Jude Law’s acclaimed true-crime thriller The Order is now free to watch on BBC iPlayer

Jude Law has earned widespread praise for his performance in The Order, a tense crime thriller based on a disturbing chapter of American history. The film, which also stars Nicholas Hoult, is now available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer.

Originally released in cinemas in 2024 before moving to premium streaming services, The Order has recently joined the BBC’s iPlayer catalogue. According to its listing, however, viewers have only a limited window to watch it, with the film scheduled to remain on the platform for one month.

The film premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival and was directed by Justin Kurzel, with a screenplay by Zach Baylin. It is based on The Silent Brotherhood, the 1989 non-fiction book by journalists Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt.

A terrifying true story

Set in the Pacific Northwest during the early 1980s, The Order follows a series of increasingly audacious crimes, including daylight bank robberies and armoured car heists.

The scale and violence of the attacks leave law enforcement struggling to understand what is happening, while fear spreads across the region. FBI agent Terry Husk, played by Jude Law, begins to suspect that the crimes are connected to something far more dangerous than an ordinary criminal operation.

Husk becomes convinced that a domestic terrorist organisation is behind the robberies and intends to use the stolen money to finance an armed uprising against the US government.

His investigation takes him into the world of violent white supremacists, where he begins closing in on Bob Mathews, the charismatic but dangerous leader of The Order, played by Nicholas Hoult. The group is building a war chest worth more than $4 million as it prepares for an attempted uprising.

The story eventually leads to a bloody confrontation between law enforcement and Mathews, an encounter that would become part of the real history on which the film is based.

Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult praised for their performances

Law and Hoult take on roles based on real people, with Law portraying FBI agent Terry Husk and Hoult playing Bob Mathews.

The film has attracted particularly strong reactions for its two central performances. The Guardian described Law’s portrayal as commanding, while praising Hoult for his chilling interpretation of the white supremacist leader.

The film’s reception has also been reflected on Rotten Tomatoes, where The Order currently holds a 93% Tomatometer score from critics and an 89% audience score.

Viewers have similarly praised Law’s work, with some calling it his best performance yet and even suggesting he deserved Oscar consideration.

One viewer described Law as outstanding and praised the cast for portraying a terrifying story with such intensity.

Another called Law’s performance Oscar-worthy, while also highlighting the supporting cast, direction and cinematography for adding to the impact of an upsetting true-crime story.

Other reactions have described The Order as thrilling, suspenseful and nail-biting, with some viewers calling it an overlooked gem.

A difficult film to watch

The subject matter means The Order is unlikely to be an easy watch for everyone.

One viewer summed up that reaction by calling it a hard film to watch but one that needed to be made, adding that Jude Law is almost unrecognisable in the role.

Another praised the film as an intense thriller that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.

The film’s disturbing subject matter comes directly from the real crimes associated with The Order. The group carried out a series of robberies and other violent acts in an attempt to fund its extremist ambitions. The film draws on Flynn and Gerhardt’s The Silent Brotherhood, which documented the group’s history and the investigation that followed.

With its combination of true-crime drama, tense action and acclaimed performances, The Order has found a strong following among viewers looking for something considerably darker than a conventional crime thriller.

For those who missed its cinema release, the film is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer, as well as Prime Video.