Review of Attack the Block (2011) by Julian T — 01 Sep 2014

This is a seriously enjoyable horror/black comedy. I think J.J Abrams should take a long hard look at this film before he tries to make another 'Cloverfield' or 'Super 8' type film, because this is a lesson in how to bring this type of story to its greatest heights. It is a film that does a terrific job balancing its different components like its horror vs. humor, its familiarity vs. originality, and its intimacy vs. its spectacle. Overall, its certainly near the top of the '11 horror pile.

The story is nothing terribly original. Alien invasion in a populated city forces previously questionably moraled characters to band together for the greater good. There are a number of things that make it stand out from this done before plot, but the most obvious one is its script. Very natural and free flowing dialogue make the film really pop. The fact that it is flush with British slang adds all kinds of pluses for me. It just feels real in the way that people speak and interact with one and other.

This good script is delivered by very good performances throughout the cast. The lot of actors are pretty much unknowns. The only actor I'd ever heard of is Nick Frost, and he plays a relatively minor character. Regardless of the casts ambiguity, all deliver very solid performances.

The creatures are super cool. They reflect the tone of the film in that their a little odd, but still retain their threatening nature. Very original, and pretty effective. Like the rest of the film, the creature design effectively toes a line of familiarity and totally alien. They harken to an almost bear or dog-like creature that you'd swear you've seen before, but are contrasted by glowing blue mouths and a different range of motion. Very interesting critters.

Its direction is tight. Nice use of contrast and film exposure. Creates a very real feeling world with alot of dark darks and bright brights that add an almost hyper-real tone at points. There are a couple moments or scenes that don't reflect this. A few instances of muddy camera work during action scenes make it hard to distinguish exactly what is going on, but overall the film is very well handled technically.

The best thing about this film is that it knows its role. It knows when to bring the scares, when to be funny, and when to throw a curve-ball. It is just quirky enough to be amusing but not interfere with its grittiness. Its a very fine line to walk, but it is perfectly accomplished here. The actors perfectly accentuate both the scariness and the quirkiness of the plot, and it knows when to take itself seriously as well as when not to.

In closing, this is a totally enjoyable watch. Entertaining, creepy at times, funny, and just a little different than everything else. A few minor negatives combine to keep it out of excellent status, but it is a very very good flick that should appeal to hardcore horror fans as well as casual viewers. Are you watching, Abrams??