Release Date: March 12th, 2011 (SXSW)
Directed by: Joe Cornish
Written by: Joe Cornish
Music by: Basement Jaxx, Steven Price
Cast: Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, Alex Esmail, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones, Simon Howard, Luke Treadaway, Jumayn Hunter, Nick Frost
StudioCanal, Film4 Productions, UK Film Council, Big Talk Productions, Stage 6 Films, Screen Gems, 88 Minutes
Review:
“No one is going to call you Mayhem if you keep acting like such a pussy!” – Probs
I haven’t watched this film since it initially came out in the States. But revisiting it now, I was reminded of how cool and fun this movie is. In all honesty, this is one of the coolest movies of this decade and it also helped propel the careers of a few of its stars. Plus, Nick Frost is in it and Edgar Wright was involved with the production.
Attack the Block is a fantastic picture, to put it simply. It is imaginative, energetic and a fresh take on the tired alien invasion storyline.
The film starts out with a mugging by a gang of London thugs. However, the victim (Whittaker) gets away when something falls from the sky, smashing a car next to the muggers. Investigating, the muggers discover it is some sort of vicious alien creature. It attacks the leader, Moses (Boyega), and gets away. The thugs then pursue the alien in an effort to kill it. You come to discover that the thugs are just young teenage boys and the film peeks into their lives, humanizing them after committing an atrocious act to kickoff the story. As the film progresses, the boys and the victim discover that they live in the same building and have to come together to survive the invasion and a pissed off drug dealer. Ultimately, it is a coming of age story about Moses having to rise up, become a hero and redeem himself from his bad choices and actions.
The thing that makes this picture special is the style of it. The alien creatures are incredibly original and sort of resemble a hybrid of a big wolf and a gorilla with jet black fur and a glowing neon blue mouth full of sharp teeth. The building where the majority of the film takes place is cold and lifeless but the cinematography and lighting are absolutely superb.
Even though all the kids are little shits, they all become endearing in some way and you can’t help but like them, which is the point, really. You have these asshole kids but they are just kids and despite their bad life choices, they don’t deserve to die. The film does a great job of conveying the right sort of emotions from the victim and the thugs while they learn to trust each other and become not just allies but friends.
I don’t think that the story would have worked as well without the casting being just right. Jodie Whittaker, who is now the first female incarnation of the Doctor from Doctor Who, and John Boyega, a household name now because of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, had a wonderful chemistry and they carried this unique and great picture on their shoulders. Franz Drameh, who would go on to be in Edge of Tomorrow and star in The CW’s The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, also held his own as a member of Moses’ gang.
The film also benefits from a prodigious score that is actually one of the best from the past decade. It hits the right notes, keeps the energy flowing and just encapsulates the tone and style of the film in an uncanny way. It is a perfect accompaniment to the visuals.
Attack the Block is a damn good motion picture. It is straight to the point, quick moving and builds up the characters just enough without it getting in the way of the excitement. The ending is also extremely satisfying.
Rating: 8/10
Talking Pulp 