Review of Attack the Block (2011) by Spangle — 09 Jan 2016

Attack the Block fell short of my expectations as a whole, but did have many positive traits. What it lacked in good characterization and in storytelling ability, it made up with its ability to make you laugh and be thrilled, but especially the later thanks to its brilliant creature design.

Though not a horror film, it certainly feels like one in the way it builds tension and really delivers a great pay-off for that tension. Now, the writing for those scenes is very strong, but scenes in which the characters merely interact fall flat and just annoy the viewer.

It is also awkward in the sense that it crafts characters we do not like, then tries to make us feel bad for them by the end. Additionally, its plot seems a bit too fortunate and unlikely in the way it ultimately turns out.

All the same, the science fiction element of this is expertly crafted and shows serious skill, even if the non-science fiction elements fall flat.