What a disheartening reflection on our times that The Order ranks among the most relevant dramas of the last ten years. It shouldn’t. 2024 should not see us still struggling with the issues of white supremacy and armed extremist groups. Yet here we are.
The Order is based on the true story of Bob Mathews (Nicholas Hoult) and his followers, a violent neo-Nazi group responsible for a series of bank robberies, bombings, and murders in the 1980s. FBI Agent Terry Husk (two-time Oscar nominee Jude Law) is sent to the Pacific Northwest to investigate the Aryan Nation with little in the way of support. The local sheriff is willfully blind to the extensive presence of Nazis in his community and tries to blow off Agent Husk. But deputy sheriff Jamie Bowen (a scene-stealing Tye Sheridan, playing a father for the first time) steps forward, volunteering his help and expertise on the area’s neo-Nazi network.
Jamie’s high school friend’s involvement with The Order revealed they’re up to more than just printing flyers to recruit like-minded members. Jamie’s friend has firsthand knowledge that The Order’s committing robberies and printing counterfeit money. They’re building up quite a stash of cash to fund the militia, but their modus operandi is at odds with the area’s larger, more well-established Aryan Nation. The splintering of the Nazis should work to law enforcement’s advantage. It doesn’t because Bob Mathews’ group is ultra-violent and ready for war.
Both the larger, more old-school Aryan Nation group, led by Richard Butler (Victor Slezak), and Bob’s splinter group adhere to the teachings of The Turner Diaries, written in 1978. The Turner Diaries is a blueprint for domestic terrorism, including Timothy McVeigh’s Oklahoma City bombing and the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. As Jamie points out, the book has six steps: recruiting, fundraising, armed revolution, domestic terrorism, assassination, and, ultimately, the day of the rope. (The phrase “day of the rope” refers to the day when they plan to lynch race traitors.)
Bob wants action and chaos now, while Butler is more of a politician – all talk, no real action. When Butler speaks at a national alliance convention, Bob leads a revolt from the audience. He inspires chants of “Defeat never, victory forever!” and “White Power!” He’d fit right in amongst the despicable January 6th or Unite the Right crowds.
The murder of Jewish radio talk show host Alan Berg (Marc Maron) on Bob’s orders escalates FBI Agent Husk’s investigation. Berg’s murder catapults The Order into the national spotlight and attracts additional FBI agents to the investigation, led by Agent Joanne Carney (Jurnee Smollett). Through it all, Bob’s control over The Order and desire to speed up their war against people of color and Jewish people never falter.
The Order, directed by Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel (True History of the Kelly Gang) and based on reporters Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt’s book The Silent Brotherhood, is nearly two hours of action with an old-school ‘80s crime thriller vibe. Zach Baylin adapted Flynn and Gerhardt’s 1989 non-fiction book, which remains as timely today as when Mathews and The Order terrorized the Pacific Northwest.
Baylin’s script draws parallels between Bob Mathews and FBI Agent Terry Husk. Both men show total commitment and are laser-focused on their goals. Mathews is the more charismatic of the two, but Husk’s devotion to rooting out the Aryan Nation and bringing white supremacists to justice draws people to his crusade. Collateral damage is barely taken into consideration by either side.
The film shows FBI Agent Husk’s singular focus on bringing down The Order, and the maneuvering on both sides as they head toward their ultimate showdown. Playing an FBI agent who’s taken on the KKK and Cosa Nostra, Jude Law’s given us the performance we’ve been waiting for him to deliver after years of forgettable roles. Law’s demeanor reveals the burden on Husk; the exhaustion of fighting a battle in an endless war.
Nicholas Hoult’s having a terrific 2024, with outstanding performances in Nosferatu, Juror #2, and The Order. Hoult’s portrayal of Bob Mathews is unexpectedly restrained, revealing the evil festering in his heart only in brief spurts. Bob’s leadership in The Order is unquestioned, even during intense gun battles, as he remains calm and composed; there’s no internal dissent.
Kurzel’s direction and Baylin’s script never allow for any downtime. Taking place in the ‘80s, the film’s cinematography by Adam Arkapaw evokes the style of crime dramas of that decade. The Order, given its subject, should be brutally violent. And it is, but not excessively or gratuitously so. The camera doesn’t linger on the bloodshed, staying just long enough to have an impact.
The depicted events, regrettably, reflect current headlines with minimal changes. The Order entertains but also makes us question if there will ever come a time when people like Bob Mathews will cease to find a following.
GRADE: A
Release Date: December 6, 2024
Running Time: 1 hour 56 minutes
MPAA Rating: R for language throughout and some strong violence
Distributor: Vertical
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