The Order The Movie

The Order the movie is a mystery action horror thriller written and directed by Brian Helgeland and filmed throughout Italy for an estimated budget of $38,000,000 and released on September 5th, 2003. The Order the movie reunited Heath Ledger and co-stars Shannyn Sossamon and Mark Addy with Brian Helgeland, who previously directed the actors in A Knights Tale who hoped to replicate the success of that movie. The Order the movie did not fare as well as the previous team-up and only made an estimated $7,500,000 during its United States theatre run. The Order the movie was released on DVD on December 30, 2003.

The Order the movie tells the story of young priest of the Carolingian order Alex Bernier, portrayed by Heath Ledger, who is sent to Rome to investigate the mysterious death of the head of his order Father Dominic, portrayed by Francesco Carnelutti. Upon arriving in Rome and examining the body, Alex discovers it contains strange markings on the chest that appear to be the work of a Sin Eater. Sin Eaters are rumoured to be break away heretic priests from the Catholic Church that can absolve all sin from the soul just before death thereby granting it access to heaven.

Alex heads to the Vatican to inform them of his discovery where an official tells him that Sin Eaters are only a myth, and that Father Dominic will no longer be buried on sacred ground because of his arcane beliefs. Alex decides to call upon the help of another member of the Carolingian order that lives in the United States, Father Thomas Garrett, portrayed by Mark Addy, to help investigate Father Dominic’s death.

After Thomas’s arrival to Alex’s church, Mara Sinclair, portrayed by Shannyn Sossaman, also arrives unexpectedly. It is revealed through a conversation between Thomas and Alex that she is an artist whom Alex had once exorcised and who was later admitted into a mental institution, but escaped to warn Alex of an omen she had seen involving him. Mara ends up travelling with Alex and Thomas to Rome during the investigation. Shortly thereafter Cardinal Driscoll, portrayed by Peter Weller, who is to be the next Pope also arrives in Rome and provides Alex with a dagger that is identified from a fragment of parchment that Alex and Thomas discovered among Father Dominic’s possessions. The dagger is to be plunged into a Sin Eater while reciting an Aramaic incantation, so Alex and Thomas begin their search for the Sin Eater who murdered Father Dominic.

In his effort to assist Alex, Thomas takes him to a man named Chirac also known as the Black Pope in the hope that he might know where the Sin Eater is located. After a confrontation that leaves Thomas injured, Alex attends a meeting at the revealed location of the Sin Eater who is Father William Eden, portrayed by Benno Fürmann. The Sin Eater explains that he became such in payment after the previous incarnation passed on the reigns after saving Eden's brother. Eden tells Alex that he is tired of the burden and asks Alex to take his place. Although Alex has the dagger with him and wants to avenge the murder of Father Dominic, he is curious and assists Eden with a sin eating ritual instead of killing him. After some thought, Alex refuses Eden's offer because as a result of this investigation has lost faith in the church and has decided to leave the priesthood altogether so that he can instead be with Mara.

Alex returns to where he is staying with Mara and finds her near death and beyond medical help after an apparent suicide. He performs the sin eating ritual to absolve her sins but during the ritual discovers that it could not have been her that slit her wrists because after absorbing her sins, he sees no sin of suicide on her conscience.

Thomas having healed from his injuries goes back to see the Black Pope alone and discovers his true identity. The Black Pope shows Thomas the second half of the parchment, which instead of being instructions on how to kill a Sin Eater, is actually instructions on how to become one. Alex, Mara and Thomas have just been pawns in the breakaway heretic groups scheme to pass the reigns onto Alex. After this revelation the Black Pope seizes Thomas to prevent him from ruining their plans. Alex knowing that Mara must have been murdered finds Eden and stabs him with the dagger while reciting the incantation, and realizes during the ritual that what is actually happening is Eden's powers are being transferred to him instead.

As a result of the ritual transfer Alex also learns the true identity of the Black Pope and decides to inform the church about his activities. With the Black Popes efforts in ruin he chooses to kill himself and calls n the current Sin Eater, who is now Alex, to remove his sins. He slits his wrists and when he is near death, Alex leans in towards him and tells him that he knows it was actually him and Eden that caused Mara's death and that he chooses not to eat his sins. Alex instead transfers the sins directly back to the Black Pope at the moment of death, sending him screaming in defeat straight to hell.