"I got one text left. This is too much madness to explain in one text."
Alien invasion movies have been all the rage this year. We've seen Battle: Los Angeles, Super 8, and Cowboys & Aliens. Not to mention Summit Entertainment's upcoming The Darkest Hour. While it doesn't have the heart of Super 8, Attack the Block stands head and shoulders above all the rest. Shot with a budget of $13 million, Attack the Block was produced by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) and marks the directorial debut of Joe Cornish, Wright's co-writer on Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and The Adventures of Tintin. Cornish's picture has the feel of a cult classic 80's movie. Think Night of the Creeps if it were directed by John Carpenter.
Attack the Block begins on Guy Fawkes Night as fireworks explode across the sky over South London. The film takes place in the Clayton council estates. An estate, by the way, is the nice British name for the projects. Sam (Jodie Whittaker), a recently graduated nurse is walking home when she is mugged by a group of hoodie-wearing, knife-wielding teens led by Moses (John Boyega). Something crashes into a nearby car and Sam runs off. Moses tells his mates to, "Allow it," in order to check the automobile for something valuable to steal. A gruesome creature scratches his face and escapes into a nearby park. Moses chases it down and kills it. Feeling like a big man, he carries its carcass around like a trophy. The fast-talking Pest (Alex Esmail) believes it’s the start of an alien invasion. Sure enough, more of the creatures arrive, but these are three times bigger, covered in ink-black fur with luminescent fangs. The kids arm themselves with kitchen knives, baseball bats, and even a samurai sword to defend their block from the invaders. Much like his namesake, Moses must lead his comrades to salvation against a swarm of ravenous aliens that resemble the critters from, well, Critters on steroids.
Other main characters include: Ron (Nick Frost), a pot smoking slacker; Brewis (Luke Treadaway), a middle-class white boy who listens to rap; and violent drug dealer Hi-Hatz (Jumayn Hunter).
Cornish takes the bold route by introducing the protagonists as juvenile delinquents participating in a violent crime. These young characters are a throwback to a time when kids could curse and act in a politically incorrect manner. Though thinly drawn, the heroes of Attack the Block are funny and charming with as a band of hooligan Goonies. Cornish cast first-time actors for these roles and each one excels in their parts with John Boyega as the anchor. Boyega has the presence needed to serve as the leading man. With the scars across his face, he even resembles a young Mike Tyson. Not surprising that Boyega has been cast in an HBO pilot being produced by Tyson and Spike Lee.
At 88 minutes, Attack the Block moves at a brisk pace thanks to the efficiency of the screenplay. Cornish wastes little time introducing the characters and moving the plot forward and it's refreshing in the face of bloated blockbusters like Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Cornish does have room to grow as a director. One of the movie's biggest faults is the staging of the chase scenes. The geography of the estate is never fully fleshed out so it's difficult to tell where everyone is running to or from. The film could have also used subtitles as the thick South London accents are almost indiscernible.
Attack the Block is the working class alien invasion movie with the same skillful blend of action, comedy, and horror as Shaun of the Dead.
Rating: *** (*****)
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