On my list of favorite movies, films such as The Goonies and Super 8 can be found. Maybe I just can’t resist a group of children (who I’m convinced are slightly suicidal) finding it their duty to get themselves in the most dangerous of situations. Take this formula to the extreme and you get this gem: Attack the Block.
I was intrigued to watch the film after seeing it pop up on several people’s list of favorite films for 2011. It has gotten a cult following, but failed to be marketable in the US. I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of it, and I have to say…I fell in love.
First off, I should point out I have a soft spot for alien invasion films; in fact War of The Worlds happens to be the movie I saw on my very first date. It’s safe to assume that relationship didn’t end well, but then again, it clearly didn’t begin on the most romantic terms either. The writers of Attack the Block take the genre and make it their own in the tale of a group of kids who find themselves in the middle of an alien invasion, as they work to protect the low-income apartment complex in which they live. What separates Attack the Block from other alien invasion films is that the protagonists of the film aren’t your typical heroes. The movie opens up with the boys mugging an innocent young woman, Sam (played by Jodi Whittaker). The group of boys, with Moses (John Boyega) as their leader, openly smokes weed, which leads to the aliens not being the only thing the boys are running from. Adding to the suspense of what is sure to go down as the worst night these boys will ever have in their lives, the boys are also being chased by a ruthless drug dealer. However, their “take-no-shit” attitude lends perfectly to a group of boys who have no fear when taking on a gang of aliens.
The film itself is refreshing in the fact that it’s not over the top. The actors themselves are essentially no-names, which adds to the gritty feel of the film. And let us be honest, we’ve all had that moment, where we are sitting in the theater terrified, and then M. Night Shyamalan ruins it by showing us the goddamn aliens. And suddenly we go from terrified to pissed at the ridiculousness of the way they look. This film takes a different approach. The aliens themselves are not CG, but rather puppets, and actors in costume. While not exactly the most real looking of aliens (if aliens could look real?), the film doesn’t build up to the reveal of the aliens, as we see one in the first 5 minutes of the film. It is also nice to see actors playing off actual props, and not something that will be put in digitally later.
One downside of the film is that I am terrible at understanding thick accents. Perhaps this is more of a statement of my own intelligence than a downside of the film, but I have found that I am not the only one with this problem. In fact, when the film was being released, it was debated as to whether or not there should be subtitles for the North American theatrical release. The film has its share of humor, mostly from comedian Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Paul), but my lack of ability to understand certain dialogue left me certain that I missed some funny moments.
I would definitely recommend Attack the Block for anyone looking for a fun sci-fi film. It’s great to sit down and watch a film that is both suspenseful, but also a really good time. You can’t help but love the main characters, and you will no doubt find yourselves rooting for these unlikely heroes.
