When a strange alien creature falls from the sky, a group of inner city kids in South London react they only way they know how—they kill it and plan to get rich off their find. The group, lead by the stoic Moses (John Boyega), are soon in over their heads as more aliens, larger and fiercer than the first one they encountered, begin encroaching on their apartment complex. Soon, the teens are in a fight for their lives, forced to partner with Sam (Jodie Whittaker), a nurse they just mugged earlier that night if they’re going to survive, not just the aliens, but also cops who are out to arrest them and Hi-Hatz (Jumayn Hunter), a spurned local drug dealer who wants them dead.
Welcome to Attack the Block, a debut feature by British comedian Joe Cornish.
As another kids vs. aliens summer film, Attack the Block will draw inevitable comparisons to Super 8. Regrettably, it will be overlooked during its limited release, despite being the superior film. Whereas Super 8 sought to ape the style and feeling of an old Amblin/Spielberg film, Attack the Block succeeds in telling a story about kids the way Spielberg would have if it he was starting out today. The gang of young actors, many appearing in a film for the first time, work well together, turning in genuine performances that invokes the kids from E.T. or The Goonies. And much like those films, Attack the Block succeeds in capturing these kids’ view that the whole world is out to get them. Adults are kept at an arm’s length. They can’t be relied on or trusted.
A film like Attack the Block wins over the audience because of the strength of the characters and performances that bring them to life. The kids are natural. They’ll act foolishly heroic one moment, but then run away frightened the next. They’ll shout profanities at police officers when they should be hiding from them, but still have to check in and tell their moms they won’t be out late. But for all their tough thug posturing, they’re still just kids and have superhero-themed sheets on their beds. When Moses’ troubled home life is revealed and he admits to Sam he’s just fifteen, it’s devastating. The scene isn’t revelatory or unexpected, but done well and informs why Moses is the way he is.
The film is also particularly strong in the way it portrays the strength of community that’s emblematic of lower income neighborhoods, something it shares with other well drawn genre films (see my inevitable thesis: The Blair Witch Projects: The Boogey Man and Urban Cinema). Highlighting the boys’ juvenile, skewed point of view is the moment when they admit they wouldn’t have mugged Sam if they knew she lived in the building. They still see crime as acceptable, but not when it’s against one of their own.
Of course, I’m leaving out the most important fact–Attack the Block is a great deal of fun! It’s got a fine mix of action, scares, and comedy (particularly with a great smaller part of Nick Frost). Cornish maintains a frantic, exciting pace through the entire film. The stakes are high and you don’t know if all the kids are going to make it out alive. The aliens they face are monstrous, ape-like creatures with a signature anatomical feature—large glowing jaws. Like nearly any alien invasion film, the creatures are always going to be the hardest sell. But their credibility is solidified by how well the cast of characters reacts to them. And fortunately here, they react very well.
If it wasn’t for the language, gore, and drug use, this film would be perfect summer fare for all audiences. (Not unlike how Rare Exports would be a family Christmas classic if not for the violence and full frontal old man nudity. Maybe we Americans are prudes???) If it’s playing in your city, you have no excuse for not seeing it. And if it’s not at the local cinema, but nearby, it’s worth the extra few miles. Those who take the time to see Attack the Block will be rewarded with a genuinely entertaining, well-made film.
Originally posted on Suvudu.com, July 7, 2011.