A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: The Order

Date Viewed: 9/6/03

Details:

Heath Ledger

Shannyn Sossamon

Benno Furmann

Mark Addy

Director: Brian Helgeland

Score: 0

The Review: Carolingian fantasy; a pseudo-mystical supernatural religious mystery. This has the look-and-feel of a Robert Langdon story from the pen of Dan Brown (best selling author of "Angels & Demons," and of "The Da Vinci Code"), but it's not that good. It's related to my favorite genre of hidden documents and secret information.

When one of the senior members of the Carolingian order is found dead under suspicious circumstances, a New York priest of the same order (Ledger) is called to Rome to investigate. Also enlisted is the only other known member of the order (Furmann), and a young woman (Sossamon) whom Ledger has helped in the past. The plot revolves around a pseudo-historical fantasy about the early origins of the Carolingian order of the Roman Catholic church, and its nemeses: demons, devils, unclean spirits, and nearly immortal sin-eaters. (Sin eaters?! -- you had to be there.) While the continued existence of the Carolingians acts as an anchor to reality, the rest of the plot elements appear to be convenient fiction.

OK: neither exceptionally good nor exceptionally bad; not boring. There are some interesting special effects and soulful representations.

(20-Oct-03)

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