The Order
review by Bobby Blakey
I love a good crime thriller and it’s rare that we get many with the gritty tone like we used to get, especially in bigger releases. The latest taking on the genre is True History of the Kelly Gang and Assassin’s Creed director Justin Kurzel with his film The Order based on the 1989 book The Silent Brotherhood. The film stars Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Jurnee Smollett, and Tye Sheridan, but does it capture the essence of this case and the depth of the story it is adapting, or will it get lost in its message?
The Order follows FBI agent Terry Husk becomes convinced that the robberies are the work of domestic terrorists that plan to use the loot to finance an armed uprising against the U.S. government. Husk and his team dive into the tangled world of white supremacists as they try to head off a violent uprising that could shatter the nation. As the militia builds a war chest of over $4 million, Husk pursues the malevolent racist Bob Mathews to a final bloody standoff that will go down in U.S. history.
Going into this film I had no idea that the film was based on true events and then as it started playing out, I realized the group we were dealing with. Seeing Hoult in this kind of role was a fresh surprise and out of the ordinary for what we are accustomed to seeing him in. He is sinister, determined and chews up the scenery with a subtle darkness that makes you both fear him and see how he could inspire these people with his hate.
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The duo of Law and Sheridan is the perfect match of the veteran and tight-laced young detective. Law brings his A game to the role of offering up a chiseled detective with his own baggage that makes him a compelling character filled
with determination to solve this case not only the dangers it is bringing, but for his own obsession. Sheridan is the by the numbers cop with something to prove and steps it up perfectly also taking on a role we don’t typically see him in. Both works great together in both the dysfunction and dedication to each other and the job.
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There is plenty of action here that is handled in a real way and while none of it is overly original in its execution, it doesn’t need to be. This is telling a real story and keeping things gritty and true to life in as many ways possible. It has a slow burn pace that is necessary to let all the pieces to this situation play out that has and ending that seems a bit sudden, but that is how it all played out so glad they didn’t try to embellish it.
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This is the kind of film that used to be a guarantee in the box office, but sadly doesn’t get the push it deserves any longer. I hope this film finds the audience it deserves because it is truly good and worth checking out.
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Decide for yourself and check out the The Order when it hits Blu-ray and DVD on February 18th from Vertical.