The Order

The Order is a fairly shadowy and brooding film. Heath Ledger stars as Alex, a tormented young Carolignian priest in search of The SinEater. (Which personally I feel should have been the title, instead of the current)

A very pale and thin Heath Ledger takes on the role of the conflicted in this film that pushes boundaries and will no doubt cause eyebrows to raise among several including the Catholic Church. (A few moviegoers left during the film when I viewed) The film is dark and uses shadows to set tones and create suspense. There are several storylines introduced and covered that do tie together eventually. The subject is an interesting one and this is certainly not the last movie to question the role of the Church. I feel Heath Ledger was brave in choosing to do this film and hopefully he will continue onward with his career. It was good to not see him in a period piece, as he has been doing of late.

Shannyn Sossamon adds to the film as the troubled Mara. And while some of the movie involving her becomes predictable the relationship between Alex and Mara does progress the movie in a certain direction. Certain lines delivered during the film that were perhaps written to create dramatic moments falter. The movie is on the cusp of potential. 8 out of 10 for shock value....a film that may not be very popular but worth seeing if you are a fan of movies of all types.

I must disagree with many of the reviewers on this film. I consider The Order to be a mature, well-constructed horror story. The "horror" is subtle at first, but it builds, along with the suspense, into several, intense episodes that culminate the film decisively. It is a complex flux of development, change and ever-increasing intensity of suspense and anxiety. As with any horror film, indeed almost any film, one must become immersed in the culture and story that is created. One must assume certain elements of the film to be valid, then flow with the plot. The Order fills all of the requirements of a good horror tale, done smoothly and skillfully. The characters and the actors portraying them fit well into the development of it all. I was most impressed with the lead actress. Her portrayal was stunningly sympathetic. And I really loved the ending. It melded all of the elements of the film together in a satisfying conclusion. This film creates a sense of doom and inevitability that constantly grows with its progression. That is what drew me to keep watching. I am not generally a fan of "Religious" horror. I shall gladly make an exception for The Order.

Certainly something different - a religious-based 'sci-fi' drama. Sin Eater, as it's known in UK, is a complicated story of love, fate, realisation, and a hint of gothic underworld religion thrown in. As Alex, the main character, is informed his mentor has died, he gets drawn into something which could alter his own destiny.

Without wanting to give away the entire plot Sin Eater is a movie which takes risks - it's not afraid of its take on religion and is filmed with panache, boasts good performances, and some effective cinematography.

Fine effort.

In the bygone days of the Catholic Church, a sin-eater was an individual that, through ritual, would take the sins of a dying person upon themselves. Often, these people were excommunicate or similar individuals who the church would not absolve, thereby denying them entrance into Heaven. The sin-eaters were seen as blasphemous, circumventing the chruch's monopoly on redemption. Sex this up a bit with some overt supernatural mojo, let the concept wander where it may, and you have "The Order", a movie that combines "Stigmata"'s religious anti-authoritarianism, "The X-Files"' paranormal investigation, and "The Thorn Birds"' sexual spirituality into an odd melange that sometimes works.

Alex (Heath Ledger) is a rogue priest, one of the last members of the Order of the Carolingians, a semi-heretical order of knowledge-seeking, demon-fighting priests. When Alex's mentor is found dead under bizarre circumstances, Bishop Driscoll (Peter Weller) sends Alex to investigate. Tagging along are fellow Carolingian Thomas (Mark Addy) and Mara (Shannyn Sossman), who was subject to one of Alex's exorcisms a year prior. The three go to Rome to investigate and are drawn into a dark underworld of bizarre Catholic heresy, ominous prophecies, demonic intrusions, and a man claiming to be the last surviving Sin-Eater (Benno Furmann).

Written and directed by Brian Helgeland (who worked with the same principals on the scattershot and half-hearted "A Knight's Tale"), the film is an odd one, and difficult to classify. It wants to be several things at once -- supernatural thriller, religious intrigue, dramatic television pilot -- and only sometimes succeeds at any of them. This isn't helped by the slow pace or the fact that most of the actors seem to be sleepwalking through their performances with occasional bursts of brilliance. Ledger, in particular, has a particularly stunning scene of despair in an otherwise monochromatic performance. Sossman, however, displayed the same disconnected performance that she's given in all of her films (most notably in "The Rules Of Attraction").

The plot itself meanders back and forth between several different story arcs, leading you to wonder which is the main one with each arc containing its share of red herrings. Large gaps of narrative appear to be lost between scenes at times, which can be confusing for many, but this is also one of the film's saving graces. The structure of the film -- coupled by the fact that there is never a truly clear antagonist until the very end of the film -- forces the viewer to analyze and reason in a time when most films are blatantly obvious about everything (the exception to this is historical background on the Carolingians and the practice of sin-eating, both of which are explained in dry exposition). Even at the beginning of the film, character relationships and history are inferred instead of explained. Combine this with the on-location shooting and judicious use of special effects, and you have a very old-world supernatural thriller, with even the opening credits reminiscent of something from the late 70's/early 80's.

A brief mention here, as well, for the subtle and organic score by David Torn, a combination of minimalist orchestration and Lisa Gerrard-style exotic vocals. A very nice score that is evocative without being bombastic and exists in a very deceptive simplicity.

A confusing plot, a lack of purpose, and sometimes sleepy performances would often damn a movie, but for some reason, "The Order" remains watchable. Many people will be very turned off by the movie for its odd sensibilities, and some may even become angry that they are forced to engage the higher functions of their brain to understand it. Still, the film's sheer intangibility will prevent it from being either a critical or commercial success until the DVD, which I'm sure will be stocked with copious amounts of deleted scenes. A recommended film only for people who like to think while they watch. 6 out of 10.

In New York, Alex Bernier (Ledger) is a young priest and one of the three last members of an arcane order called Carolingians. When the old leader of the order dies, Alex goes to Rome with his friend Mara Sinclair (Shannyn Sossamon), a troubled painter who tried suicide in the past and for whom Alex is in love with. Thomas Garret (Mark Addy), the other member of the Carolingians, meets them in Rome. Alex notes that the body of the old priest bears two marks on the chest and a further investigation reveals that they are the symbol of the 'Sin Eater', a renegade priest called William Eden (Benno Fürmann) who exchanges absolution per money. Lots of mystery surrounds Alex, Mara and Thomas while they stay in Rome. This movie has a good premise, cast, director, photography, budget, locations, but something is missing or does not work well, and in the end the plot is very confused and quite boring. A waste of a good idea. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): 'Devorador de Pecado' ('Sin Eater')