Review of The Order (2003) by Simona B — 04 Sep 2010

Heath Ledger is good in it, but the movie's premise is flippant, to put it diplomatically. A secret order of the Roman Catholic Church, a pagan cult, an undead Sin Eater, a murder mystery ... it's surprising how given such a busy storyline the movie manages to be so boring. I lost interest halfway through and kept watching only because of Heath Ledger.

Granted, given the film's low budget some of its failings should be forgiven if not overlooked, so I won't comment on the special effects, but there are tools that do not cost very much, which The Order's makers could have employed, but did not. For example, the movie is set in the Vatican, yet completely fails to capitalise on the location. Also, instead of focusing on the internal conflict of the main character as he re-assesses his calling as a priest, the movie goes off in tangents with spooky demonic children, pagan cults that hand people to find out the future and similar nonsense. It's all a little disappointing.