The Order

R 2024 ‧ Thriller/Crime ‧ 2 hours

Today I was in the mood for a movie and I’d either seen or had no interest in seeing most of the others at my local AMC. The Order wasn’t on my radar but I thought I’d give it a chance because Jude Law can be good. I’m glad I did because I thought it was a terrific film. It is based on a true crime book, The Silent Brotherhood, which documents the rise of a dangerous white supremacy cult in the 1980s. [I haven’t read the book.]

Jude Law plays an FBI agent who has transferred to Idaho to supposedly slow down and focus on his health. Unfortunate timing as shortly after arriving, he stumbles on an Aryan nation off-shoot that is robbing banks to raise money to build an army. As expected, Jude Law delivers a nice performance. I’m not familiar with the real-life case, but I believe Law’s character is likely created with creative license or is an amalgam of various officers involved in the case.

Nicholas Hoult plays Bob Mathews, the leader of the militant white power group. He makes a wonderful antagonist for the movie. Hoult doesn’t play Mathews as evil. He plays him as charismatic and driven to a cause (albeit a horrible one), but he isn’t a two-dimensional character. Mathews loves his wife and his son. 

Tonally, the movie reminded me a little of The Silence of The Lambs with the tension of the FBI on the hunt for a criminal on the loose. It’s not as creepy as that movie, but it taps into some of the same suspense. 

Overall, The Order was well-acted, well-written and well-directed. Many of the supporting actors (Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett, Marc Maron and Alison Oliver) turned in solid performances. It was a smart movie that didn’t hit the audience over the head with cues or clues. It’s the sort of movie that isn’t made very much these days. This story would be more likely to show up as a prestige miniseries than a theatrical movie. I enjoyed it and I’m glad I saw it in the theater. That said, I believe it will be streaming on Amazon Prime soon. 

Image: Vertical