ATTACK THE BLOCK - ****

Directed by Joe Cornish, Starring : Nick Frost, Jodie Whittaker, Luke Treadaway, Joey Ansah, Chris Wilson, Adam Leese, Lee Nicholas Harris, Flaminia Cinque, Terry Notary, Maggie McCarthy, Jumayn Hunter, Jacey Sallés, Karl Collins, Sammy Williams & Yvonne D'Alpra Horror/Sci-fi, UK, Running time: 88 minutes. Cert 15

Released in the UK on DVD and Blu-Ray by Optimum Releasing on 19th September 2011

The film begins with Sam (Jodie Whittaker) being mugged by a gang of teenagers ; leader, Moses (John Boyega), Pest (Alex Esmail), Dennis (Franz Drameh), Jerome (Leeon Jones) and Biggz (Simon Howard). Sam finds the chance to escape, as something falls from the sky and into a nearby car. As Moses approaches the car to steal any valuables, he is attacked by the creature that had fallen from the sky. The group of teenagers manage to kill the creature and approach their drug dealer Ron (Nick Frost) for advice as to how they could gain fame and fortune from this creature. The gang keeps the creature in Hi-hatz’s (Juamyn Hunter) ‘weed room.’ As more creatures fall from the sky, the gang rush to the site to discover that these aliens are much larger. As the gang flee the aliens, Moses is arrested by the police. Sam identifies him as her mugger, however the aliens kill the police and Dennis drives the van away with Moses and Sam trapped inside. Whilst trying to escape, Dennis crashes into Hi-Hatz car, causing him to threaten them with a gun. A man is attacked by another alien, distracting HI-Hatz and allowing the gang to run away.

The gang attempt to get back to the Block, however Pest’s leg is mauled by an alien. As they carry him into the building they discover Sam lives there, and they force their way into her apartment, where they convince her to treat Pest’s wounds. After finding common ground, fear of being killed by the aliens, Sam decides it’s safer for her to stay with the gang. They all move to the apartment of the neighbourhood girls, where Dennis is killed.

The girls believe that the aliens are after Moses and the gang so kick them out of their apartment. On leaving the apartment, the gang are again attacked by HI-Hatz, however aliens attack them allowing the gang to escape again. Whilst attempting to reach Ron’s weed room, the gang fends of aliens using fireworks, however Jerome lets lost in the smoke and killed by an alien. In Ron’s apartment, they find that Hi-Hatz is already there. As he goes to shoot Moses, he is attacked by aliens smashing through the window who kill him. Moses, Pest, Sam and one of Ron’s customers hide in the weed room, whilst Ron hides in the apartment.

Whilst Biggz is being rescued from the bin by two children, the rest realise a way for them to save the block and kill all the aliens. Brewis, Ron’s customer, notices a liquid from the female alien on Moses jacket. They realise that this was how Moses was being tracked by the rest of the aliens and they decipher a plan to get all the aliens to Moses apartment where they are all killed by a gas explosion. Whose left of the gang, are arrested in belief that they are responsible for the deaths around the neighbourhood.

For me personally this was one of the best films I have seen this year. I loved the action mixed with the humour, and almost felt I could relate to the characters and the stereotypes they are put under. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed this film, I fear that the older generation may not. Teenagers and young adults is definitely a more appropriate audience for film as they are a lot more likely to understand the film. Despite this I would still recommend it to everyone, if the older generation are unable to understand the gang’s slang, they may still enjoy the humour and action in the film.

Megan Hunt.

GORE IN THE STORE
REVIEWS BY FANS FOR FANS
5 STAR FAB - 1 STAR RUBBISH