Order, The

Neither scary nor thrilling, this small-time horror film brings little that is new to the table. Still, its psychological stigmata mish-mash is interesting enough raise an eyebrow or two--then lull you back to sleep with its boring monotone dialogue.

The last thing we needed was another Catholic-bashing film. The Order isn't too hard on the religion, but the stereotypical evil Cardinal (Peter Weller) is present none-the-less to meddle in the life of young priest Alex (Heath Ledger), in order to save his own soul.

Alex falls in love with a troubled girl named Mara (Shannyn Sossamon), who eventually has him questioning his vows as a priest. This turn of events doesn't match up to William Edan's (Benno Furmann) plans for his future. He has been trying to convince Alex to become his successor as a "sin eater," a century old being who absorbs and absolves the sins of people who are dying, without the approval or involvement from the church. When he is unable to persuade Alex to agree, he uses his relationship with Mara to finally turn the tables in his favor.

Heath Ledger plays the role with feeling and conviction, but his exchanges in dialogue with Sossamon are simply painful. At some point it was impossible to concentrate on what they were saying--as if they had their own secret language the audience wasn't suppose to understand. Sossamon has yet to demonstrate that she can carry a performance beyond her unique look (which isn't really a complement).

There were many pointless dark dungeon scenes and a lot of filler material that just wasn't necessary. The Order was at its best when it focused on the supernatural "sin eating" theory, and Alex's inevitable revenge. The special effects left something to be desired, but the idea had promise that was never fully explored.

The Order was a disappointment that didn't live up to its potential. Rushed and oddly edited, it left me longing for a truly good religious thriller instead of this sub-par attempt.