Attack the Block

February 12, 2012
By Nick Galasso

Release Date: July 29, 2011

Director: Joe Cornish

Starring: Jodie Whittaker; John Boyega; Alex Esmail; Franz Drameh; Leeon Jones; Simon Howard; Luke Treadaway; Jumayn Hunter; and Nick Frost

Production: Studio Canal, Film4, UK Film Council

Runtime: 88 minutes
 
From the guys who brought you Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Scott Pilgrim vs The World comes one of the year’s most fun movies. The film’s premise is simple; aliens begin attacking and a gang of teenagers protect their home from the invaders. A premise as simple as this allows for the film to have a quick pace filled with some bad-ass action scenes of the teenagers taking out the pesky invaders with brute force. While there isn’t much room for character development in the story (John Boyega’s character is the only one with any real depth to him), everyone is still likable enough that they easily manage to win us over each time they are on screen. This provides a nice balance between suspense and levity as we get moments where gang members bicker amongst themselves as they fend off the aliens, plus a fun supporting role by Nick Frost as a stoner who lives in the same apartment building as the gang members. But hey in a film like this you’re not in it for complex characters; you’re seeing it because you want to see some ass-kicking! And this film does a very good job in delivering just that.
 
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