Product Details

• Actors: Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Shannyn Sossamon, Benno Fürmann, Peter Weller
• Directors: Brian Helgeland
• Writers: Brian Helgeland
• Producers: Brian Helgeland, Craig Baumgarten, Giovanni Lovatelli, Michael Kuhn, Thomas M. Hammel
• Format: AC-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Dubbed: French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: December 30, 2003
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (97 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000TPA0G
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,370 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "The Order" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Writer-director Brian Helgeland tried something different with The Order, and surely that counts for something. This brooding supernatural thriller was immediately dismissed by critics, and it's easy to see why it flopped: it's full of solemn, quasi-religious ruminations, it's murky in both visual and thematic content, and it demands the viewer's focused attention, which amounts to pissing in the shallow pool of big-studio filmmaking. And yet those qualities also give The Order some modest cult potential, as it tells the story of Alex (Heath Ledger, star of Helgeland's A Knight's Tale), a rebellious priest from an arcane fringe of Catholicism, who investigates the death of his excommunicated mentor and discovers the existence of a modern day "sin eater," capable of cleansing souls of evil, who has chosen Alex as his would-be successor. A troubled love interest (Knight's Tale costar Shannyn Sossamon) and an evil cardinal (Peter Weller) offer hope and damnation, respectively, but it's up to individual viewers to decide if The Order offers anything of lasting interest. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Alex Bernier (Heath Ledger) is a member of an arcane order of priests who is sent to Rome to investigate the mysterious death of the head of this order. The body may be of a Sin Eater, a renegade who offers absolution, last rites and therefore a path to heaven outside the jurisdiction of the church. Alex enlists the aid of his old comrade Father Thomas and of a troubled artist (Shannyn Sossamon) upon whom he once performed an exorcism. He soon finds himself plunged directly into the face of unimaginable evil, murder, and ultimately, a fate worse than death. The Order will find you!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 46 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Dark And Delightful September 15, 2003

By Randy Donahue

After reading numerous critics' reviews of this movie, I went in with the lowest of expectations. In fact, if not for the insistence of my wife, I wouldn't have even bothered checking it out. I admit to being pleasantly surprised. I'd give it a solid 3.5 stars.

This movie delves into the dark side of the Catholic church. Peter Weller is delightfully evil as the "dark pope." Heath Ledger is solid as always. Jon Laurimore turns in a solid, awesome performance as the "Sin Eater", and Shannyn Sassamon gives the only questionable performance. I just couldn't figure out if she was trying to really get into her mentally disturbed character, or if she was too sleepy to really care.

As for the story, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The pacing was great for me. This is not an in your face, gross out, thrill a minute, jump out of your seat movie. It gets under your skin, and deep in the dark recesses of your mind. It's creepy and disturbing.

The movie highlights some fallacies within the beliefs and hiearchy of Catholicism. It is a dark fantasy, and should be accepted as such. If you aren't certain about it, wait for the DVD, but one way or the other, I think you'll enjoy it.

47 of 55 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Suspenseful, dark and delightful. January 11, 2004

By M. E. Volmar

Format:DVD

Alex (Heath Ledger) a rebellious priest from a disappearing fringe of Catholicism goes to Rome to determine the cause of the mysterious death of Dominic, his excommunicated mentor. He is accompanied in his quest by Mara (Shannyn Sossamon), a troubled love who just escaped an institution for the mentally ill and by Thomas (Mark Addy), the other living priest of his church. Together and with the help of a Cardinal (Peter Weller) and a murky and devious character named Chirac, he discovers that a Sin Eater, a person capable of absorbing someone else's sins thus granting them entry to the kingdom of Heaven over God's back, was behind the death of Dominic. When the church refuses Dominic a burial in holy ground, Alex, who is supposed to kill the Sin Eater under the Cardinal's suggestion, is instead lured by him to find the truth and understand the meaning of what he does. Then the conflict between Alex's beliefs and desires begins.
This movie has a well-assembled cast (some returning actors from Brian Helgeland's previous movie A Knight's Tale) and great acting throughout, specially from Ledger and Weller. It has a tight-written, coherent script with wonderful character interactions, great moody music and very-well placed and never overdone special effects. The best thing this movie offers though, is a subconscious lingering question about the darkness that surrounds us, be it as sin, demons, or other supernatural beings. In this regard this movie is more suspenseful and scarier than the best of horror movies.
Watch it, pay attention and enjoy.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Not for those uncomfortable questioning religion September 7, 2003

By A Customer

A thought provoking and entertaining film with lots of imagery and some jump out of your seats moments. Not an action thrill ride but not slow moving either. Would certainly make people uncomfortable if they devoutly believed all church teachings.
The story was well acted and Heath Ledger especially gave a mature and "old soul," feel to his approach.