The Order

The Order is a mostly paint-by-numbers crime drama with some solid execution.

I don't have too much to say about this film since it's actually not really stand-out in any way. It's at its best when focused on the life and times of members in The Order and fleshing out this world of the rural pacific northwest. Nicholas Hoult is having a hell of a year and this is another great performance to add to the resume for the year. Everyone is was just okay performance-wise but there has to be some blame on the writers for leaning so deeply into the hard-boiled detective tropes. Sometimes the FBI officers just act way too-cool-for-school and it shows some laziness on the writers' part. A nice foil to that is Jamie (Tye Sheridan) who does a fantastically accurate impression of a small town cop. I'll be a defector and say that I actually enjoyed the action sequences, and I like that details within action plot points have actual effect later in the story. I'm getting a lot of No Country For Old Men influence, and that's a good thing.

The film has a really good handle on itself with a steady mix of tension building and discovery until the third act in which themes muddy significantly. There was some kind of two-sides-of-the-same-coin subtheme being attempted in the end between Terry and Bob that didn't really work for me, and cops suddenly lose all the discipline they had earlier in the film to do action hero things. There is a whole lot of world building in the film that adds to the whole rural aesthetic but I wonder if it contributed to its slow pacing. The film certainly felt long for a less than 2 hour movie.

Enjoyable crime thriller with some salient themes of racism and uprising to think about.

This is a watchable movie but this could have been more better if they would have invested more time in writing the screenplay.

It's those kind of movies which are good but you feel like something is missing.

Jude law is amazing in this movie. He is carrying the whole movie on his shoulders and he does an amazing job.

Rest all are good.

Nicholas hoult had nothing more to do and anyone could have played that role.

Direction is fine and cinematography looks really good.

Apart from that there is nothing much to say about this movie.

It's a slow burn thriller. Watch it for the amazing acting and that's it.

Another dark piece of history. I never knew of this story, so i was fascinated the whole time. I'd love to do a deeper dive into it. The feel to this movie was great! I felt like i was in a time machine. The actors were absolutely amazing, especially Jude Law! His character was absolutely intense and something you love to see on the big screen. It was him alone that made this movie as enjoyable as it was. The tense feelings this movie gave you as the plot slowly shows itself. It honestly feels like this same thing could happen today but you'd hope we would be better at recognizing it. I highly suggest this for everyone to see!

Saw in AMC theater 12-14-2024.

The Order is a film that stands out for its technical quality. The cinematography is stunning, the soundtrack fits perfectly in every situation, and the acting is quite strong, especially from Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult. There's clearly been a lot of care in how the film was made, and the fact that it's based on real events adds weight and relevance.

Despite all these important aspects, the movie didn't really pull me in. The pacing was slowish, not in a way that builds suspense or depth, but rather in a way that made it hard to stay emotionally invested. Scenes lingered without always adding much, and I often found myself waiting for something to fully click.

I think the main issue is that the film lacked some much-needed background, particularly when it came to crucial character development and the broader historical context. While I understood the general facts and timeline, I never really felt connected to the people involved or what was truly at stake, both for them as individuals and for the country as a whole. It felt like there was an emotional distance that the film never bridged.

In the end, it's a film I admire for its craft, but not one that truly moved me. They really were spot on in some crucial areas, the acting, the visuals, the tone, which only made it more disappointing when the film didn't quite come together as a whole. It had so much potential to be powerful and immersive, but instead, it left me feeling a bit cold and unfulfilled.

Midway through the movie, I suddenly remembered Jude Law is British-he's so convincing in this role. His performance, along with the rest of the cast, was excellent. Nicholas Hoult, in particular, was a standout. I couldn't have imagined him as a cult leader, having mostly seen him in quirky or sci-fi roles, but this film showcased his range brilliantly. Tye Sheridan was fantastic as always, and it was great to see him in a bigger project again. I really liked when he was upset with the FBI's incompetence. Jurnee Smollett also delivered a strong performance.

One scene that really stuck with me was the discovery of the body. I think it's my "favorite" one; it felt disturbingly real and visceral, especially with the character using his hands to dig up the grave instead of a shovel. That detail made it feel grounded, almost like you were right there, literally watching dirty work.

The pacing is slow, but it builds towards a more gripping third act. The motel shootout was shock, and it's in the final act where everything comes together. I think you usually have it in the back of your head, absentmindedly even, that the main characters will make it so the theatre gasped. The film touches on themes of hate , and it's always ironic and unsettling to hear people using the guise of faith to spread such. It was pretty interesting to me that the book referenced in the story is connected to real-world events like January 6 as well.

While I wasn't blown away, the movie met my expectations-which were sorta high. It's well-made and believable, even if it leans on familiar archetypes and tropes: the hate-filled ideology, the cult dynamics, the people working to dismantle it. So while nothing in the movie really surprises or blows you away, it's that familiarity makes the story feel real because characters like these do exist.

In the end, while it didn't resonate with me on a deeper level or stick with me after the credits rolled, it's a solid film with strong performances and a compelling, relevant narrative.