Us bloody Brits are everywhere; you can’t watch a film or show without one of us getting their British mugs in the frame. And of course just being in one thing is simply not good enough, as these two Englishmen prove; Jude Law is not only in this but getting his Star Wars on babysitting on Skeleton Crew, while Nicholas Hoult is all over Hollywood like an attractive rash, currently also in Nosferatu, as well as recently finishing shooting as Lex Luthor in the latest Superman reboot for James Gunn.

The pair did find time to come together however for this drama, based on real events.

It’s the early eighties and FBI agent Terry Husk (Law) finds himself in Idaho, where a number of robberies are taking place.

He soon discovers that they aren’t being carried out by regular criminals however; he notices a pattern that traces back to one Bob Matthews (Hoult), a leader of a group that just so happens to be an offshoot from an Aryan race organisation, whose racist agenda wasn’t radical enough for his ideals.

With more Intel, and the help from local young cop Jamie Bowen (Tye Sheridan), Husk learns that Matthews and his growing followers of racists have ambitious plans that include bringing the government down, whatever the cost.

Australian director Justin Kurzel has been on an impressive roll with his last two features, those being 2019’s True History of the Kelly Gang and 2021’s Nitram. This sits perfectly well next to those stylistically, but sadly lacks the kind of impact they had.

Kurzel has proven himself as a director who can take his time with a narrative, often in no rush, and that trait exists here. However, he often punctuates with some striking scenes, which he struggles with for his latest. It is annoyingly quiet, with scenes that have the ability to spark into life, but simply fail to. The director just doesn’t quite find that next gear that he has found in the past, with every aspect of the film running along a flatline.

This especially goes for the performances, which certainly feel contained from the two leads, and nowhere near as dynamic as they should be; Hoult’s character especially, who is certainly confident as an orator, but in much the same way as a double glazing salesman is.

And considering the explosive material, based on the factual book The Silent Brotherhood by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt, there’s an opportunity to really shine a light on the ugliness of it all, but it all just feels somewhat run of the mill, and nothing that we haven’t already seen before.

It’s only because Kurzel has treated us to some superb storytelling with his previous work that this feels somewhat of a disappointment by comparison, but what’s here is still a competent drama with two great Brits delivering the goods once again – if only Kurzel let them fully off the leash in pursuit of a genuine thrill.