Attack the Block is a 2011 science fiction comedy film starring a pre Star Wars John Boyega and a pre Doctor Who Jodie Whitaker. It features a very talented cast of young British actors as they find their London council estate on the receiving end of some unfriendly alien visitors.
One of the things I love about this film is that it is so unapologetically British, to the point that some viewers may need subtitles and a dictionary to understand all of the slang used. It stands out amongst other films of the genre for a number of reasons. Unlike other invasion movies, it’s on a much smaller scale. Only the single block in London is shown to be under attack but the sense of stakes are no less diminished. The characters featured are minimal, nearly all in their teens and are fighting with rudimentary weapons like baseball bats – no army or machine guns to take out this threat.
2011 Screen Gems, Inc.
The small cast helps to get the audience invested in their fight and the dynamic between the characters is a definite highlight of the film. The teens are presented as layered characters, their bravado playing well with the very real fears of teenagers who are in way over their heads. Unfortunately, the older main characters are a bit less interesting. While there aren’t many of them, their presence contrasts with the very natural teenage characters and seem a bit unnecessary in places. Nick Frost and Luke Treadaway play characters that I think are meant to be comic relief but their solo scenes just drag down the pace of the movie, while their scenes with the rest of the cast are just a bit pointless. Luke Treadaway’s character is particularly jarring as his sole purpose is to serve as a counterpoint to the youths, being a posh stoner who is naturally at odds with the street gang. The dialogue itself is funny enough that characters just for comedy purposes aren’t needed.
The greatest missed opportunity in my view is Jodie Whitaker who plays Sam. She’s one of the few female characters and the only one that could be considered a main character, but all she really gets to do for the bulk of the film is complain and slow down the rest of the group. Oh and getting hit on by one of the teens.
2011 Screen Gems, Inc.
The aliens themselves are unique and pretty scary considering their minimalistic design. They are blind, relying on their sense of smell and possibly echolocation to navigate. Their glowing teeth are used to full effect in scenes of darkness and to provide a sense of dread when they appear in the background of shots. The filmmakers used largely practical effects, only enhancing things with CGI where necessary. The movements were done using actors in suits which gave them a very real presence, particularly for the chase scenes, and only adds to the ruthless way they hunt down the main cast. Their single minded attack is terrifying, particularly when they are swarming en masse, and the film makers did not shy away from the violence.
While most of the action takes place inside one block of flats, the filmmakers make use of every element of the council estate. Corridors with timers on the lights provide numerous tense scenes when characters are left stranded in darkness, lifts and dumpsters are used as hiding places and the confined flats make the horde of aliens that much more intimidating as they fill the space.
2011 Screen Gems, Inc.
This movie is an underrated gem and a unique addition to the science fiction genre. It blends comedic dialogue with violence and terror, as well as interesting characters. It is definitely a film worth watching and one that I cannot recommend enough.
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