The Order serves as an intense exploration of a lesser-known chapter of America's violent history. This true-story-based historical thriller, directed by Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel, brings to screen the terror unleashed by a neo-Nazi gang in the Pacific Northwest nearly four decades ago. The gang committed a string of bank heists and planned a large-scale insurrection, funded by their criminal activities. Jude Law plays an FBI agent hell-bent on cracking down on this faction.
Kurzel has a reputation for depicting violence in his films, having directed films like The Snowtown Murders and Nitram, revolving around real-life violent incidents. The Order thus falls in line with his filmography. He navigates this American crime story based on the nonfiction book, The Silent Brotherhood by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt.
The narrative follows Terry Husk, an FBI agent (Law), and Jamie Bowen, a local cop (Sheridan), as they unravel a series of terror activities in Washington, instigated by Bob Matthews (Hoult), the charismatic leader of a radical right group. The movie offers a chilling and twisted tale through sophisticated investigations and intense manhunt sequences.
Kurzel's interpretation of American history is a reflection of a nation steeped in brutal violence, deeply ingrained in a radical mindset. The movie illustrates a confrontation between Husk and Matthews, presaging events like the FBI’s siege on Waco, Texas, which occurred almost a decade later.
Law shines as Husk, embodying the world-weary yet endlessly driven character with compelling conviction. Sheridan, Smollett, and Hoult compliment his performance, each offering nuanced acts of their own.
The events portrayed in The Order eerily echo contemporary American societal divisions, highlighting the lasting implications of disturbing past events. It is a paradox, a beautifully reconstructed '80s-era juxtaposed against a violent narrative that leaves spectators wondering if history is repeating itself.
