Movie Review: ATTACK THE BLOCK - Go See this Movie!
Hot damn! If you thought J.J. Abrams Super 8 was good, you're going to absolutely love the Joe Cornish directed film Attack the Block! I heard nothing but great things about this movie before I saw it, so I was going in with some pretty high expectations. But good lord, I feel bad that maybe my expectations weren't as high as they should have been. Attack the Block rocked the theater with it's pure awesomeness, and is seriously one of the most entertainingly fun movies I've seen this year. It utterly blew me away, and I can't wait to watch it again.
You know what? This movie has sparked a conflict in my mind. I've spoken very highly of many of the summer films this year, but in a way this epic but small indie film with a first time director, and a full cast of unknown actors kind of put all of these other great films that I've seen to shame in a way. It was an original and incredibly cool film that a lot of people will love.
If you enjoyed classic 80's films such as ET, The Goonies, The Warriors, Gremlins and Critters... Attack the Block just takes those kinds of classic films and turns it into an R-rated vulgar badass alien invasion film. The film is full of original likable characters that are fun to watch on screen. It's got some great and inventive scenes and action sequences. One of my favorite things about the film is the script, like the movie Brick, the dialogue was an inventive use of jovial ghetto swagger. It's a completely different style of talking that is fun to listen to... trust.
The story follows a group of South London teenage troublemakers who are put into a situation where they have to deal with a massive invasion of pitch black glowing mouth aliens. You may not care for many of these characters in the beginning, but as the movie goes on you grow to like them, and by the end of the film your rooting for them. I also really liked the originality of the creature designs, that were not created using CG animation, they were created using a practical effects and a rotoscoping technique. Of course the movie has it's fair share of blood and gore.
The film was produced by Edgar Wright and stars Nick Frost, Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, Simon Howard, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones, and Alex Esmail. For a bunch of first time feature film actors they all did an amazing job in their roles.
Attack the Block is the must watch film of the summer, believe it. I can't stress to you enough how bad that you need to see this movie. It has a solid story, is constantly funny, and has some great scary moments. There's nothing like watching a group of teenagers fighting off aliens with bats, chains, samurai swords, and fireworks. This is one of the best films of the year.
Synopsis:
ATTACK THE BLOCK follows a gang of tough inner-city kids who rob Sam (Whittaker) as she is walking home in a scary South London tower block. She flees when the gang is attacked by a small alien creature which falls from the sky. While Sam and the police hunt for the gang, a second wave of creatures falls. The gang grabs weapons, mount bikes, and set out to defend their turf. But this time, the creatures are much bigger. Savage and bestial, nothing will stand in their way. And the bunch of no-hope kids who just attacked Sam are about to become her only hope.
To watch the red-band trailer click here.