The Order (2001 film)

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This article is about the 2001 film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. For the 2003 film starring Heath Ledger, see The Order (2003 film).

The Order is a 2001 action thriller film about a religious order, written by Jean-Claude Van Damme and Les Weldon and directed by Sheldon Lettich and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. The cast also includes Sofia Milos, Brian Thompson, Ben Cross, Vernon Dobtcheff and Charlton Heston. It is available from Columbia Tristar.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

In the movie Jean Claude Van Damme plays an arts smuggler named Rudy Calfmeyer whose archeologist father is kidnapped in Jerusalem. When a family friend is murdered he is automatically considered the prime suspect by a corrupt police chief. His father (Vernon Dobtcheff), it turns out, uncovered what is believed to be the final chapter of a holy book belonging to a middle eastern religious sect called The Order. A group founded by a former Crusader that preaches the fundamentals of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, but the leader of this group is then assassinated. After a sexy police officer named Dalia Barr (Sofia Milos), helps him escape extradition she reveals to him that she was once a member of the order and that the sect's new leader is a part a radical faction known as the "Army of God." While reading his father's journals he realizes that he was scheduled to meet their leader before his assassination to show him the final chapter of the holy book. In it contains the writing that the Orders version of Armageddon is one of a peaceful resurgence. This is contrary to the belief of the Army of God faction which believes in a final Apocalypic war that would dispel all religions giving the Order dominion over the Earth. With the help of a friend of Dalia's they are able to sneak into the catacombs of The Order's temple, when he discovers the location of his father they are ultimately turned over to the Army of God. There they discover that the sect's new leader is planning to place a bomb underneath the Dome of the Rock, third holiest site of Islam, with the intent on inciting a war between Christians, Muslims and Jews.

[edit] Box Office

In Spain the movie was seen by well over 100,000 people with total gross at almost 600,000 euros. In Mexico the movie did just as well grossing over $560,000. Though not issued in cinemas in the United States the movie did well on rentals, netting over $18 million [1]. The Order was also issued on Video and DVD in the United Kingdom.