The Adelaide Film Festival presented the Australian Premier of director Justin Kurzel’s movie The Order at the Piccadilly Theatre on Wednesday evening. Based on a true story, it stars Jude Law as world weary FBI agent Terry Husk, sent to investigate a series of armed robberies in the Pacific Northwest in 1983. Nicholas Hoult portrays the chillingly charismatic leader, Bob Mathews of the white supremacist group behind the crimes.
The movie is based on a screenplay by Zach Baylin which itself is based on “The Silent Brotherhood”, a 1989 non-fiction book by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt. The motivation behind the group’s actions come a fictional book called “The Turner Diaries”, which describe six steps to world domination, the final one being the “day of the rope”. The Turner Diaries have inspired numerous hate crimes and acts of terrorism, including the 1984 assassination of Alan Berg, portrayed in The Order by Marc Maron, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, and the 1999 London nail bombings. It is estimated to have influenced perpetrators in over 200 killings.
Over the course of the movie, we learn that Terry Husk is facing demons of his own, yet his devotion to uncovering the truth behind the violence is his main driving factor. He finds the local sheriff’s office dismissive of the case, except for young policeman Jamie Bowen, played by Tye Sheriden. The two men forge an alliance that probes into the tightly held world of the supremacists. There is an undercurrent of hunter hunting hunter with Bob Matthews keeping a close watch on the detectives.
Justin Kurzel has effectively captured the essence of the era with appropriate cars, clothes and the desaturated feel of the times. His brother Jed’s soundtrack successfully raises the tension at the appropriate times. There is a beautiful contrast between the magnificent Rocky Mountain countryside and the gritty drama unfolding, the apparently wholesome family life set against the cold-blooded crimes. There is plenty of tension between the local sheriff’s office and the FBI, as well as within The Order’s hierarchy. The tension builds throughout the movie as the FBI move in closer on the ever-moving Order.
Despite the movie setting some forty years ago, echoes of the racial tensions depicted still resound to this day. The Order is a fascinating insight into what drives these ideologies and acts perhaps as a warning to what might be. It is quite relevant to current events as the Turner Diaries was found on one of the protagonists of the October 6th Capitol attack.
After the showing, AFF CEO Mat Kesting, director Justin Kurzel and The Order composer Jed Kurzel participated in an insightful Q&A session.
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