Re:tro Re:view - Attack the Block!

Attack the Block is a film about an alien invasion in a South London neighborhood with a touch of social commentary on how we see each other.  Believe, bruv!  It is written and directed by Joe Cornish who co-wrote the Ant Man (2015) script. It is produced by Big Talk Pictures which also produced Edgar Wright’s films; Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010).  It does have a British sensibility and the young actors speak in a heavy South London accent.  Allow it!  Attack the Block was released in 2011.  We start out with a dark night sky that slowly follows a falling celestial object.  It is a no comet.  Below, the streets of London are breaking out into celebration, this is Guy Fawkes Night, also called Bonfire Night, it is of course celebrated on the Fifth of November, “Remember, remember, the fifth of November…”  

Of course, the fireworks disguise the landing of the alien craft.  We have a young woman walking the streets talking on the phone to her mother before reaching a darkened street.  This is Jodie Whitaker who started in films with St Trinian’s (2007), but maybe now known as the current Doctor Who!  She is surrounded by the young gang led by Moses (John Boyega).  Of course, this was the first film for Boyega who next went onto a few roles before taking on Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)!  You can see the screen presence Boyega brings even to this early role. His other fellow gang member is Dennis (Franz Drameh) who went onto a role in Edge of Tomorrow (2014) and is known as part of the Firestorm duo in Legends of Tomorrow.  So this one film has the team up of Doctor Who, Finn, and Firestorm! 

They rob the woman of her wallet and ring, but the alien craft crashes into a car and she runs away.  Moses checks out the car and is slashed across the face.  He is of course angry and brings his gang to chase after what they think is a bear.  It is the size of a dog, pale, and hairless.  The aliens have glowing, blue fangs.  They reach an abandoned house and the gang enters to bash the alien creature.  There is a whoop of success at killing it, Moses emerges with the scars on his face, and drags the alien corpse back to their block, Wyndham Tower.  They make their way past two kids, who want to be called by their gang names, Probs (Sammy Williams) and Mayhem (Michael Ajao) and they are told about the alien kill.  At the lift, the gang brushes off poser drug dealer Brewis (Luke Treadaway) who takes off his headphones playing rap music at their approach.  This of course the same block that has the apartment of the young woman, Samantha, and she makes a report on the robbery.  

The gang takes the alien corpse to their apartment and Moses decides to get advice from a neighbor, Ron (Nick Frost), a drug dealer.  Brewis is also there.  Ron takes Moses and the alien corpse to the most secure place, the Weed Room, run by the dealer Hi-Hatz (Jumayn Hunter).  He wants Moses to work for him and agrees to hold the corpse in the refrigerated room.  Samantha rides along with the police to find the gang.  Moses returns and they see more falling alien craft all over the city so the gang rushes to their homes to grab weapons.  Pest (Alex Esmail), the boy with a winter hat, fills his backpack with firework rockets.  Dennis pulls out several samurai swords.  They rush out, Moses has a scooter and the others have bikes, to face the aliens and find they are much larger and fierce.  They pass the little kids and race to the block to try to escape the aliens.  The police van stops them and Moses is placed in handcuffs and taken to the back of the van.  Samantha has moved to the front of the van.  The others yell at the officers from a bridge at the block.  

The aliens have tracked Moses and tear apart the two officers.  Samantha is startled when blood is splattered against her window.  Pest fires a rocket at the alien.  Dennis goes on a scooter to free Moses.  The alien attacks and Dennis frees Moses and also Samantha.  They take the van and drive into the block’s garage crashing into Hi-Hatz’s car. He pulls out his gun and they hear the alien.  His henchman is torn apart and in the confusion Samantha escapes.  Biggz (Simon Howard) jumps into a dumpster.  The others run into the building, Pest is bitten on his leg, but they reach the safety of the block. They break into Samantha’s apartment, they know from her i.d. that she is a nurse.  They face not only the aliens, but Hi-Hatz who has found some handguns and runs the block.  At one point, the boys tell Samantha to tone down her language!  She teams up with them to survive the night.  Moses discovers in the UV light of the Weed Room when they take refuge there that the first alien was the female and the other aliens are following her scent.  He has to destroy the aliens and his heroism is short lived since the police are still looking for him.  Perceptions are important and it doesn’t matter a persons race or economic class to be brave or save the world from aliens.  

Four Rockets out of Five!

#AttacktheBlock, #JoeCornish, #JohnBoyega, #JodieWhitaker