Review of Attack the Block (2011) by Tyler W — 30 May 2012

"Attack the Block" was a movie I heard about solely because I love Edgar Wright. He directed my second favorite movie ever, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World", which I've seen hundreds of times. Anything Wright does is unique, extremely funny and smart, and has a flare that is completely his. So when I heard he was producing this new British alien invasion movie, I immediately decided I had to see it.

"Attack the Block" is about a local street gang of teenagers in London. When a meteor comes down baring an alien, the gang's leader, Moses, decides to kill it. Soon enough, a wave of extraterrestrials hell-bent on the death of the gang invade Paris, and it becomes a fight for survival. The plot is very standard, but it's all you really need. One thing I always liked about Edgar Wright's movies is that the premise is always very simple. This movie is a lot like his film, "Shaun of the Dead". It's never explained what caused the zombies, and it doesn't matter. The same thing applies to the aliens in this movie. Doesn't matter what world they came from, they're just here.

The cast is really the films strong point. John Boyega plays Moses. He does a good job. At first, you don't like this guy. He's ruthless, selfish, and hardly cares about anyone but himself. Over the film though, his character is well developed, and by the end, you're routing for him. It's a great example of how to make a character arc. But even still, while you do care for Moses, I don' find Boyega's acting that impressive. It's a weird thing, I care for Moses, the character, but Boyega is so bland He speaks pretty much in monotone, and he never gets rid of that stone face. I know he's a newcomer, but still. The only thing that makes me care for him is his dialogue and the situational aspects of his character; his hardships at home and his slave-like position to the gangs. There's maybe one scene where a sliver of acting comes from Boyega, but it's over a phone, so you can't see his face, and it kills his shining moment.

Then there are the other members of the gang. Pest is my favorite. He's hilarious because he's like the weakest of the group. He's one of those great tuques with the tassels, and he uses fireworks to fight the aliens. Then there's Sam, played by Jodie Whittaker. She's a woman who the gang mugged earlier the same night of the invasion. Needless to say, she's resentful to help the gang survive. One of the funniest character interactions is when Pest is hitting on her. It's hilarious. She looks a lot like Gemma Arterton to me. There's not really much to say about her character, but shes good none the less. Then there's Ron, played by Nick Frost. He just steals every scene he's in. He's very likable and funny, in a very simple way. He doesn't need to do much to make you laugh. You look at his haircut alone and chuckle. The final characters I have to mention are the two kids, Probs and Mayhem. They're a couple of like, nine year olds trying to be a part of the gang, and they're awesome. They get to kick some alien ass themselves, and their dialogue is priceless. I wish we could get like a 10 minute short film of just them fighting the aliens. It'd be a great bonus feature.

The effects in this movie are wonderful. It's all practical effects. The aliens are just guys in suits, and it's something I've really missed in movies. It's rare to see good old prosthetics and animatronics used to create a creature these days, instead of just making some CGI. Don't get me wrong, CGI can be fantastic, but it doesn't have the same effect as something actually being on the screen, fighting someone.

"Attack the Block" is a fantastic film. It's hilarious, brilliantly written, great practical effects, and has very likable characters. If you're looking for a good way to waste an hour and a half, give it a watch. It's well worth it.