REVIEW: Attack the Block

Released in 2011, Attack the Block has since transcended its meager beginnings and gone on to become a cult favorite, and with good reason. Directed by Joe Cornish, the film centers on a group of British hoodlums who, after killing an alien creature, must defend their neighborhood from a veritable invasion of extraterrestrials. 

The plot is classic sci-fi; hostile creatures invade a town (or in this case, South London) and the only people who know or care about it are the troublemaking kids. The police are oblivious to the real problem and before long it's up to the antihero leader (the aptly named Moses, played by John Boyega) to save everyone from the interstellar scourge. That said, this is a film which takes classic genre tropes and adds a twist to keep things unique and interesting. Just as Alien provided a clever spin on the haunted house/slasher flick, Attack the Block is a modern take on classics like Gremlins or The Blob. The "kids" here aren't portrayed as Dennis the Menace-esque foils to the stuffy adults, but rather as actual teenagers who are really involved in some unseemly stuff. The police don't bust Moses and crew for drag racing or skipping school; the opening scene depicts a young woman (Sam, portrayed by Jodie Whittaker) being mugged and threatened at knifepoint by our so-called protagonists. 

And therein lies one of the recurring themes of Attack the Block; at its core, this is a movie about who people really are when the chips are down. In another film, it would be perfectly reasonable to say that Moses and his street gang could be portrayed as villains; as we explore their characters, we see that, despite their criminal activities, none of these kids are really bad people. They act out due to the circumstances in life that they've found themselves in. Once those circumstances change (thanks to some "big, gorilla-wolf motherf*ckers"), they are forced to become heroes in their own right.

However, none of this would have worked upon viewing, had it not been for the utterly spectacular cast. John Boyega is clearly the breakout star; his performance as Moses is just excellent, saying little but getting across so much. Boyega is set to appear in Star Wars: The Force Awakens this December; if he's anywhere near as good in that as he is in this, it'll be a great watch for sure. Truthfully, all of the gang members are really excellent to watch, each one simply oozing with character; the biggest strength of the film lies in the raw chemistry present among the main cast. Jodie Whittaker's Sam acts as the odd one out among the main characters; as the film goes on, the young nurse has no choice but to join forces with her former assailants. She provides good contrast to the group, making for a lot of interesting moments when the only people she can rely on in the midst of deadly chaos are the same renegade teens who pulled a knife on her earlier in the evening.

Rounding out the supporting cast are Nick Frost as Ron (a local drug dealer), Luke Treadaway as Brewis (a local stoner), and Jumayn Hunter as Hi-Hatz (a local drug lord). Each of these characters are fun to watch (especially Hunter's psychotic gangster), but none of them are truthfully as interesting or entertaining as the main group. 

Speaking of interesting and entertaining, the monsters in this film are utterly top-notch. Really, these gorilla-wolf-dog things are some of the coolest creatures I've ever seen on film. The aliens in Attack the Block are a sterling example of what can be achieved when practical special effects and CGI are used in tandem. There isn't much gore, but what is present is really good (one instance near the climax actually got a verbal response out of me- not a very easy thing to do). This is an utterly gorgeous film, especially when one considers the indie budget that this movie was made on. The cinematography and music are fantastic, giving everything a unique, dynamic feel. There's as much character in the visuals as there is in the cast. 

I have a theory that some of the best films out there take a classic story or idea, then present it in its own unique way. This film certainly succeeds on this front, introducing something wholly familiar and original at the same time. As fun to look at as it is to watch, Attack the Block is a stellar entry into the alien invasion genre, managing to be exciting, scary, hilarious, and heartfelt while never once feeling boring. 
Believe.