KSL Movie Show review: ‘The Order’ is a riveting cat-and-mouse drama

Editor’s note: This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom.

SALT LAKE CITY — In my early broadcast days I had an assignment to watch a number of raw videotapes of something called the “Aryan Nation.” Two of our best filmed and reported on it over several days in the late 80s in and around Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

The rhetoric, the cross burnings, and the dedicated young white families living off the beautiful land all stunned me. But it also filled me with so much hate and anger toward non-whites.

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All those memories came flooding back as I began to watch “The Order.” An explosive, compelling thriller based on a nonfiction book called “The Silent Brotherhood,” written by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt. It profiles a no-nonsense FBI agent name — changed to Terry Husk (Jude Law) — attempting to piece together a series of robberies and armored car heists in the Pacific Northwest not carried out by your typical criminals.

These people were patient and well-organized. They’d covered their tracks expertly, leaving no fingerprints or evidence. They’d buy their getaway cars for cheap, then discard them, again leaving no trace of their identities. They would pull off mostly low-risk, low-reward heists, so as not to create a lot of attention. They were smart and well led.

Their leader was Bob Mathews (Nicholas Hoult), a well-spoken, charismatic young man who people gravitated towards. His growing followers were like-minded individuals with families having barbecues and picnics together like anybody else. He aimed to build an army to go after the federal government for subverting what he considered the white man’s birthright and superiority, yet he frowned on “cross burnings” as too showy and drawing unneeded attention.

His group “The Order” began stockpiling weapons and explosives, getting inspiration from “The Turner Diaries,” a template revolutionary novel. The same book that encouraged Timothy McVeigh in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and, more recently, was found in possession of one of the January 6th U.S. Capitol “visitors.”

As their numbers grew, Mathews became more emboldened to go after bigger money heists, as in an armored truck carrying $3.6 million. He even silenced controversial Denver talk show host Alan Berg (played by Marc Maron) as being an outspoken, liberal Jew. “The Order” gunned him down in his driveway by a machine gun in 1984.

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So as newly-assigned Agent Husk and a young local deputy Jamie Bowen (Tye Sheridan) began to connect the dots, all signs led to Bob Mathews and “The Order.” The problem was figuring out where they were hiding out and where they would possibly strike next.

I know “edge-of-your-seat” is way overused. But I literally felt myself leaning in towards the screen to catch every hint, every word, every expression from this terrific cast in this riveting cat-and-mouse drama. Not only is this one of the best procedurals of the year, but Nicholas Hoult’s chilling performance made it one I will not soon comfortably be able to forget.

THE ORDER (B+) Rated R for some strong violence and language throughout. Starring Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Marc Maron and Jurnee Smollett. Directed by Justin Kurzel (“Assassin’s Creed” “The Snowtown Murders”) – filmed in Alberta, Canada. Running time: 114 minutes.

The KSL Movie Show with Andy Farnsworth and Steve Salles airs Fridays on KSL NewsRadio from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Follow the show on Facebook, and join The KSL Movie Show Club for exclusive perks by texting MOVIE to 57500. Message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to cancel. Message frequency varies.