The Order (2001)

Van Damme scores again. I must admit to being a pretty big Van Damme fan. Some of my favorites are Hard Target, Sudden Death, Double Team, and Replicant. Heck I even enjoyed Legionnaire. However, when I viewed Desert Heat I was extremely disappointed. When I heard Replicant was coming out I had great reservations, but ended up not only liking it but putting it as one of my favorite Van Damme films. With expectations raised I picked up "The Order" and was not disappointed. After a nifty little prologue the action starts with a nice little heist and seems to never let up. The action scenes are top notch, including martial arts, car & motorcycle chases, and shootouts. Van Damme is great in the fight scenes and seems to be in great shape. He also injects some nice humor into the role. Director Sheldon Lettich infuses the flick with some nice energy and good use of slo mo/fast motion. I also liked the flicks editing, especially of the action scenes and also the use of the "wipes". Although this flick does not give Van Damme the chance to give a juicy performance like in Replicant or have much character depth, it is still a lot of fun. Van Damme is getting back to what his fans want to see him to most and that is kick some major butt. At only 89 minutes The Order is a fun, action packed ride. 8 out of 10

Fmovies: 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.

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.

The Order fmovies. This is all I can say. The hard-hitting Van Damme we grew to love is back again. Love him or hate him, you can't deny it. Van Damme is back! So, just get over the stupid comments and harsh hating, this is the man that we expect him to be. He is one in a million, and more real than both Jackie Chan and Jet Li. No harnesses, no bulls**t!!!

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/****

I am a huge action fan, and have loved every movie Van Damme has made, even though there has obviously been the weaker ones (namely Universal Soldier 2, Knock Off) but this time the man is back bigger than ever. I am so sick an tired of seeing these lame karate flicks where guys need to hang on wires to pull off a special kick, well not Van Damme he's back with the "real" high flying kicks all Van Damme fans love. Cool movie, cool karate..........great star !!!!!