Attack the Block Movie Review
Attack the Block Movie Review
Directed by Joe Cornish, starring Nick Frost, Jodie Whitaker, John Boyega, and Luke Treadaway.
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If aliens were to attack the earth, what better holiday than Guy Fawkes' — or Independence Day, as Will Smith determined several years back — ? In a sky lit up with fireworks, spinning pinwheels and screamers, who's going to notice a meteorite harboring a hairy E.T.?
Actually, it's not a flawless plan. The first person to notice is Moses (John Boyega), a young thug who, while committing a crime, gets up close and personal with one of the invaders, inciting a full-on attack. Soon enough, south London is lousy with bloodthirsty, vile creatures and it's up to a ragtag gang of teens, a hapless pot dealer (Nick Frost) and a newly-minted nurse (Jodie Whitaker) to stop the hordes from completely killing Brixton.
Armed with various homespun weaponry (cutlery, a collectible sword, and bottle rockets), Moses and co., hop on their bicycles, tighten their shoelaces, and scrounge up a scooter or two as the alien invasion mounts and other problems (rival gangs, police) also accrue. Reminiscent of films as disparate as The Goonies, Land of the Dead, and District 9, Attack the Block is (mostly) a comedy the producers of Shaun of the Dead and directed by Joe Cornish (screenwriter of the upcoming Ant-Man, along with Edgar Wright). While I enjoyed the film, I did leave the theater feeling it's been slightly overrated.
A very low-budget flick, this sci-fi action comedy horror hybrid is smart in not going the CGI route (unlike another one it's reminiscent of, and not at all low-budget, Super 8), but the excellent moments of suspense, scariness, and laughs are too few and far between as the soon-to-be-dated slang saturates prolonged dialogue scenes. While I thought the acting was well-done (especially the interplay between newcomer Boyega, the flat-out hilarious Luke Treadaway, and the ever-likeable Frost), I felt the characterizations were too predictable. The monsters were fun and scary, but I would have to liked to have seen even more mayhem from them. On the plus side, cinematographer Thomas Townend does an amazing job making the most of absolutely everything, while composer Steven Price helps the scenery crackle to life.
Attack the Block is a good DVD rental or download, but if you're counting your box-office pennies, save up for Don't Be Afraid of the Dark.
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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson