by Scott Batchelor, Contributing Writer
The Order feels like it could be ripped out of a season of Justified, but instead of Kentucky, it takes place in the lesser-referenced part of the country: the Northwest. Jude Law plays Terry Husk, an FBI agent we learn is separated from his family. This detail seems important only because it gives him some sort of character. Tye Sheridan’s Deputy Jamie Bowen teams up with Husk to hunt The Order, a white supremacist group in Idaho and Washington. Bowen inserts himself into Husk’s investigation, much to the chagrin of his sheriff. The story becomes more personal when we meet Bowen’s family and realize his family would not be welcome in The Order’s ideology. Giving Bowen personal stakes is much needed, because Husk is a hard character to connect with.
The leaders of The Order are just as central to the story as the lawmen pursuing them. Nicholas Hoult plays Bob Mathews, the leader of The Order, and delivers two different monologues designed to rile up the people around him. It feels like these were written just to give Hoult more screen time, because they are largely the same message, but I guess white supremacy is largely the same message. Whether or not both monologues were necessary, Hoult makes them chilling. You’ll hate every word he says, but you cannot deny how compelling he is as an actor. The film excels at showing what true indoctrination looks like, creating a mood that feels more like a horror film than a cops and robbers movie.
As a whole, the story itself is standard fare. Bad guy does bad stuff. Good guys are one step behind until they aren’t. The Order starts with low-level crimes, like bank and armored truck heists, but they escalate by following a very real playbook. The stakes become more personal for Bowen when an old high school friend is found dead, presumably murdered by The Order. Despite this connection, I never really felt passion from Bowen, which limits the emotional payoff. The film doesn’t do much to separate itself from similar crime thrillers. It relies on a shocking turn in the third act to give the characters something interesting to react to, but it is not enough to elevate the story.
Where the movie does stand out is in its refusal to shy away from the dangerous rhetoric The Order spreads. Some of the violent actions and crimes depicted are based on historical events, and this makes parts of the film harrowing to watch. The assassination of radio host Alan Berg (Marc Maron) is particularly difficult to sit through, knowing it actually happened. These moments hit hard and give the movie a gut punch, but it occasionally veers too far into fiction, taking creative liberties that undercut the weight of its message.
The performances carry the film. Law brings dedication to Husk, though his backstory feels like tragedy for the sake of tragedy. Sheridan plays Bowen with eagerness, but the film fails to give him opportunities to truly shine. Hoult is the standout, delivering unnerving rhetoric with chilling conviction. However, even his character could have been more deeply explored.
Overall, The Order delivers just enough on the crime thriller front to be satisfying, but it does not linger in the mind like the greats of the genre.
Rating: It Was Just Okay
The Order is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Scott Batchelor, and follow him on Letterboxd and Twitter