THE ORDER (AMAZON PRIME) (2024)

SYNOPSIS: In 1983, a series of increasingly violent bank robberies, counterfeiting operations and armored car heists frightened communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. As baffled law enforcement agents scrambled for answers, a lone FBI agent (Law), stationed in the sleepy, picturesque town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, came to believe the crimes were not the work of traditional, financially motivated criminals but a group of dangerous domestic terrorists, inspired by a radical, charismatic leader (Hoult), plotting a devastating war against the federal government of the United States.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Supposedly based on true events, director Justin Kurzel’s latest crime thriller is adapted from the 1989 non-fiction book The Silent Brotherhood and set in 1980s rural Idaho. White power. Extremist militant. Murdering innocent Jews. The Order tackles political and social themes that happened in the past nevertheless as relevant as it is today.

Jude Law stars as a hardened FBI agent Terry Husk who opts for a supposedly relaxing posting in Idaho. But when a murder case that is linked to the neo-Nazi group, Aryan Nations attracted the attention of Husk, he teams up with a young local police officer, Jamie (Tye Sheridan) and former FBI colleague, Joanne Carney (Jurnee Smollett) to investigate further. As it turned out, an ex-member of the group, Bob Mathews (Nicholas Hoult) is carrying out domestic terrorism and robberies with his gang of newly recruited militants. The ultimate aim is to stage an uprising in order to change the world.

First and foremost, The Order is not the typical buddy cop comedy or thriller despite the pairing of a grizzled cop and a relatively inexperienced sidekick. It’s a deliberate, investigative drama that pulls you right into the chilling setting and keeps you invested till the end. The police procedural while by-the-numbers is interesting enough. From confronting Aryan Nations’ founder Richard Butler to uncovering a white supremacist novel disguised as a bedtime story, The Turner Diaries to unveiling the true intentions of The Order. All the while, the narrative serves up a series of riveting facts behind the white-supremacist movement which is eye-opening to audiences who are not familiar with the heinous acts.

Additionally, the crime drama delivers a few intense sequences mostly involving robberies and shootouts between Bob and the good guys. One must note that Kurzel is more concerned in delivering grounded, reckless violence than all out fanciful bloodbaths. Simply, the action is as good as the drama, gripping and non-showy. British actor Nicolas Hoult is the star here. Shedding his original accent, Hoult is terrifying as the face of terror as his character’s unsettling ideology is perfectly nailed in his speech to the masses. Jude Law and Tye Sheridan are both convincing enough adding to an already brilliant story.

The Order is a deeply rewarding crime thriller. Smart, provocative and mirroring the current state of affairs in America. The end credits even attribute the January 6, 2021 United States Capitol attack to an act by white supremacists. While the movie is easily understood, we are not quite sure what is the meaning behind the elk. Some deep metaphor that needs more discussion perhaps.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee