Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Film of 2007, December 11, 2007
I saw this movie and really didn't expect much coming in. But Richard Gere delivered his best performance to date and Claire Danes supported him very well. This is probably one of the most if not the most suspenseful movie I have ever seen. While it is a little stomach wrenching at parts I started to gag, it keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Richard Gere deserves an Oscar for his role in this movie, and the cinematography is second to none. I highly suggest this movie.
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11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
"The Abyss Gazes Also into You...": "The Flock" Thriller from the Director of "Infernal Affairs" , August 22, 2007
The following review refers to "The Flock" (105 minutes) released in Japan where I saw it in theater.
The story of "The Flock" centers around the case of a missing girl. Or girls perhaps, and some disturbing photos. The thriller has an undertone of "The Silence of the Lambs," but in spite of its intriguing protagonist played by cast-against-type Richard Gere, "The Flock" is short on thrills, and some parts require an enormous amount of suspension of disbelief.
The most unique aspect of the film is the central role Richard Gere plays with slovenly appearance with unkempt clothes. Gere plays Erroll Babbage, veteran officer of department of public safety, monitoring paroled sex offenders. After 18 years of his work of supervising the registered offenders, Erroll, firm believer of his own theories about offenders, is not content with just visiting them and doing routine question. He cannot arrest them, but he thinks he can do something with his method, which is not exactly legal sometimes. Even his co-workers stay away from him, including his supervisor Bobby Stiles (Ray Wise). So in 18 days Erroll is to quit, or "let go" from the job.
To Erroll is sent an understudy Allison Lowry (Claire Danes). Erroll takes Allison under his wing and grooms her for the career as officer who can see through the "public presentation" of people. While training Allison, Erroll confides to her that he is convinced of one thing, believe him or not, that only he can know the truths behind the case of a young girl who suddenly disappeared.
As I said before, "The Flock" needs more suspense. Not many details are given about the missing girl (who might have just run away from home). Though Richard Gere is convincing as the man who is obsessed with his work, not much is told about the background of Allison either and her flat character weakens the master-pupil relation between them.
The film anyway keeps telling its story, fast-paced and stylish, with Gere's strong performance as its real power. However, "The Flock" becomes less and less credible in the second half. As it has something to do with sex offenders and Megan's Law, "The Flock," it is obvious, has one very important topic in it, but the film's plot, which poses some intriguing questions about the law and morality, does not delve into them.
Director of "The Flock" is Andrew Lau from Hong Kong, known for his acclaimed "Infernal Affairs" (original of "The Departed"), but internet site IMDb says Niels Mueller did uncredited re-shoot. I don't know which director is responsible, but the film, especially the opening, is full of jump-cuts, fast-forwards, double-exposures and other visual gimmicks that only help lessen the suspense. This unnecessary editing is regrettable because the cinematography itself is fine with the bleak landscapes (shot in New Mexico).
As to the role of Avril Lavigne as a young woman, it is not a big one. It is more like a cameo, and it is hard to judge whether her acting is good or bad.
And it is hard for me to judge the film either. During most of the time I was not bored, but that is not because of the slickly told but implausible story, but because of Gere's fine acting and the stylishly grainy photography and sinister atmosphere that reflects his character's mind. At the same time, besides the lack of suspense, I felt something is wrong with the film, which attempts to tackle one of the most serious issues, but somehow stops in the middle of the process.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Flock" a MUST see, March 20, 2009
I watched "Flock" with surprise, as I hadn't even seen promo's for it. I LOVED IT!!! I don't need to tell you whats in the movie, everyone else has already done that. I was amazed by the movie. Richard Gere, can play ANYTHING and make it come out good. I believe he did better in this, than he did in "Internal Affairs" and I believe that's saying a lot. While the movie is some what slow at first, it has to be. It has to get the people watching it, into what's going on. I feel that's hard to do, with the subject at hand. Sexual predators is a very hard subject to do in a movie. It's a touchy subject. Anyone in "real life", who works with these people gets a feeling about them. I doubt that many of them act on it. That's what I love about this movie. I felt myself WANTING to do just what Gere's character did. I can't wait to get the movie for myself. I own ALL of Richard Gere's movies and I haven't be disappointed in any of them. I feel Gere should get an award for this movie, as it IS an out-of-cast character for him, and he plays it so well. I really don't understand the bad reviews that this movie got. I guess that some people expect too much. I just love to watch a movie just for what it is. Now I'm not saying, I haven't seen what I thought was a crappy movie. What "I" think is a bad movie. verses other people would probably start an argument. I guess one persons bad movie is another persons good movie. Isn't it great we all don't like the same things???
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