Attack the Block (2011) Review

By Jason Haskins

Attack the Block is the little film that could—the Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead)-produced film that has been making tons of waves overseas that has just hit our shores in limited release. Hyped as the best lower-budget sci-fi film since 2009’s District 9, Attack the Block has been getting widespread acclaim for its monstrously fun laughs and thrills, but is it worth your attention?

When a mysterious alien falls from the sky in an inner city neighborhood in South London during a robbery attempt by a group of tough teenagers against a woman walking home from work, they must band together to stop the oncoming invasion and figure out a way to survive amidst the chaos—and why these aliens are here in the first place.

You’d think the story has been done before (and it has), but the sheer originality of having it happen through the eyes of these troubled kids as it makes use of the atmosphere and setting it takes place in totally reshapes the entire outlook of the film. There are some pitfalls to the script, to be sure, where some predictability comes into play and the ridiculousness of some sections take away from the weight of the movie, but the message this movie boasts doesn’t hit you over the head as much as you’d think—and I fell in love with the characters all the way through. Also: I dug the comedic elements that are in the film, but I wouldn't call this a straight-up standard mishmash of comedy and sci-fi. There are a few chuckle-worthy moments, but nothing to write home about in that department. In fact, the funniest parts are seen in the trailer to tell you the truth.

The real meat of why this movie works rests on the shoulders of the cast. These kids are a little bit older than the Super 8 kids and are foul-mouthed little dudes who are a little provocative and disrespectful—easily hard to like at first…but then their facades melt away and you grow fond of them. This is especially the case for Moses, played by John Boyega, who plays the leader of the ‘gang’ and is facing some other issues besides than the onslaught of aliens.

Speaking of aliens, these creatures are pretty cool looking. They’re a little familiar to be sure, but their execution is very excitingly implemented where they remain threatening and interesting for the most part. The use of CGI with puppet effects and tons of gore that’s thrown in the mix will make this a must-see for cinema fans wanting a little bit of bite in their movies this summer. Chalk that up with the fact that these kids are armed with swords, aluminum bats, and fireworks and you will undoubtedly know you’re in for a great time.

I wouldn’t say this is the best movie of the summer, but it’s by far one of the most fun times I’ve had at the cinema in quite some time. I think it will be a definite sleeper hit as the year goes on and this will be destined to take the crown as a new midnight flick at theaters all across the world. The movie is just plain fun and has many thrilling moments all backed by a pumping soundtrack and an intriguing direction by Joe Cornish that I can’t see anyone walking away from this disappointed.

4.5 out of 5 Stars

© Jason Haskins, 2011