Last Updated on November 30, 2024 by Stephinie Heitman
The Order is a 2024 Crime Thriller Movie directed by Justin Kurzel and written by Zach Baylin, Gary Gerhardt, and Kevin Flynn. The film stars Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, and Tye Sheridan with a runtime of 1 hour 54 minutes, theatre released on December 6, 2024.
Movie Review: The Order
Have you ever tried to imagine the feeling of being confronted with evil and seeing the evil cloaked in normalcy? The Order, directed by Justin Kurzel reveals the gradual seepage of hate and violence into society and how they gradually become unnoticed until the realistic final scene. With gripping performances and a haunting atmosphere, this thriller dares to ask: how do we halt that which we are not able to observe?
The Order explores FBI agent Terry Husk (Jude Law), an alcoholic cop in his late 40s who is a few months away from retirement and is tracking a series of escalating violent bank robberies in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. A typical investigation turns into emotional and ethical warfare for Husk when he finds out that he is hunting Bob Matthews (Nicholas Hoult), a benign father of a child, who is heading a squadron of Neo-Nazis with an agenda of terrorizing America to metamorphose it into a superior Aryan nation.
Husk is the type of protagonist who feels the burden of the world upon his shoulders as well as the burden of his shortcomings. Tom Hardy delivers a brilliant performance; his Husk is not merely a burnt-out detective. He is a man who has been emptied by the condition of the world as if he has been burnt out by the constant drive for rage ever in the face of injustice. The heavy bags under his eyes, the stubble on his face look more like exhaustion, and the constant sneezing due to blood noses are signs that represent more than just physical deterioration; they are signs of a man gradually decaying from the inside out, despising what his country has degenerated into.
Across from him, Nicholas Hoult gives an effectively laid-back performance as the banality of evil embodied in Bob Matthews. He is not the growling, screaming super-foul character that one might anticipate. Instead, there is a sense of composure, assuredness, and even charm—a devoted family man who enjoys walking in the woods and raising self-reliant kids.
However, the refined facade hides a power-hungry, bigoted villain who wants to impose his vision of America on superiors through force. Kurzel uses Matthews’ outward charm to hammer home one of the film’s most haunting messages: disobedience does not necessarily come in a form with a neon sign over its head. Perhaps it is a man who is sitting beside you on a bus, looking friendly and polite while he is thinking criminal thoughts.
Another major aspect of The Order is the principles of opposition, both visual and conceptual. Kurzel sets Husk in gloomy, enclosed locations: police stations, shadowy apartments, and generic offices. His world appears oppressive, a labyrinth of offices and deteriorating values. At the same time, Matthews gives the impression of a life of utter freedom and bliss amidst natural light, thus insinuating that his life is the epitome of the American dream. This contrast between closed spaces and wide-open ones mirrors the moral divide at the heart of the film: the law fights with uncertain outcomes, and hate thrives in broad daylight.
Kurzel does not shy away from providing a cynical view on policing either, focusing on corruption within law enforcement brought by Husk and his interactions with the local sheriff Loftlin (Philip Granger) or young policeman Jamie Bowen (Tye Sheridan). Husk realizes potential in Bowen, a person, he wants to believe can help the institution change and overcome the cancer that is Matthews. However, Bowen’s wife Kimmy (Morgan Holmstrom) soon points out that due to collective negligence, conformism, and racism, any change is barely imaginable.
All in all, I can say that The Order is indeed an unsettling read and a thrilling mystery novel. The movie has a slow tempo, an approach that helps the viewer accumulate pressure and reach a level of agony before the final scene. Kurzel, who has a talent of making suspenseful tension, applies good ten or even twenty minutes of silence before the next scene of intense violence feels like a lightning strike. The music by Jed Kurzel is also notable and the synthetic beats that accompany the characters often translate the internal fear of the plot.
Despite the themes being serious and profound, Kurzel does not overact, keeping the scenes depicted in the film as realistic. When there is a criminal act against people— be it robbery or domestic terrorism –it is portrayed most powerfully, making the audience feel the horror of a gunshot and the loss of life. It is not a violent movie in a way that violence is portrayed and encouraged, not a movie that tells you it will happen, it is a movie that challenges why society just turns a blind eye to it.
The director has successfully cast Jude Law as the leading figure of the film, which in the hands of a lesser actor would have easily turned a mere stereotype of the genre into a genuine and convincing person named Husk. Zephyr’s tiredness seems realistic and his despair at the notion of putting sense into the decaying reality is heart-rending. Kurzel’s direction, backed up by Nick Fenton’s crisp editing, keeps the movie from becoming overly long despite the dense veining of the plot.
Nicholas Hoult, however, seems less convincing. Arguably, he delivers a convincing portrayal of Matthews and depicts a cold, calculating killer; however, there are moments when he does not portray the sinister nature that the role demands. This lack of evident peril diminishes the tension subtly, which makes Matthews look more like an emblematic antagonist rather than a realistic threat. However, as I have previously described, Hoult’s performance might be overly restrained, which may be done on purpose, as hatred often cloaks itself under the guise of something innocent before the adverse effects become apparent.
What separates The Order from many thrillers is its readiness to pose large, disturbing questions about the state of the world. Kurzel also does not follow the typical depiction where he keeps the audience’s eyes veiled from hate and violence and presents them with solutions. He reflects society onto the viewers hence making them see their blindness to the gradual growth of extremism. This is a film that expects its audience to feel awkward and uncomfortable as it provokes their thoughts about the world that is in the process of being created or simply being neglected.
Final Thoughts:
The Order is not a popcorn thriller with a cool soundtrack and stunning visual effects to keep the audience entertained throughout the movie. What we have here is a very serious, intense drama that makes you think and comes with more questions than answers. This is a perfect movie for slow drama enthusiasts who enjoy movies such as Sicario, No Country for Old Men, or the like. It doesn’t achieve the same depth that Kurzel’s Nitram reaches but it is adequate in portraying hatred, irresponsible indifference, and the price society pays for violence.
The Order 2024 Parents Guide Age Rating
The Order is rated R by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA) for some strong violence, and language throughout.
The Order MOVIE PLOT FULL SUMMARY and parents’ guide will be updated closer to the release date (December 6, 2024.), so check back.
