There are few alien invasion films that have the kind of charm that Attack the Block has. Its similar to Battle LA in terms of being thrust right into the action. But the characters and pure situational humor of aliens waging war on a South London neighbourhood make this an excellent film in every way that Battle LA was a terrible flop.
The story opens up with a lone nurse named Sam (Jodie Whittaker) is mugged by a gang of teenagers near her home: Pest (Alex Esmail), Dennis (Franz Drameh), Jerome (Leeon Jones), Biggz (Simon Howard), and leader Moses (John Boyega). Their mugging is interrupted by an object falling from space and colliding with a nearby car. Sam manages to escape the gang with this distraction and Moses begins to crawl into the wrecked vehicle searching for valuables. Moses is then attacked by a small furry creature which scratches his face up. He vows to kill the creature and soon after the gang works together to track the animal and kill it.
After the creature is dead the gang look upon the carcass and find it very unusual indeed. Thinking they may have found something alien they take the body with them to the safest place they knew for safekeeping, a drug dealer’s apartment.
Meeting with their associate and drug dealer Ron (Nick Frost), they ask permission from Ron and his boss Hi-Hatz (Jumayn Hunter) to keep the dead body in the fortified “Weed Room”. Before a decision is made other objects begin falling from the sky. The gang is anxious to collect more specimens and run out of the apartment to the closest crash site.
When the group come up on the nearest crash site they observe that from the size of the wreckage the aliens that were landing around the neighbourhood now were much, much larger. They see a giant set of glowing fangs off in the distance and begin to run back into the apartment complex. This begins the chaos that has the group working together to combat the aliens. Eventually making unusual allies with the woman who they mugged, who coincidentally lives in the same apartment complex.
While there isn’t a lot of plot, this has got some laughs to it. Dark laughs because in all truth these aliens are ripping a lot of people to shreds, but watching as the gang members act in an adolescent manner while solving very adult and scary problems is quite a treat. The use fireworks, ebay swords and scooters to take on a massive alien army, and who wouldn’t want to see that?
The acting actually wasn’t terrible. John Boyega plays an excellent gang leader, you can see both a tough exterior and a side of vulnerability. For a young actor this guy has got some serious chops. He is pretty good at disposing of aliens as well.
I was surprised with the soundtrack as well until I saw the credits. Basement Jaxx is responsible so the whole of the film has a really upbeat techno vibe. It makes the scenes really show a sense of urgency and during the action really pumps the scene up. The used a lot of videogame sounding stuff, it actually reminded me a bit of the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack.
Visual weren’t too bad, this isn’t a big budget film by any means. The aliens were made fairly simple and I am sure this saved a lot of the visual effects budget. They basically looked a lot like big carpets with rows of the glow in the dark vampire teeth. They are frightening but cartoonish in their own way, and maintain the look of aliens without having to shell out a massive budget for CG characters.
Score: 8/10
Acting: 6/10
Effects/Visual: 7/10
Writing: 6/10
Directing: 6/10
Overall: 33/50
Take Away Thought: Overall a very fun ride, quite reminiscent of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg’s Shaun of The Dead just not quite living up to the same quality. It’s certainly very entertaining Sci Fi Film that doesn’t take itself seriously one bit.
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