The Order

“you know what my problem is with every fanatic? you have to have something to blame for your life.” decided to do a double feature after seeing sonic the hedgehog 3 as i saw this playing directly afterwards. never heard of it and went in basically blind, apart from googling and reading a brief synopsis during the trailers. i love me an fbi thrill ride and this delivered in spades. like i thought sonic surprised me, this is a whole different universe of surprise. this film is about hate, specifically white supremacy, and the power that radicalization holds. it is about how hate can so easily bring people together and it serves as a clear allusion to modern day terrorism and more specifically, insurrection. i cannot fathom why not many people are talking about this film as this is one of the best of the year for sure for me. i cannot believe this was based on a true story as well. this film follows jude law’s character, new york fbi agent terry husk uncovering a great evil behind a string of robberies and bombings within the rural pacific northwest. off the bat, every single main performance here is incredible. the standout is for sure, nicholas hoult, as the leader of his white suprematist gang. his ability to switch faces between loud, violent heists to holding a newborn baby is beyond impressive and he really sells the completely lost and supremely evil person his character, bob mathews, is. tye sheridan of x-men notoriety plays the young deputy bowen as a great supporting cast member and serves as that bridge agent husk needs to connect with this foreign rural community. the cinematography and lighting in this film is actually bananas. there are so many beautiful shots of not only the beautiful nature but also the empty rural roads. the sunlight beaming through the redwoods or it barely leaking through the shades of the office window; so beautifully lit with a heavy emphasis on natural light sources. every scene feels unique yet grounded within the setting. like i don’t know how a filmmaker can include a distinct original shot for every time a character is in or near a car. the camera is always in the action and nothing is ever left uncertain or ignored entirely. speaking of action: it’s great. the crimes this group committed are not improvised; mathews is methodical and every possible outcome is considered. from big explosions and gunfights to highway assault, you are on the edge of your seat and you can feel the fear of their victims. also i want to mention there is one death scene involving a car door that has some insane camerawork and it absolutely increases the impact of said death. the violence committed is disturbing, as it should be, and each and every bullet fired or not fired has consequence. this film is set in the 80s and the technology for communication and connection in general was very different. the innate power in numbers is terrifying. it is shown from both sides with the collective racism and faith of the neo-nazis contrasted by the armored bomb squads and police forces. i think this film’s strongest aspect is the pacing. much like the racist group, the silent brotherhood, it never lets up. once one robbery or hate crime is committed, onto the next and no room is given for the law enforcement to catch up. agent husk, suffers due to an injury in his past and, despite his need to take it easy, he knows he cannot let up. he cannot let them leave arms reach. the quicker these heists are and the more people that are recruited, the more loose ends are left; rapid growth comes at a cost. also before i stop rambling, the score was also fantastic and i honestly have no idea what some instruments were playing but it no joke got my arm hairs sticking up in some tense moments. i feel like i am just spewing words as i am having trouble conveying my true thoughts about this film right now at 1am. this film was just utterly fantastic and frighteningly relevant with its exploration of racism and the tolerance and ignorance that still exists in the modern day. GO SEE THIS.