place in the U.S. in recent years. Matthews follows the guidelines found in a book entitled The Turner Diaries which has been reportedly used by terrorist groups. Some might find this disturbing to watch, which it very much is. However, Kurzel doesn’t exploit or glamorize anything that “The Order” is planning.
Husk represents the good and another kind of order in society that is viewed by one religious leader as a cult. There’s a connection made here too between anti-Semitism and the rise of extreme Christian hate groups. Matthews and his men are said to be the “strays” of the Christian church who take it upon themselves to rid the country of those they fear will “exterminate” them. The Turner Diaries tells them how to do it.
The film is filled with some well-staged car chases and gun fighting scenes. These don’t come across as overly gratuitous though as Kurzel certainly seems to want the film’s messages to take center stage over excess Hollywood-style action. There’s also an interesting motif associated with two of the characters which explores the power of not taking shots. Whether this works or not can be debated once the credits role.
The primary cast members, which also includes an excellent Tye Sheridan as Officer Jamie Bowen, all have at least one scene to really shine. Jude Law’s Husk is a middle-aged, weathered, gum chewing agent who has clearly experienced some hardships in his life. Marc Maron turns up as a radio host who takes calls from listeners that argue with him about his liberal and humanistic views. His perspective forms the heart of the film. There are also some great supporting performances from Alison Oliver as Debbie Mathews and Jurnee Smollett as Officer Joanne Carney. Watch out for Matias Lucas as new “Order” member Tony Torres. This guy has smoldering good looks which will likely garner him some plum roles in the future.
The entire film is well-balanced between gripping action and strong character arcs. Because we don’t make a lot of westerns anymore, The Order represents a new kind of western where good fights evil using weapons which are now capable of being more destructive than ever. The film also brings to mind 1967’s classic Bonnie & Clyde which featured its own gang of thieves. What is most disturbing though is that while the “Barrow Gang” of that story was primarily interested in taking money to survive during tough financial times, this “Order” is not only greedy but feeling even more put out by where the U.S. has landed by the early 1980s. They mean even more violence and dominance that goes well beyond what Bonnie and Clyde were capable of. Sadly, things haven’t improved since then as those wanting to take what they believe is theirs may be more powerful than ever in today’s climate.
The Order opens theatrically this week.