The Order

I've always been a fan of Jean-Claude van Damme, so I've been mad that his recent movies haven't got theatrical releases, while the latest Adam Sandler and the current breed of gross-out teen movies have. I'd much rather see van Damme on the big screen than another teen movie. Although THE ORDER is far from his best or my favorite of his films (those would be HARD TARGET, SUDDEN DEATH, MAXIMUM RISK, and LEGIONNAIRE), it's still pretty good, even if it does drag in some places and has some hard-to-understand accents. But you can understand enough to know the basic idea of the movie, so it doesn't really matter. Written by van Damme, the story moves had a decent pacer, but the direction could have been a little tighter in some scenes. Van Damme is particularly good, and though it's not his best acting (that would be MAXIMUM RISK), it's better than some of his earlier ones.

The film makes good use of its Israeli locations, sexy newcomer Sofia Milos makes a feisty heroine, and co-stars Ben Cross and Brian Thompson offer good support in roles that are smaller than they should be. Unfortunately, however, Charlton Heston is wasted. I kept saying to myself, "Why go to all the trouble to get a famous big-name veteran screen star to play such a teeny, tiny little role?" His part would have been better suited for the unknown who played van Damme's father, with Heston playing the father. That would have been much better. As I said, some parts tend to drag a little bit, but the action scenes are well-done, my favorite being the entire climactic sequence in the underground tunnel system. There's even some funny bloopers that run before the end credits, though only a few; some more would have been nice.

All-in-all, one of van Damme's better movies storywise, and though I'm not sure if I would actually buy the DVD, I would probably make it an occasional rental. Then again, I'm a big van Damme fan, so I'll probably buy it next time I see it just to have it.

Honestly, I bought this movie at Wal-Mart, as it was in the $5.50 bin and it looked like something that I would enjoy making fun of. It sat around for quite a while before I eventually popped it in to view it and to have a field day making fun of it. However, I didn't hate it. In fact, I rather enjoyed it. Yes, the film is filled with all sorts of different action cliches, but it is an enjoyable film if you don't try to analyze it and just enjoy it for what it is. The film has some good heart to it and the filmmakers themselves give off the impression that they enjoyed making this movie too. I would not advise anyone to go out of their way to see this, but if you stumble onto it, watch it with low expectations and you won't be let down.

This movie is an action comedy. I don't it really was supposed to be a serious action movie. Most people criticize the movie, claiming that it didn't deliver and the fact that it wasn't one of Van Damme's worst movie. In respect to the movie, it is a action comedy in a lighter aspect. I admit though, the movie did have its flaws, and some of van damme's dialogue was too simplistic and cheesy. However, the had its moments, and van damme is still in top shape. I also liked how Van Damme used some of his old co-stars from previous movies (The Quest, Cyborg). Overall, this movie should satisfy any van damme fan. This movie could've produce a lot more, and the Charlton Heston character was unnecessary.

Final Judgement: **1/2/****

The film begins with a medieval prologue telling the following : ¨1099 A.D. It was an age of religious Crusades and Holy Wars. After a grueling for-year campaign , the knights of Christendom finally arrive at the gates of Jerusalen. During the furious battle of the Holy City, a Flemish knight , Charles Le Vaillant , had a life-changing epiphany. Le Valliant was struck by the hypocrisy of killing fellow human beings in the same God. ¨The Fazar¨ Le Valliant's account of his experiences for days after that bloody battle, until he found the entrance of a cave that ran beneath the length of the Holy City. Inside that cave , he began to record his epiphany which became the basis for a new religious sect. An order that would combine the fundamental tenets of three major religions of his day. His first converts were fellow Christian knights who'd also become disenchanted by the bloodshed. The force of his convictions even won over Jews and Muslims former enemies who now became willing converts to the new faith. Many years completing the original ¨Fazar¨, Le Vaillant had further revelations. He wrote these down, intending to add them as the final chapter. Around the same time , he and his followers were accused of heresy by the Crusader authorities. On their way to Syria , he and his disciples were intercepted by of the same Crusaders he had once commanded. During the battle that followed , Le Vaillant died a martyr's death. The final chapter he had written was lost.¨ After that, the picture is set in Odessa, Ukraine, where Van Damme robbing valuable eggs to Russian mafia. The eggs were designed by Peter Faberge, a special gift to Czar Nichola with inlay twenty-four carat gold. Later On, Jean-Claude Van Damme reunites with his father(Vernon Dobtcheff) and learns about the lost chapter of ¨The Fazar¨, it happens to be the holy scripture of an obscure Middle-Eastern sect called ¨The Order¨ (ruled actually by Brian Thompson). Then his father go to Israel, but he disappears and Van Damme goes to country to find him. There is received by an old professor (Charlton Heston) and happen several adventures, dangers and risks.

This movie exhibited in some countries direct to video packs violent action, suspense, shoot-outs, and martial arts fighting and results to be quite amusing. Tough Van Damme plays finely a sympathetic thief, splendid Sofia Milos as enjoyable police who finally falls in love with him and Charlton Heston plays convincingly a veteran archaeologist in a brief appearance .The movie is pointlessly energetic, occasionally fun and entertaining and for that reason will appeal to true devotee Van Damme. It packs an atmospheric soundtrack by Pino Donaggio and colorful cinematography by David Garfinkel. It's produced with middling budget by Milennium with its usual producers Boaz Davidson, Trevor Short and Danny, Avi Lerner , furthermore by Van Damme's 777 Films Corp .The movie is professionally directed by Sheldon Lettich. He spent several years in the US Marines Corps, including a time in Vietnam war. Lettich is filmmaker of Van Damme various hits( Double impact,Lionheart, Hard cops), besides is author of hunk men vehicles such as Daniel Bernhardt(Perfect day),Dolph Lundgren(List patrol) and Mark Dacascos(Only the strong). Rating : Acceptable and passable. The flick will appeal to Jean-Claude Van Damme fans and noisy action enthusiasts.

I needed a DVD to test out whether the DVD reader in a laptop I was fixing was working, so I grabbed "The Order" out of a pile my father had left me to use. As I was playing the disc, I got hooked. I agree with the consensus of previous reviewers before me. This movie is nothing special, with thin plot, thin characters, and low-budget sets (when they're not using real locations). But what the movie has going for it is spectacular scenery, compliments of the Holy Land, decent chase scenes and stunts, and a very appealing Van Damme, probably at his most relaxed and confident. If you see it playing anywhere on cable, be sure to check it out. It's not cerebral, but it's entertaining and watchable (and short).