Attack The Block DVD Review
Bare creatures in the fantastic creature feature from Joe Cornish
Attack the Block, out on DVD this week, is the directorial debut of Joe Cornish, one half of 90’s TV stalwarts Adam and Joe. The film picked up a great critical reception during its theatrical run earlier this year, and it’s easy to see why.
Set in a South London block of council flats, the unconventional introduction of the main characters comes when they mug a nurse (Jodie Whittaker). The gang, led by Moses (John Boyega) are interrupted by an impromptu alien visitation. They promptly proper “merk” the alien “ting”, and find themselves in the middle of a much larger scale invasion. Of course, nobody believes them, and they are left to defend the block themselves, armed with whatever they can get their hands on.
From the start, the fear is that this will be something of a one-joke comedy, with the gang’s London slang being pushed to the front. Happily, it manages to stay fresh throughout, and the lexicon of a group of inner-city hoodlums actually manages to raise belly laughs in much the same way Ali G did in his TV prime. Lurking underneath this ironic humour is a surprisingly sensitive agenda, as a few lines of dialogue here and there hint at a political subtext concerning the alienation and neglect of UK youths.
When the monsters arrive on screen, they are glorious. Original and mysterious, the practical effects employed to bring them to the screen are refreshing - when CGI could so easily have been implemented it is great to see the actors given something to work with. The really pleasing thing about Attack the Block is that it works on two levels, as both a comedy and a monster film. There is a hint of Joe Dante about the (surprisingly violent) action scenes, with the alien scenes given a straight face which allows for an engaging contrast to the humour around them.
Speaking of actors, the casting for Attack the Block couldn’t have been more spot on. Boyega is perfect in the lead, giving the intimidating, sullen youth a third act twist of sensitivity which wrong-foots the audience pleasantly. Alex Esmail is great fun as Pest, a member of the gang, and Whittaker gives a good turn as the stressed-out victim who ends up accompanying them on their adventure. Nick Frost pops up in an amusing enough cameo, but the best scenes in the film belong to Luke Treadaway, playing a typical posh stoner-type with aplomb. Another welcome addition are two 9 year old wannabe gangsters, “Probs” and “Mayhem” (Sammy Williams and Michael Ajao)whose macho posturing and “big boy” act make for some brilliant comedy moments.
Cornish shows a wonderful appreciation of the genre, and it always shows when a passionate fan is put behind the camera. Attack The Block just goes to show how infectious that enthusiasm can be, as audiences will grin from ear to ear throughout.
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