Mexican director Michel Franco’s “New Order,” a dystopian shocker that resonates in these deeply troubling times, is not just his most grueling movie to date, and that’s already a feat in itself, but also his best and most accomplished work. If you were already not a fan of the guy’s work, then this won’t necessarily convert you, but regardless, it’ll convince you of his technical talents as a director.
I wrote this about Franco’s film on 09.15.21 at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival":
“The resulting effect is a bleak state of the union address by Franco, who sees social unrest and the aims of anti-establishment movements as more than just about positive change or smooth democratic transitions of power. He sees them as Marxist manifestos. Is he implying that capitalism, for all its flaws, is still the best system we have to go by? This kind of message will certainly irk many to no end. The protestors in “New Order” are filled with rage and youthful anarchy but without a contingent plan to manage the nation peacefully. They want the rich purged, abused, and ruined.”
“New Order” will be in theaters (and possibly VOD) on May 21st. You can watch the trailer below: