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The Order (2003)
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Overview
User Rating:
Your Rating:
Director:
Writer (WGA):
Brian Helgeland (written by)
Release Date:
5 September 2003 (USA)
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Tagline:
Unleash the power. more
Plot:
A young priest is sent to Rome to investigate the troubling death of the head of his order. full summary | full synopsis
NewsDesk:
(10 articles)
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User Reviews:
Superb film, but it requires viewers to slown down, pay attention and think
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Heath Ledger | ... | Alex Bernier | |
| Shannyn Sossamon | ... | Mara Sinclair | |
| Benno Fürmann | ... | William Eden | |
| Mark Addy | ... | Thomas Garrett | |
| Peter Weller | ... | Driscoll | |
| Francesco Carnelutti | ... | Dominic | |
| Mattia Sbragia | ... | Apathetic Bishop | |
| Mirko Casaburo | ... | Little Boy | |
| Giulia Lombardi | ... | Little Girl | |
| Richard Bremmer | ... | Bookstore Owner | |
| Cristina Maccà | ... | Sister Franca | |
| Paola Emilia Villa | ... | Sister Marie | |
| Rosalinda Celentano | ... | Faraway Eyes Girl | |
| Alessandra Costanzo | ... | Eden's Maid | |
| Paolo Lorimer | ... | Englishman |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The Sin Eater (Australia) (Singapore: English title) (UK) (USA) (working title)
Sin Eater - Die Seele des Bösen (Germany)
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Sin Eater - Die Seele des Bösen (Germany)
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MPAA:
Rated R for violent images, sexuality and language.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
102 min
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Iceland:16 |
Australia:M (DVD rating) |
South Korea:15 |
Sweden:15 (DVD rating) |
Norway:15 (TV rating) |
Argentina:13 |
Australia:MA |
Brazil:14 |
Canada:14A |
Chile:14 |
Finland:K-15 |
Germany:16 |
Italy:VM14 |
Netherlands:16 |
Singapore:R(A) |
Singapore:R21 |
UK:15 |
USA:R (certificate #39328)
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
According to Brian Helgeland, Peter Weller did extensive research for his role by studying old religious rituals and histrionics.
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Goofs:
Continuity: During the scene in which Alex and Mara are making love, the leather bracelet Alex wears changes position from one wrist to the other several times.
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Quotes:
[first lines]
Alex Bernier: Every life is a riddle. The answer to mine is knowledge, born of darkness.
Alex Bernier: It wasn't always so. In the beginning, I still had questions. In the beginning, my mystery still remained.
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Alex Bernier: Every life is a riddle. The answer to mine is knowledge, born of darkness.
Alex Bernier: It wasn't always so. In the beginning, I still had questions. In the beginning, my mystery still remained.
more
Movie Connections:
Features A Knight's Tale (2001)
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Soundtrack:
Due Croci
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (196 total)
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After Dominic (Francesco Carnelutti), a priest who is one of the last of the Carolingian order, dies of an apparent suicide, the other two remaining Carolingians, Alex Bernier (Heath Ledger) and Thomas Garret (Mark Addy), come to Rome to learn what happened. While there, they discover that something much more sinister is afoot.
I can see why The Order would have difficulty being commercially successful. And that's too bad, because this is an excellent film. The "problem" leading to a commercial struggle is that writer/director Brian Helgeland created a very intelligent script that assumes the viewer does not need everything spelled out to them. This is a film that opens by placing us in the middle of a complex world, with a deep history, so that we have to pay attention and do a bit of detective work to get up to speed initially. The script is full of unexplained references to beliefs and traditions of the Catholic Church and "orders" such as Carolingians and Jesuits. It is densely packed with clever dialogue, subtle puns and other kinds of literary devices and references. It uses, and some understanding of the film depends on, occasional phrases in Latin, Aramaic, French and Italian (although most of the important words and phrases are translated for us). This is not a light "popcorn" movie, and it is a slow burner. If you were not to fully pay attention and actively think about the film, you could easily become lost or confused.
The performances are superb. Alex, Thomas, Mara Sinclair (Shannyn Sossamon), William Eden (Benno Furmann), and Driscoll (Peter Weller) all seem like real people with complex personalities and back stories. Visually, Helgeland creates and sustains an incredible eerie atmosphere throughout the film. It's so remarkable that a repeated viewing focusing only on the production design, cinematography and composition would be very rewarding. The music, by David Torn, one of my favorite modern composers and musicians, is exceptional. And the relatively sparse visual effects are beautiful, well placed and appropriately surreal.
The story is captivating and becomes more so as it continues. It is wonderfully "gray" about its subject matter when it counts. This is a film that not only bears but demands repeated viewings, but you have to be able to slow down and think while viewing--don't expect action set pieces (although there are a couple minor bits of action), a gorefest, or MTV-styled editing.
The ending of The Order cries out for a sequel, but not because the ending is at all incomplete, or because there was a monster who just wouldn't die. However, given that the film only grossed a fraction of its 38 million dollar budget, those of us who are fans of this film will have to keep our fingers crossed.
A 10 out of 10 from me.