The Order Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

The Order Blu-ray Movie Review

Organized chaos.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III February 25, 2025

White supremacy sadly still exists in 2025 and ain't going away anytime soon, which means that Justin Kurzel's The Order didn't have to be a period piece. It is, though, and one that's based on "true events" adapted from the 1989 non-fiction book The Silent Brotherhood by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt. Beginning in December of 1983 and following about a year's worth of staggered events, The Order's story mostly focuses on veteran FBI agent Terry Husk (Jude Law, almost unrecognizable with the cop 'stache and American accent), who's just relocated to relatively peaceful northern Idaho after a separation from his family and open-heart surgery. Terry formerly handled several cases involving racist factions and organized crime... and as fate would have it, a new group of domestic terrorists might be brewing only 30 miles away in Spokane, Washington, financially fueled by a recent string of violent bank robberies.

Their suspected leader is Bob Matthews (Nicholas Hoult, who was great in the recent Juror #2) a young radical and family man who's also got a secret mistress on the side. He's charismatic and used to talking his way into (and out of) everything, having recently broken off from a racist church led by Richard Butler (Victor Slezak) to form his own sect. Hiding out at their compound in nearby Hayden Lake, Idaho, Bob and his loyalists gradually build a small army and a stockpile of weapons and ammunition, clearly gearing up for some kind of takeover and even a side-door entry into local politics. It's not long before Terry picks up their trail, but Bob's group -- collectively known as "The Order" -- has been doing damage via random bombings and even the murder of Jewish radio host Alan Berg (Marc Maron). It's more than enough to attract a broader FBI response including Terry's old partner Joanne Carney (Jurnee Smollett) who, along with local authorities such as deputy Jamie Bowen (Tye Sheridan), might help to even the odds.

It's not a perfect film, but I respect The Order for its ruthless efficiency and clear-cut perspective. The violence is quite brutal at times, with characters cut down to almost nothing in the blink of an eye. This is not a film which attempts to sympathize with its villains in any way, simply presenting them as a real threat without using flashbacks to suggest that the actions of Bobby's group are the result of some sort of exterior cause or wrongdoing. Looking forward is a different story, though, as several scenes involve Bob teaching his young son how to shoot and reading him racist propaganda like William Pierce's 1978 novel The Turner Diaries, a book that has been linked to several acts of domestic terrorism including the Oklahoma City bombing, several murder sprees and, more recently, the January 6th Capitol insurrection. It's a sobering reminder that this kind of thing will continue uninterrupted until such cycles are broken.

It feels almost inappropriate to discuss the fundamentals of a film about such serious subject matter (especially one so well-timed), but there are certain elements that very much aid and slightly handicap The Order's level of effectiveness. For starters, this is a beautifully shot film that features lots of jaw-dropping rural backdrops (with Alberta, Canada filling in for Idaho and Washington), and these settings add a striking level of contrast to some of The Order's rather brutal subject matter. Performances are good to great, with Jude Law turning in excellent work -- it's an absurdly meaty role for any actor to luck into, but Law particularly nails the part if only because you'll forget you're watching him in almost every scene. Coming in a fairly distant third is the film's story structure, which as mentioned earlier is mostly efficient and emotionally charged but also more than a little predictable at times; this takes some wind out of The Order's sails on several occasions (as do a couple of surface-level minor characters and unresolved subplots), but it still stands decently tall as a visceral and visually captivating true crime drama worth watching at least once.

I've only reviewed a handful of Blu-ray releases from relative newcomer Vertical Entertainment and I can say that, along with 2022's surprisingly solid Emily the Criminal, this one's the best in their catalog. It's one that I struggled to decide between either a 3.5 or a 4 due to various merits and drawbacks, and it very well might lean towards the latter in the right mood. At the very least, The Order is a lean and confident exercise that's clearly not a full-on action film but remains suspenseful during key stretches and will certainly keep first-time viewers entertained. Sadly, Vertical Entertainment's Blu-ray only seems concerned with A/V merits, as a solid assortment of bonus features (including a historical featurette or two) could've gone a long way towards a stronger blind buy recommendation.

The Order Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

I can't confirm whether or not The Order was finished at 2K or 4K, but it certainly has the look of a film that might benefit from UHD including an HDR grade. It's stylishly shot with no shortage of jaw-dropping landscape footing, both in establishing shots and extended sequences, with loads of other moments where filtered light streams in from outside and casts certain actors in silhouette or lower light. Colors mostly run muted with a few obvious exceptions like warm incandescent lights, neon signs, and the like, creating a mostly somber atmosphere that works in tandem with its often brutal subject matter. Fine detail is solid in the right conditions but black levels are very uneven, often flattening out to a medium-gray while not always playing nice with adjacent colors or darker shadow details. Compression difficulties may be to blame here, although the film runs at a seemingly supportive bit rate on this single-layered disc. Even so, Vertical Entertainment's 1080p transfer is a largely satisfactory effort but I'd still love to see The Order in 4K/HDR; sadly, there are no international options aside from a Canadian Blu-ray that seems to mirror this one.

The Order Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Even better is the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix (incorrectly promoted on the back cover as "Dolby Digital"), which mostly stays within genre expectations but adds a consistent level of punch and interest to the proceedings. Dialogue is typically anchored up front but sporadic action scenes and group gatherings are where The Order comes alive, with the original score by Jed Kurzel (an Australian singer-songwriter-guitarist and also the director's brother) adding a lot to the proceedings. Discrete panning, separation, and LFE activity can be quite ample in specific moments, elevating this mix to something occasionally more impressive than expected. I was tempted to give this a full five-star rating for that reason... but the film was originally designed for Atmos which sadly isn't included as an option here, so a half-point deduction is warranted. If this ever comes to UHD, there's another area to slightly improve.

The Order Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with a matching slipcover. Unfortunately, no extras are included.

The Order Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Justin Kurzel's The Order is a bluntly effective thriller with roots in the real world and a rock-solid lead performance from Jude Law, yet a handful of one-note supporting characters and unresolved subplots drag it down a little. It's still well worth watching and may grow in stature over time, as the film's overwhelmingly commitment to efficiency and a clear-cut perspective help it to stand out from the crowd. Vertical Entertainment's Blu-ray is fine enough for a movie-only disc but there's room to grow in every category... so until a boutique label takes this on (Second Sight or Arrow, perhaps?), it's an affordable and convenient option for fans and first-timers alike. Recommended.