The Order (2001) User Reviews

Kinda Corny, but good action

[werd75 · 6/10 · 19 April 2002]

I just finished watching this movie and I have to agree with one of the other user comments: Van Damme's acting is definately getting better. He can actually handle more than two words and some grunts. I think he's still got a lot of room for improvement, but the acting is definately not such a joke anymore. I also thought the action was good in this. One thing I didn't like about Replicant was the amount of action. It only had a bit at the beginning and end and they didn't do enough with it, it was too short. The Order, on the other hand, had plenty of action from start to finish. Definately the way to go for a Van Damme movie. I mean, isn't that why people watch them? Anyway, I gave this movie a six. I think it's definately worth more than the 4.6 it has now. As with all Van Damme movies, don't go watch it with high expectations, just sit back and enjoy it for what it is: brainless action. On that scale, it certainly delivered.

p.s. is it just me, or is Van Damme not as big as he used to be? Maybe it was just the lighting :)

Not that bad.

[jukes_pirate · 6/10 · 5 April 2004]

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.

it was good

[moviecollector · 4/10 · 18 March 2002]

Well, I'm a fan of Van Damme & always will be. I rented this 1 after really enjoying REPLICANT, which was Van Damme's darkest film. I'll be buying this when it comes to buy on video. The action scenes with Van Damme were good, its great 2 see him in action again. I was happy when Van Damme did his helicopter kick in a fight in the end. It also was cool 2 see the big Mongolian guy from THE QUEST in this 1 & that bad guy from DOUBLE IMPACT with the ninja-star shoes. But I will complain about that the movie was edited badly at several parts. & the big bomb explosion was quite fake due 2 stupid CGI. & Van Damme trying 2 b funny at times was kind of a dumb idea. Overall this film was good but not great like his earlier films. Its decent effort. S. Lettich directed this, but LIONHEART & DOUBLE IMPACT were better films.

not Vam Damme's best, but still good

[MichaelM24 · 11 April 2002]

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.

How Low Can You Go?

[TheOtherFool · 2/10 · 26 November 2004]

Terrible movie has Van Damme in Israel as a cross between Indiana Jones and a Universal Soldier to save his father from the hands of a cult, set out to destroy about every religion on this planet.

Van Damme should stay far away from movies like this who actually have a story in them (well, I'm sure that was the purpose anyway), for the simple fact that... he can't act. Stay with the knuckles and the muscles, Van Damme.

Add the terrible script, boring camera-work and a beyond stupidity countdown sequence (only Bond can get away with that, folks) and you got your stinker right there. Even Charlton Heston (in a very small part) can't save this one from going down...

The only thing to enjoy was it's title, 'Jihad Warrior', until they changed that as well into the boring 'The Order'. Please, for your own sake, stay away from this movie. 2/10.

Typically lame Van Damme flick

[Rooster99 · 3/10 · 30 September 2002]

Ho-hum. Fortunately, I knew ahead of time that it was a Van Damme movie, otherwise it would have gotten a 1 instead of a 3. As such, I wasn't expecting much. I can't believe how poor an actor Van Damme is, some of his lines are atrociously wooden. But then again, IT IS a Van Damme movie and you don't go and see them for their acting or their plots.

This one has some good fight scenes, but JCVD never really had an opponent who was in the same league. He simply beats the heck out of everyone. The action takes place in Israel, in the old city of Jerusalem. Nasty cultists are planning to blow up Temple Mount on the day of the start of Ramadan, the Muslem holy fasting month. That will provoke World War Three, the Christians vs. the Muslims. Of course, only JCVD can stop them. Guess what happens in the end? No way, how did you guess???

This movie is filled with action movie cliches. When the bad guys are shooting at him when he is talking on the phone, his father on the other end says, "What was that?" and JCVD actually says, "I farted". There is a scene where JCVD is driving an old 2 horsepower deux chevaux Citroen chasing bad guys in a new Mercedes, and of course the old warhorse has no problems keeping up with the 300 horsepower behemoth. Israel seems to employ a great many police officers who are completely inept at hand to hand combat (yeah, right) and who also never draw their guns. Instead, they must think it is a brilliant strategy to outnumber the "good guy" 20 to 1 but attack his with fists only, one at a time. After all, we all know the Israelis have never had any experience at apprehending subversives. Finally, the Israeli armed forces are so desperate for female officers that they have to employ the one and only woman both as a customs officer, and as a city cop. She of course, against orders, falls for JCVD and helps free him from the Israeli police, thereby forever ending her law enforcement career (it's so sad, sob....).

It's too bad JCVD can never come up with any new ideas. There is the requisite car chase, the evil plot, the beautiful good cop forced to work for the bad captain, the father in trouble, and as usual the only one who can save the world is JCVD. Sigh.

At least the fight scenes were pretty good.

This One Is A Tall Order

[bkoganbing · 3/10 · 11 November 2010]

The Order finds martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme cast as the rogue son of respected archaeologist Vernon Dobtcheff answering a call for help when dad summons him. Van Damme is a smuggler of artifacts and seller of same and Dobtcheff is worried about some ancient parchment that the members of an underground religious cult want very badly.

Later on dad gets summoned to Israel and then is kidnapped by The Order and Jean-Claude is on the hunt.

Charlton Heston is in this film in a small role as an archaeologist colleague of Dobtcheff. Heston also narrates a small prologue showing how a Crusader knight also played by Van Damme who was tired of all the killing started a religious order that also attracted Jews and Moslems to it. The powers that be wiped it out like the Albigensians, or so they thought.

Of course when he gets to Jerusalem, Van Damme is involved in a car chase that in the end results in Heston's death and him being accused of it by over zealous Jerusalem homicide cop Ben Cross. There's customs&immigration inspector Sofia Milos who is familiar with Van Damme because of his criminal enterprises and we're not sure what her agenda is. And there's Brian Thompson all decked out like those Nazis from Raiders Of The Lost Ark who are trying that ancient Hebrew ritual at the climax of that film. The climax here has that kind of potential.

In fact The Order is a hybrid of any number of cop chase films and Raiders Of The Lost Ark set in modern times. Charlton Heston did not look well in his small role, I'm thinking the disease that eventually killed him was starting to show. But I also think Heston knew he wasn't in anything like the great epics he was famous for.

Lot's of martial arts and chase action as per a Jean-Claude Van Damme film with some specious theology thrown in as well. His fans should like it, Heston's fans will be pained.

Fallinf Flat!

[Jawad Daud PK · 2/10 · 17 April 2008]

From the director of A.W.O.L, Double Impact and The Last Warrior comes a picture that falls flat on its face and turns out to be a forgettable movie due to various reasons.

The Order starts in 1099 A.D. and narrates the story of a warrior who lived to unite Christians, Jews and Muslims who had been fighting among themselves in the name of religion. This warrior formed an 'Order' comprising these religions and his disciples undertook to spread the word of peace. The warrior composed a code of ethics for his disciples to follow, of which the last chapter goes missing.

Fast forward to the present time where Rudy (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a common-day thief. When news of his father who has gone missing, reaches him, he goes to Tel Aviv on a lead, where he joins forces with Dalia (the adorable Sofia Milos) and sets on a mission to track his father. With the help of his martial-arts expertise, Rudy finally succeeds in locating his old man but discovers that the kidnapping was actually held to drag Rudy to the city.

Van Damme's action is the only salvation in thethe movie where the pace is fast. Also starring Charlton Heston, as the vile Professor Finley. Overall, The Order is a movie fit for a single watch and tends to turn off interest sporadically.

Not good enough

[Danne-2 · 4/10 · 7 March 2002]

Hey, I can enjoy an action movie and do now and then. It can be great fun just leaning back and watch the badguys getting a well deserved spanking.

But the Order has been judged and found lacking. Van Dammes fighting is ok but neither good nor spectacular (though I'm in no way competent to judge martial arts, just what I find exciting), and the plot isn't very good, and thats with the expectations you'd put on a film like this. The Quest and Double Team are much better. So all in all, this is for Van Damme fans. The rest of us better see another film.

i actually liked it!

[siektwo · 7/10 · 22 March 2005]

I heard many bad reviews on this film, but i decided to "blind buy" it on DVD anyways (only five bucks).

The story is cheesy, but different than the usual van damme fare. The setting was great, and some of the locations that the makers shot at were amazing to see. The action was great as well, and there were plenty of fight scenes to keep us van damme fans satisfied. after all, the fight scenes are what van damme fans are looking for in the first place, right? the fighting was well done, and van damme gives you all the classic kicks you can think of. For a DTV van damme action flick, you can do MUCH worse. I put in the movie expecting nothing, but after it ended, i had a smile.

RATING: 7/10

Did I watch the same film?

[Duncinator · 2/10 · 18 March 2002]

Oh dear. How wrong I was to make a purchasing decision based on other's comments about this film. I was looking forward to a Jean-Claude-kicking-serious-butt-action. What I got was a disappointing, disjointed collection of badly filmed fight/action sequences and some thin plot that was used to put them together. Van Damme is better than this - much better. You want to see decent fight sequences? Get "The One" out on your favourite format and see how good it can really be.

It's very irritating that, even in this day and age, a director can find it difficult to shoot a spectacular fight sequence, even though one of the best on-screen fighters in the business is at his disposal.

Totally disappointed in this - Timecop is a much better film. The One, is even better.

And it's about time Van Damme got a decent film to star in, but next time, I'll rent the dvd before throwing my money away. Oh, and the DVD has sod-all extra features on it, which is almost as unforgiveable as poorly shooting the fight sequences these days.

I wanted to rate this film highly, but just can't. It sucks.

:-) Duncan

Underrated outstanding Van Damme direct to video action flick!

[ivo-cobra8 · 10/10 · 9 January 2016]

Disclaimer: If you are a viewer that mainly prefers art-house-type movies, then you might as well ignore this review. In addition, if you're not able to take a Van Damme underrated, good action flick from Sheldon Lettich, ignore this review, as well. We'll both be better off.

The Order (2001) in my opinion is very underrated, hated and bashed Van Damme film. I love this flick to death and it is a not bad movie that was made. I love it, no matter what anyone says. This was a good action film a very underrated Van Damme film In my opinion The Order is so much better movie than Knock Off. At least I know about what is this movie about at all. I still don't know what was in Knock Off. This movie is Van Damme's last very fun/old school action film that is very underrated indeed! Brian Thompson and Abdel Qissi reprise their roles with a new characters and reunited 11.years later with Van Damme from Lionheart (1990). Here they are completely different characters since they were in that movie. I am getting this movie on Blu-ray disc in two weeks, I have pre order it and I will get it by my mail. I also have pre order it Cyborg (1989) another Underrated Van Damme film.

Pino Donaggio the same music composer did made a music and edit it for The Howling and Carrie, so that's pretty cool. The effects in here are good and I have enjoyed them so much. The Order is one of my favorite Van Damme films. Far much better than Knock Off, Derailed and Inferno aka Desert Heat! It doesn't get the attention that it deserves, especially the fight choreography. The fight scenes are well executed and exciting. Van Damme actually looks like he's having fun. You can tell he had a ball making the film: it shows through his performance. Sadly, I don't think we'll ever see him in this type of role again. Love the comedy and action in this here. The new 'zombie' Pound of Flesh (2015) Van Damme sucks. Id love to see him go back to the happy-go-lucky Van Damme from the old days.

It is a good movie to watch. This one was neutral...Not too much action, Not too much dialogue....but just right. If it were released in theaters, I bet it would have done well. This movie has a great soundtrack at the end to listen too. Van Damme is Rudy, a thief whose father has gone to Israel but disappears. Arriving in Jerusalem in order to find his dad, he must also find a sacred scroll before it falls into the wrong hands... I really have enjoyed watching this movie, I still think it is very underrated Jean-Claude Van Damme film! I don't understand why is the film so low, so bashed off and so hate it, I don't think it is a bad film! It is direct to video film, I think for the direct to video film, it is very fast paced, it is under 90 minutes. It has a lot of action, you have a car chase trough the runway airport, you have a motorcycle chase on the streets. You get a lots of fist fights, from old fashion Van Damme fighting style! You get even a small appearance from Charlton Heston for couple minutes. You have other actors and actress in here like are Ben Cross and Sofia Milos. Sofia also played in CSI: Miami as M.D.P.D Homicide - Robbery Det. Yelina Salas. This film was also directed from Sheldon Lettich who also directed Lionheart (1990) and Double Impact (1991). This is the third time Van Damme worked with same director from the previous movies they made together. They both later worked together on The Hard Corps 5.years later, another direct to video action movie that I like.

For direct to video this is far entertaining, tons of action it has Jean-Claude Van Damme the last time, that you will see him acting like he a human been! What I mean by that is, he acts like he has a lot of life too,he is up beat, he is funny, he smiles, he try's to pick up on girls, like try to get their phone number. After this he played either a zombie and dead eyes or he will be very dark, depressed damaged person, he will be sad, crying or he be frowning or he will had that awful look. This is the last time, I see Van Damme been an up beat guy that has a life too, kind of, you saw it in Double Impact I miss that old Van Damme. He made a pretty good movies in the 90's than he does today. I know he had a problems with drugs and he wasn't in the shape anymore just watch Knock Off and The Quest those movie were terrible. There are a lot Direct to Video Van Damme movies that I have enjoyed Until Death, 6 Bullets, In Hell, Universal Soldier: Regeneration, Legionnare and The Shepherd: Border Patrol.

This movie get's by me 8, it is my favorite direct to video Van Damme movie, very underrated solid action flick! Does not deserve to be hated.

The Order is a 2001 American action film directed by Sheldon Lettich, and written by Jean-Claude Van Damme, who also starred in the film. The film was released on direct-to-DVD in the United States on March 12, 2002.

8/10 Grade: A Studio: TriStar Pictures Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Sofia Milos, Brian Thompson, Vernon Dobtcheff, Ben Cross, Sasson Gabai Director: Sheldon Lettich Producer: Avi Lerner Screenplay: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Les Weldon Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 29 Mins. Budget: $12.000.000 Box Office: $938,456

not his best, but watchable!

[dunny · 7/10 · 11 April 2002]

It wasnt as good as his previous efforts, most action scenes seemed to look badly edited compared to his newer films like Double Team and Replicant...the main fight scene in the city of Isreal was good, with Van Damme doing some nice Jumps and Flips, shame the end fight wasnt done better, but overall a watchable action flick...

Ham on Rye

[wes-connors · 3/10 · 23 May 2009]

Action-oriented artifact smuggler Jean-Claude Van Damme (as Rudy Cafmeyer) kicks his heels in the Middle East, where he goes to unload a priceless "Faberge Egg". In Israel, Mr. Van Damme declares, "Something is not kosher here." He adds, "I'm not trying to be funny, okay." Okay. Van Damme is sidetracked by the kidnapping of his father, and a thickening plot.

In the holy land, Van Damme meets Charlton Heston (as Walter Finley), who shouts, "Up yours!" to bad drivers, and gets shot at. Ben Cross (as Ben Ner) is nasty to Van Damme. Duplicitous customs expert Sofia Milos (as Dalia Barr) and some scantily-clad women offer some mild sex appeal (the "R" rating is for violence). Heavenly choruses sing, unholy alliances are broken, and Van Damme fights.

The main storyline is more interesting than the film deserves - as it turns out, Van Damme becomes involved in a search for an ancient religious sect's missing scroll. The sect's origin is told in an opening flashback; after that, the movie takes place in the present. Alas, instead of becoming more intriguing, the plot gets sillier. Good location and story idea, poor execution and use of resources.

*** The Order (12/13/01) Sheldon Lettich ~ Jean-Claude Van Damme, Sofia Milos, Brian Thompson

Hell YEAH!

[im4pos2ter0 · 1 March 2004]

This is got to be the best (van)damn movie EVER... if not the GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE!

Not since the likes of "Evil Dead 2" has a movie of this caliber been unleashed upon the unsuspecting horde of mankind!!!

It is so ridiculous, it goes all the way around the quality circle and hits 'awesome'!

But you just have to see it to believe it.

I love half second shots of their faces during the car chase scene, van Damme kicking EVERYONE in the movie(and i mean EVERYONE! not a single human being in this movie is spared from van Damme's kung fu FURY!!!), van Damme using his martial arts to get whatever he wants, the fight scene in the shallow fountain, the shot of the gun landing in the produce, Charelton Heston, the sexy cop who always ran around with her long lucious hair down and her shirt 3 buttons open (yum!), Rudy (van Damme's character) always giving his dad a "high five!", the music (oh God, the music)...

The list goes on... Its endless!

Simply put, this movie is a cinematic masterpiece. The director is a brilliant man with a keen and precise sense of the celluloid artform, as you will see with each perfectly timed and precisely angled shot that creates the awesomeness that is "The Order".

You have to see it to believe it.

My review: 9/10 Go watch it!

Decent

[dan-1315 · 5/10 · 26 May 2014]

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).

Van Damme pretends to be Indiana Jones in Israel

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 22 September 2016]

Another disappointing actioner from once-reliable superstar Jean-Claude Van Damme, now reduced to making movies for the straight-to-video market that only his most die-hard fans will bother checking out. THE ORDER is an utterly predictable affair that astonishingly turns into an open rip-off of INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE towards the final proceedings, with Van Damme as Indy, complete with a bunch of religious bad guys, his injured father, an ancient underground temple and a series of traps that must be navigated. Before then, the film plays its action hand with endless chases, ill-judged comedy (laugh as you see Van Damme dress up as an Orthodox Jew!) and some slow-motion martial arts action that fails to impress on every level.

The film lacks both the level of violence and suspense from previous Van Damme actioners, even the dark and edgy REPLICANT was miles better than this one. The action is plentiful but rarely exciting, consisting of poorly-edited punch-ups, some cool-but-not-THAT-impressive car and motorbike chases; the villains here intend to deport Van Damme rather than to kill him like in previous movies, which makes things that bit less exciting. Most of Van Damme's opponents seem to be security guards or policemen rather than genuine evil guys (until the oh-so-predictable conclusion, that is) so its less easy to support his violent actions.

One astonishing thing about this movie is the budget. Filmed in Israel with plenty of extras and props, it looks impressive. Plus there's a score from noted composed Pino Donaggio. Another surprising thing is the supporting cast. I remember feeling sorry for Van Damme when he couldn't get Harvey Keitel or Ray Liotta to star in REPLICANT with him and he had to make do with Michael Rooker (not that there's anything to do with cult favourite Rooker). In a 180 degree turnaround, here he has screen legend Charlton Heston making a cameo appearance! Although Heston's role is a small, money-grabbing one - not that he can need much money - at least he gets to share screen time with Van Damme.

Also appearing is Ben Cross, another respectable actor caught up in dross, here playing a corrupt police lieutenant (now where have we have THAT one before?) who makes our hero's life a misery. The female lead is taken by newcomer Sofia Milos, making a good impression and mixing good looks with strong acting, whilst the chief villain is played by none other than Brian Thompson, an established bad guy for many years who is sadly underused and hidden behind a joke-shop beard this time around. THE ORDER isn't that bad a film, just that the story and script scream average all the way through. With the level of talent involved - including the return of Sheldon Lettich, himself responsible for some of Van Damme's most entertaining, if not best, movies - I expected a whole lot more from this failed attempt. Yes, there is a lot of action, but generally its lacking in style, content and originality.

Worse than the Worst Israeli Movies

[dromasca · 3/10 · 17 February 2003]

I am no fan of Van Damme movies. Excepting this one, I have seen maybe just another one, when my kids were younger, and tried to avoid the rest. I did not do it with 'The Order', and I regret it. The movie is a combination of fight and Indiana Jones movies, but is almost terrible in any aspect - story, acting, cinematography. It is that boring that I almost fell asleep in the final ten minutes, when I was supposed to jump of excitment waiting for the outcome. It's funny, but this movie - filmed in Israel, and using some Israeli cast - succeeds to be worse that the worst Israeli movies. 3/10 on my personal scale. AVOID!

Pure, unadulturated crap.

[redshark32 · 2/10 · 5 July 2002]

Not sure WHAT movie that IMDB's reviewer was watching; but, this movie rises to an entirely new level of suck. As a martial artist and martial arts movie afficianado; I was horrified at what will turn out to be one of Van Damme's worst movies. Totally missing the raw power of Bloodsport; filled with vague religious references and a horrid attempt at a plot-line. Van Damme, in the future, should stick to high kicks and his trademark splits(sadly missing in this movie). Female viewers will even be more disappointed as this movie is even missing the usual gratuitous shot of Jean-Claude's naked behind. This is akin to a porn movie attempting to have a serious plot. Just stick to what you do best and forget about trying to win an Oscar. Watch it if you're drunk and bored; but, if you want some decent martial arts eye-candy; pick up a Steven Segal flick and watch for the broken elbows.

The same

[knaust · 5/10 · 2 July 2002]

You know what you get when you hire a van Damme movie. Fights, crap acting from Van Damme and pretty ladies (Sofia Milos). This movie is better done than many of his older ones, but no one will beat Bloodsport.Still the movie its entertaiment for a Sunday afternoon with the lads.

Van Damme kickin' arse in the Middle East

[actionmoviestar · 7/10 · 21 December 2004]

Man, I caught this film last night on USA at 11:30. I was hesitant about watching this movie because it was on cable t.v. and I knew they would cut out all the good violence and language. Even though it was on cable t.v. I was not disappointed. This movie is very good. It started off action-packed and it ended action-packed. You could tell that Van Damme had really started to get back into exercising while watching this movie. I know from the video cover that this movie might look like another straight-to-home video action flick, but give this one a chance. This film clearly shows that Van Damme is still one of the best action movie stars out there today. Van Damme is in dire need of a comeback. Rent or watch this movie on t.v. You won't be disappointed.

The one where he plays a daddy's boy

[jason_a_aguirre · 2/10 · 23 June 2019]

That's really all I had to say about this one, other than the fact that it's kind of boring. The only interesting thing about this one was the fact that he says the word "dad" so many times. As he does that the dad looks at him as if to say, "ok son." Found that funny, but that was the only interesting part of this movie.

Van Damme's best film since Universal Soldier!

[Pingo-2 · 8/10 · 22 March 2002]

It's with great joy I watched THE ORDER. Easily Jean-Claude Van Damme's best film since Universal Soldier (1992). The author Les Weldon also wrote Replicant (2001), where he also uses lots of clichés, but in this film they work much better. The direction of The Order (by Sheldon Lettich) is very nice, but some is lost in the very uneven editing. The main low-point of this film is the music, which is awful as best and extremely annoying at worst.

Fight scenes are few, but good, and it seems that Van Damme has tried to get more Jackie Chan looking feeling to this film than he is used too. There are plenty of rip-offs from both Indiana Jones-movies and Project A II (by Jackie Chan, 1987).

The plot is about an ancient Order with converted muslims, christians and jews. And this is not such a bad idea for a film. The Order is not all-bad, but the bad guys of course have the top-positions, trying to use the Order for their purposes.

This time Van Damme isn't such a brilliant guy as we are used to see him. On the contrary, he is actually portraid as a bit stupid, and sometimes even unlucky. This is very nice, since the co-stars - Charlton Heston and Sofia Milos - gets a chance to shine, which is rare in these kind of films.

This is also perhaps one of the more down-to-earth movies Van Damme made lately, and it has a really good setting and use of locations. Overall, this is an interesting and very good movie which I truly enjoyed watching. And as I said, this is perhaps his best movie since Universal Soldier, and I actually place it as the number 3 movie of all Van Damme's work.

I truly hope that a sequel comes out of this one, since they really put it that way in the ending! :-)

Great work - if you like Van Damme, you can't go wrong with this one!

Agreeable Van Damme vehicle with action, thrills, adventure and set in Jerusalen

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 2 February 2010]

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.

"Worst movie ever" contender...

[cpudsey · 1/10 · 5 May 2003]

Watching this film was the result of a lack of choice at the video library, as well as nostalgia for my younger days as an action movie junkie (I saw everything Van Damme, Steven Seagal, Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris and Dolph Lundgren ever put out). Anyway, no excuses, I should have known better. (The fact Van Damme is credited as one of the writers should have been warning enough). Truly one of the worst B-grade (if not C- or D- grade) action movies I have seen in years. A cliched plot, laughably unrealistic characters, sloppy action sequences and general all-around poor movie making combine to make this the dud film that it is. Also features some borderline racial stereotypes that made me cringe. The main bad guy is Brian Thompson (but you probably know him better as "meathead alien bounty hunter" from the X-Files), delivering a trademark mechanical performance. Maybe if this movie had been made in the eighties it could be excused as an example of the mediocre B-grade action flick of the time, but moviemakers now should know better. Possibly the only thing you'll get out of this movie is a good laugh at how bad it is, but I doubt it. Stay away - far, far away from this movie.