The Flock

After recovering a series of videotapes, the exploits of a cult preparing to go through the motions in summoning a deadly demon that will bring about the apocalypse is featured while a local militia team targets the cult to put an end to a rash of disappearances tied to their hands.

This was a pretty solid and likable genre effort. One of the better features here is the overall structure of this one setting up the storyline as a multilayered series of scenes designed to focus on the individual segments separately before bringing them together. As a product of the found-footage format, the first half here featuring the cult members abducting the one kind before going around to the various spots undergoing the means of preparing for the ritual manages to start this nicely before turning into the scenes with the cult operating in the desert preparing for an upcoming mission serves this one quite well. That turns the second half into a quite fun found-footage Action film as the militia group raiding the compound becomes quite fun. This starts with the ceremony taking place in the earliest stages before being interrupted, the series of gun-battles, chases, and general mayhem that arises here is all quite enjoyable to see play out. As the action is accentuated by the series of confrontations here with the militia members confronting other demons and beings in the bowels of their coven home which is chaotic and frenetic due to the found-footage aspect, this brings about some great gore and some fine twists to end this on a high note. The film does have some issues that hold it down. The biggest issue here is the rather staggered pacing that leaves this one without doing much for long sections of the film. As we spend the entirety of the first two sections here either running around with the cult members escorting the guy to the ceremony or the preparations of those going on the raid, there's barely anything happening here until the finale which can make for a troublesome time here. The other issue here is the decidedly chaotic times throughout here where the found footage as the distracting nature of it all leads to the usual dizziness commonly associated with the style which all end up lowering this one.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.

Oh my what a wreck. Natalie Hurt tries mightily, and Chris Thipen ain't bad.

The rest? Holycrap. Story sounds cool, and could have been a good one. Then someone tried to write. And then some worse people tried to "act" .

Don't waste 50 minutes like I did. (I couldn't make it any further. )

Whoever the hacks are that played the "God's Army" - ahem- 'MERKS!' are are beyond atrocious. A treehouse has less wood than these clowns.

Looks like someone went to a rehab or needle exchange for most of the cast, and then spent their remaining budget on some cheap Halloween Dementor robes and Wal-Mart grade cosmetics.

Found footage purity and reasoning - close to 100% The main characters are pretty good actors. They come off as believable. As with all fff, there are some strained dialogues There are a couple of twists and turns along the way.

My biggest criticism is not of the technical aspects of the film, which are excellent. It is of the actors in the cult. They do not seem believable.

Nonetheless, I think this is a very good film.

The Flock commercials were excellent. Insightful and accurate parodies of modern church outreaches

The director, Dillon should be rightfully proud of his work.

PS, love the fps images in the final third.

I love found footage movies. My favorite genre by far when done right. Ive seen them all, literally. I was excited for the idea behind this one, but the execution was underwhelming to say the least. The effects were done well enough, and the plot was original enough to not feel like a re-tread. Unfortunately, the acting and dialogue killed it. Acting isn't necessary to pull off a movie of this type. In fact, it can add to the realism of the experience. But actors who pause and seem to have to recall every single line or deliver them in a monotone way with zero emotion, completely ruins the feel just as equally. If the dialogue comes across as if it were written by a child, it even further ruins the experience and the viewer's immersion. Having both a bad script being delivered by bad "actors" who sound like they just woke up when they should be startled or excited, or whatever the case may be, is completely unbearable. Great idea here, with decent enough effects, but everything else just falls flat on its face. Ive seen far worse with much less initial potential and that is what makes this one so hard to swallow. Unfortunately, the end product here is better off being skipped entirely.

The film is an interesting horror, devised with lots of cult members, unique mockumentary feel and weird editing skills. Very much got that Blair Witch feel to it however there are times where it completely misses off the grid.