Andrew Lau, one of the most recognisable figures in Hong Kong and broader Asian cinema, rose to international prominence largely thanks to his work in the 2002 crime thriller Infernal Affairs. That film, co-directed by Lau himself alongside Alan Mak, became a cultural phenomenon, spawning sequels, a television series, and, most notably, a Hollywood remake titled The Departed directed by Martin Scorsese. The latter not only earned Scorsese his long-overdue Academy Award for Best Director but also won Best Picture, cementing its place in cinematic history. Yet, despite this indirect accolade, Lau’s own Hollywood debut — the 2007 crime drama The Flock — failed to replicate even a fraction of that success. Instead, it became one of the more obscure and forgotten entries of its era, a film that, despite its intriguing premise and star-studded cast, ultimately collapsed under the weight of its own ambition, mismanagement, and tonal confusion.
The most prominent name attached to The Flock is undoubtedly Richard Gere, who plays Erroll Babbage, a Department of Public Safety officer tasked with monitoring registered sex offenders — a grim, thankless job that has left him jaded, haunted, and morally compromised. Babbage is a man who has seen the worst of humanity and is determined to prevent it from repeating, even if it means bending the rules, crossing ethical lines, or ignoring protocol. His superiors, aware of his unorthodox methods, have decided to force him into retirement — but not before he trains his replacement, rookie officer Allison Lowry, played by Claire Danes. The dynamic between the two is as predictable as it is underdeveloped: the weary veteran and the idealistic newcomer, a trope as old as cinema itself. Yet, the film attempts to inject urgency into their partnership through the disappearance of Harriet Wells (Kristina Sisco), a teenage girl whose abduction Babbage suspects is linked to one of his “flock” — the very sex offenders he is supposed to be monitoring. As he investigates, he zeroes in on individuals with personal grudges against him or those connected to a support group he oversees. One key figure in the mystery is Viola Frye (KaDee Strickland), a woman who was once involved in her husband’s sex murders — now executed — but claims she was merely a victim trying to survive. Babbage, however, suspects she may be hiding deeper truths, perhaps even connected to a secret BDSM cabal operating within his jurisdiction.
The relative obscurity of The Flock can be attributed to a series of unfortunate production circumstances. While nominally produced by Lau, the real driving force behind the film was Philippe Martinez, the Canadian producer and head of Bauer Martinez Studios, an independent outfit known for mid-budget genre films. The Flock was, by far, the most ambitious project the studio had undertaken — not only because it marked Lau’s Hollywood directorial debut, but also because it featured Richard Gere, one of Hollywood’s most respected and seasoned stars, and Claire Danes, who was on the cusp of her career-defining role in Homeland. The film also boasts a brief but memorable appearance by Canadian pop-punk icon Avril Lavigne, who plays Beatrice Belle, a young woman trapped in an abusive masochistic relationship — a role that, while minor, adds a layer of surreal celebrity casting to an already peculiar production.
The film opens with a sobering statistic: 500,000 registered sex offenders live in America, and only one public official is tasked with supervising 1,000 of them. This sets up the film as a serious, socially conscious drama — but the script, written by Hans Bauer and Craig Mitchell, quickly abandons that pretense in favour of exploitative thrills. What could have been a gripping, morally complex exploration of institutional failure and personal obsession devolves into a routine, unimaginative thriller, complete with a “ticking bomb” subplot and all the usual genre tropes: the retiring veteran, the inexperienced rookie, the shadowy underground world of sexual deviance. The film does not shy away from graphic content — acts of violence, including sexual violence, are depicted, and there is nudity provided by Cyd Schulte as a woman indulging in masochistic fantasies in an underground club. The most disturbing character, predictably, is Viola, played with unsettling energy by KaDee Strickland, who was at the time enjoying a reputation as a Hollywood scream queen. Yet, even her performance is overshadowed by Richard Gere, whose sheer presence and skill elevate Babbage into the film’s most compelling element. Claire Danes, unfortunately, is given little to work with in her underdeveloped role, while Ray Wise, as Babbage’s unsympathetic boss, is reduced to little more than a bureaucratic obstacle.
What ultimately sinks The Flock is its direction — or rather, the lack of a coherent vision. The film’s visual style is heavily influenced by CSI, with nearly every scene resembling a flashback from an average episode of the show. The editing is rapid, the cinematography overbright, and the score by Guy Farley is grating and ill-suited to the film’s dark subject matter. All of this makes following the plot an exercise in frustration, as the film’s pacing and aesthetic choices actively work against its narrative. When compared to Se7en, the 1995 thriller that clearly served as an inspiration — both in terms of tone and even in its visually similar ending — The Flock looks even more amateurish and uninspired.
The problems with the film became apparent even before its premiere. Unhappy with the final cut, the producers took the film out of Lau’s hands and released their own version, known as the International cut, which runs for 105 minutes. Later, Martinez released a shortened 96-minute version for the US market — both of which failed to find an audience. The film’s troubled production, coupled with its lack of narrative cohesion and tonal inconsistency, ensured that The Flock would remain a footnote in the careers of its stars and a cautionary tale in Hollywood’s long history of failed genre experiments. For all its ambition and star power, The Flock is a film that, like its protagonist, is ultimately undone by its own flaws — a grim, forgettable entry in a genre that demands more than just shock value and celebrity cameos.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
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