Nordling here.
Last night, ATTACK THE BLOCK screened in 25 cities in the United States and Canada. I said I'd post some of the reactions, and I especially wanted to find some negative reactions. I think the film's awesome, but I wanted a variety of reactions to balance everything out. But, all the reviews I've received have been positive. There were some minor issues about certain things, but every single review I got recommended the film. I won't post all of them, because I got a ton of them, but these reviews are the highlights.
First up, here's Hookarm. He enjoyed the movie, but this is a more measured review to start:
I just got home from seeing Attack the Block at a screening outside Saint Louis Missouri. I have been looking forward to this for the last few weeks but it almost didn't happen due to the terrible weather that is ravaging the Midwest. Less than two hours before the screening the area of Saint Louis County where the screening was taking place was under a tornado warning. But in the end the sky cleared and the screening was packed without a single empty seat.
So, did the film live up to the hype? If I am being honest, the answer is no. That does not mean that I didn't enjoy it. In fact, I thought that it was a blast and probably one of the most fun movies that I have seen this year. The problem is that the film never transcends being simply a good time. I was lead to believe that this film was groundbreaking, but alas, it isn't. It is a film that, if I saw it in 6th grade, would be one of my favorite films of all time. However, it falls short of pushing the boundaries of geek cinema in the ways that I believe films like "Let the Right One In" and "Sin City" accomplished.
The aspects of the movie that worked REALLY worked. As I said before the film is fun. From the moment that our gang of London hooligans encounters their first alien after it comes crashing down from space and into a nearby car the film never has a single dull moment. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time as the residents of "the block" defend it utilizing all available methods from knives and guns to fireworks and supersoakers filled with gasoline. Thankfully through all of the action the movie doesn't shy away from violence. The audience really feels the danger of this invasion because the main characters of the film are so frequently exposed to the brutal deaths of those around them. Very few kills are played for laughs as you find often occurs in modern horror/sci-fi films. The creature design for this film was fantastic. The aliens are almost impossible to describe accurately and to be honest you have to see them in the context of the film to truly appreciate the originality of the design so just trust me when I say that they are awesome. So you have great action and interesting villains, but the film wouldn't be as strong without the ensemble cast. The five lead actors are amazing because their performances are so natural. It is easy to believe that they are a gang of teenage hooligans that grew up on the mean streets of London because, well, they act just like a gang of teenage hooligans that grew up on the mean streets of London. The sometimes undecipherable banter between the main characters feels 100% authentic and reminded me of the way I interacted with my group of friends when I was 13 years old. In fact the performances from the 5 teens were so believable that when more seasoned actors shared scenes with them they almost seemed out of place. People will love and should love this film for all of theses reasons. I almost feel bad being critical of this film because it really was a great time out at the movies. But, there are some issues...
What didn't work? My major problem with this film is that for all of its bombast it never actually takes the time to flesh out its characters. The movie moves at a breakneck pace and because of this the audience is unable to really connect to its characters in a meaningful way. We are provided with only fleeting glimpses of who our characters were before the arrival of the alien menace and once the action begins it never slows down to allow for much needed character development. There are those that will say that this actually is a strength of the film, but I disagree. The lack of characterization actually gives many of the performers very little to do but run around screaming profanities while being attacked in different locations throughout the massive apartment building. When one of the main characters ends up in a trash dumpster for the majority of the film, I found myself thinking "who cares about this kid? Why the hell do they keep cutting to him in the dumpster? He is really not that important to the plot." In other words many of the scenes in the film feel pointless at times. They just show the characters doing stuff. Yes the stuff is cool and often funny, but without any concept as to what motivates the characters, the scenes feel a bit awkward and empty. And worst of all when major players in the film are killed by the aliens, it is often hard to care because you as an audience member didn't really have the time to get to know them. More off-putting, it doesn't seem like characters that survive even care about their fallen comrades. For example in one scene a major character is massacred by the aliens in a smoke filled hallway and the rest of his friends barely bat an eye. They just go on cracking jokes and smoking pot like nothing happened. The lack of proper character development undercuts the end of the film as our main hero is forced to finally take responsibility for his actions for what may be the first time in his life yet the scene for me fell flat because I knew nothing about who this individual really was. When it comes down to it, I believe that truly great films are able to seamlessly blend entertainment with well drawn characters. Attack the Block fell just a bit short of being a truly great film for me. BUT, the movie is still better than 98% of the crap that is made nowadays and despite its flaws I highly recommend you get together a group of friends, have a few beers and go see this film when it comes out. You will not regret it.
MediaTsarina is a longtime BNATter from Atlanta, and I've known her for many years. She was able to catch the Atlanta screening, and here's her take:
Don’t listen to Lucy Van Pelt --- being a BLOCKHEAD is pretty damn cool.
I saw (thanks to Allied Integrated Marketing in Atlanta) one of the 25 screenings of Attack The Block last night at Midtown Art Cinema. I had read about so much of it from my pals at SXSW on the twitter that I was super envious of missing it months ago. And this is without knowing pretty much anything about it. I didn’t even see the trailer ‘til I left work yesterday when I mentioned it to someone and she YouTubed it to take a look.
All I knew was the Edgar Wright (the only guy to actually make Edgar a vaguely cool name in this century) was involved with it, and championing it. Hell, I like that guy. I like his pure cinema-love that just slathers your eyeballs. Look at Scott Pilgrim vs The World for confirmation. So while Joe Cornish was the writer and director I went honestly, because I knew Wright was involved and he doesn’t back lame horses.And Holy Shatner! –this is not a lame horse. This is one of those films that you just sit back and enjoy the ride in. From the “Souf Londong” dialects to the amazingly dark aliens with super-glow mouths that are just some right vicious bastards, this film is not really what you’ve seen before.
Sure, the inevitable comparisons to The Goonies are going to come out. But those kids just had land developers and cartoonish thugs and their mother to deal with, and moving away from each other as the main crux of the story. They did not have the coming of age by being a drug runner life of our main protagonist, Moses. They did not have to see a young man pushed into a situation he was not comfortable with but helpless to stop, and the grins on his young friends’ faces making it even harder to turn away from that life. They just had arrogant jocks in the 1980’s cliché of popped collars and pastel clothes and great hair.
The kids in Attack The Block are all in their own ways wiser than their years, and as young as little Probs and Mayhem (two of the best scene-stealers around). They’re funny and scared and turn out quite the collection of weapons when they realize they’re the only ones standing between their Block (apartment building) and the Alien Apocalypse. Pest, Dennis, Biggz , Jerome and the rest are mostly new actors and Joe Cornish pulled performances out of them that Spielberg wishes he still got. Thank Jeebus that the stilted and wooden ‘acting’ of the kids in War of The Worlds was not present here. The son in WoTW? … I’d leave his dumb and ego-spoiled self to be fried by the Martians. I’d want Biggs and Pest and even little pyromaniac Mayhem on my side for sure.
I am trying not to spoil the film, but instead convey my thoughts on it. You know how the people from Smarton-5™ (The Planet of the Smart People™) always say that horror is about something else? Like how Night of the Living Dead is about the unending need for consumerism taking over all aspects of life and crap like that? This ain’t that film. Though it kind of is. Sure, you’ve got straightforward scary/creepy aliens who will rip a throat out and then climb a 19-story building looking for heads to rip off.You’ve also got an arrest/shoot first mentality of the British police on display.
There’s a small quiet place where when the kids and Sam their would-be victim cum friend talk out where they might have come from, and why, and Moses just quietly talks about how the Government must be at fault. Why? – because they gave the poor people (read: blacks) drugs, and later guns to kill themselves and keep themselves downtrodden, so why are aliens who are killing black folks in this case so hard to believe? Now interestingly not one of the characters, including Sam (who is white) disagrees. It’s just a statement, made in a moment in between terror-filled sprints away from those teeth and that darkness. That may be forgotten in the minds of many of the viewers, which would be a bit of a shame, really. Those points are not invalid, and they are the reality for groups of people all over the planet who are often dismissed and disregarded because they do not have what others do. The growth of the characters is also something to see. Not everyone goes through it, and you know that Pest will probably be the same ten years from now, but not Moses. He goes through his heroes’ journey and does not come out the other side unscathed, and is a better man for it. He becomes a man during it.
The performances are so natural from everyone (though Nick Frost is actually a bit of a distraction from the realness of the kids) and the urgency and inexhaustible energy of the kids running away over and over again makes Cornish’s film an easy watch. I hope that whatever rating this gets (probably an “R” due to graphic violence against children) that people go out and actually see it. It could be a sleeper hit, unlike last year’s SPvsTW which only found an audience on DVD and now cable-- if word gets out on this clever little film. The score/soundtrack is also on my must-have list for this summer if only it was out in the US. Any UK peeps who want to help a sistah out, lemme know?The last scene in Attack The Block has that slow-clap vindication (without the schmaltzy emotions) and leaves you with as big a smile as Moses’ is small.
Become a BLOCKHEAD? – I will, to quote Moses, “Allow it.” –and with pleasure.
~~ MediaTsarina out
Twitter.com/@MediaTsarina
Here's Jace, from Sacramento:
I went into the advance screening of Attack the Block with both high expectations and a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. Having read the advance buzz on the film on various sites, I was a little worried about getting burned. You just don’t hear films getting compared to early Carpenter very often, and sadly that concerned me as well as excited me. Going into a film with an “Oh yeah? Prove it” attitude may not be the best approach, but I just wanted to give a quick glimpse to where my head was at going into the film.
The premise of Attack the Block is bare bones, just a street gang vs. aliens. The heroes are not the types you would root for as the movie begins, in fact after they mug a woman, I was rooting for the aliens to get them. This soon changed as the smart writing and great comic delivery quickly made the young gang likeable. Their first encounter with an alien is based on the typical macho crap that seems appropriate for young thugs, and these actions lead to repercussions that ripple throughout the rest of the film.
Once Nick Frost appears as a drug dealer, the film picks up pace. The action is intense and peppered with comic relief that is smart enough to enrich the characters but never ruins the pace. The characters are continually fleshed out throughout the movie, with just hints at who these people are. There are some touching character moments that come as a surprise because they happen during some brutal alien attack scenes.
As a die-hard genre fan, it’s refreshing to see aliens that are not derivative or over explained. These creatures just drop out of the sky and go on a rampage. The creature design really works well and there are some great set pieces using their specific glowing attributes. This isn’t Cloverfield or Alien or Predator for that matter, and it really works because the gang quickly drops the bad-ass pretense and just have to run for their life.
While the Carpenter comparisons fit, I found it was more in themes than in style. The editing is rapid pace and at times showed some Edgar Wright type flourishes, and the film is beautifully shot. There is some social commentary which would actually fit well in a Romero film, only a little more subdued. The previously mentioned “chip on my shoulder” caused me to be a bit irritated by the pulsing score the film opens with, feeling it too close to a Carpenter score. I was wrong, as the score worked exceptionally well without ripping off anyone.
My criteria for judging a film is whether or not it would be something I’d “add to the collection”. Attack the Block is a film that I will buy on Blu-Ray when it’s released and show to friends. It’s fast paced, smart, funny and actually scary. What more could you hope for?
Here's rowsdower:
There's only one thing on my mind after seeing the film:
ATTACK THE BLOCK is an instant classic.
It easily stands alongside the great 80s horror comedies; GREMLINS, NIGHT OF THE CREEPS, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. There's really no shortage of good things to say about it. The pacing is perfect, the performances are hilarious and memorable, the alien designs are iconic and downright awesome. There's a real weight and physicality to the creature designs, so even though they are rotoscoped creations, the guy-in-a-suit lends itself to making these otherworldly beings seem real. And ferocious. Aside from the creatures, however, the kids are also spectacular! This is a film that would never get made in America. It's got children swearing, doing drugs, committing crimes. You know, things that kids actually do. The thing I really enjoyed, though, is that the whole film is wrapped around a nice bit of social commentary, as we see Moses go from a typical angry black kid who blames society and the government for his problems, to an kick-ass hero who solves those problems his own way, on his own terms.
It is, quite seriously, a near-perfect film. In fact, I can't imagine anyone who enjoys movies NOT liking ATTACK THE BLOCK. However, if I had to offer any criticism of the film, it would be that the scope could have been expanded slightly. I would have liked to see the aliens attack some other characters, just so we understand the full menace of these creatures. You know, an old person, or a couple walking home from a romantic date. Think brief, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON style scenes of carnage. Speaking of carnage, the film delivers quite a few surprises, never shying away from the grisly results of the attacks. One death in particular will have the audience cheering for sure. Overall, the film is just astoundingly entertaining and enjoyable. This is definitely one case where the final product exceeds the hype. After it was over, I immediately wanted to watch it again. ATTACK THE BLOCK is the real deal. Trust, bruv.
Here's Jake, from Toronto:
Hey AICN,
Just saw Attack the Block a couple of hours ago in Toronto. And when I got home I took a look at the comments on the thread pertaining to the screenings and I'm pretty surprised that no one out there is enjoying this flick.
I really, thoroughly liked ATB. I thought it was inspired and as you mentioned I was regularly reminded of the "oh man this is serious shit, but not so serious that we can't as a band of awesome kids take it on" aspects of Goonies and Monster Squad.I was also constantly thinking of Harry Brown, a movie I also really loved. And is it just me or does the female lead in ATB (Jodie Whittaker) look like a younger version of the Lead Detective in Harry Brown (Emily Mortimer)? (Is a London estate housing complex a kick ass movie setting or what?)
But I digress. This is a really fun movie, that was clearly a passion project for the Director/Writer. It's shot well, it's funny, it's frenetic, it's clever.
Those expecting to see Nick Frost in a starring role will be let down, but it's really not about him, nor the other supporting characters, hell its not even about the "Gorilla Wolf Monsters". It's about the kids. The tight knit gang of 15 year olds that run the estate grounds while the drug dealers run the apartments proper. They are a funny, intimidating, unique, confident bunch who approach the situation with so much vigor and enthusiasm that you can't help but feel like you would relish being faced with a similar situation. They're fighting aliens, on their turf, who in the world didn't play act killing aliens in their back yards?
Its an awesome premise, that is well executed and doesn't meander around for lack of budget. Everything is there that needs to be.
If you get the chance (I know the film has no North American distribution yet), give it a shot.
It's well good bruv. Truth.
- Jake
Here's Sparrow, from Vancouver, and this is a different perspective, coming from a woman who doesn't like scary movies very much:
Attack The Block
A review by Tavin Robinson
Somehow, I ended up going to the Vancouver (read:Burnaby) screening of the British Film, Attack the Block, written and directed by Joe Cornish. From the producers of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Attack the Block follows a gang of tough inner-city kids who come up against aliens in their South London apartment complex or “the block” as they call their home.
While Moses (John Boyega), Pest (Alex Esmail), Dennis (Franz Drameh), Jerome (Leon Jones) and Bigz (Simon Howard) are mugging nurse Sam (Jodie Whittaker) an object falls from outer space and plows into a parked car. In the ensuing chaos an alien is discovered and killed. But, where there is one alien there are usually more. Don’t be fooled. They come and they attack. The boys have to defend themselves and their turf. None of the boys have ever seen a creature like the one they’ve killed so they take it to their acquaintance, Ron (Nick Frost), who watches National Geographic and deals drugs.
This is not usually the kind of movie I tend to watch let alone go to the theatre to see. My Hubby got the tickets for the screening on the internet and to be a good partner and support his interests I said I would go with him. He wasn’t able to go, he had to work, but in the meantime I found out that Nick Frost of Shaun of the Dead fame was in the film and that it was produced by the same people. Of course, that meant I had to go. I love Nick Frost. He could be my brother and he is welcome for tea at our home anytime. Attack the Block also stars John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, and Luke Treadaway. I cajoled our 16 year old son into going with me. Really, it wasn’t that hard.
We went early to exchange our internet tickets for the actual theatre tickets so that we would be assured of a seat. Oftentimes, for screenings they “promise” more tickets than there are seats so that the house will be full. First come, first served. Luckily, we got to the theatre two hours ahead of the screening time. Luckily, I say, because every person in that busy line was holding at least one screening ticket and would be returning to see the film. We got our tickets “for sure” and went off to eat.
Why did I eat before this film I will never know? Fortunately I have a stronger stomach than I thought. Yes, there is violence in Attack of Block. Who would ever have thought that? Oh yes, everyone, except me. “Attack” in the title of the film should have been a dead giveaway. The violence is not gratuitous however and the movie was insanely entertaining.
The characters are well developed and the movie goer will find themselves with fairly strong emotions for each. I found myself laughing at, loving, hating, loving again, and laughing with many of the characters throughout the film. I also found myself leeched to the arm of my son. Often. The movie is fast paced and as the end credits were rolling I was surprised it was over. The best sort of films are the ones that leave you wanting more and not wishing that it would end already.
Honestly, I am so sorry that my husband missed the film tonight and that he will have to wait until October 2011 to see it. I will be going with him to the theatre to see it again and then when it comes out, I will purchase the DVD. Blu-Ray of course.
Here's Brendan, from Cleveland:
Hi all,
After hearing all of the raves, I was hopeful but ready for a letdown. To my surprise and delight, I found 'Attack the Block' even better than the various reviews have indicated. While I read a lot about the amazing pacing, humor and energy, I was not prepared for the subtle and beautifully crafted characters.
Each of the kids has a very distinct personality that is inherent in the writing, but brought to life through some wonderful casting and believable acting. The first time we see the kids, they mug a woman at knife point, and I had no idea how the story could possibly make them remotely sympathetic after such a cruel introduction. But as the movie progresses, you realize that these kids are truly good souls. They live in a tough, horrible neighborhood with little supervision and their thug-like behavior is a reflection of where they have been placed. But as the situation intensifies, they begin to reveal more and more honorable qualities.
There is one character in particular that I consider to be something of a minor miracle. He seems pretty one dimensional through much of the film, but there are little clues throughout that indicate that there is way more going on in his head. There is some additional background that is revealed about him late in the film that is unexpected, heartbreaking and communicated with a strange sort of gentleness. It's not earth shattering, just one of the loveliest bits of character development I've seen in a very long time. To that end, I won't say which character it is in the hope that it sneaks up on others the way it did for me.
Now I realize that I've now made this sound like 'Remains of the Day' with aliens, but don't be mislead. This is an awesome, intense monster movie. It's hilarious, moves like gangbusters and delivers all the way through to the ending. But I'd like to tip my hat to Joe Cornish for keeping the story and the characters front and center. The day after the screening I was sitting in Tower City, an old transit terminal in downtown Cleveland that was converted into a mall in the late 80s or early 90s. There are now age restrictions in the property because gangs of kids were causing issues for years and driving away customers. As I sat, a group of unruly kids entered a began to cause some trouble. They were escorted out of the building by a cop who they were verbally harassing. Any one of those kids would have fit right into Attack the Block. I would have normally dismissed them. But I looked at them differently, wondering what sort of potential they could have in another situation.
Remember how after you saw Cloverfield you sat around with friends discussing deep social issues? Oh really? The ambition and attention to the little things are what set 'Attack the Block' apart from rest of the pack. It's a wonderful movie.
Incidentally, we had a strange collection of people at our screening. Knowing the various sites that were distributing the passes, I told my friend that we were probably in for one of the geekiest experiences we've ever had in a theater. Once we got inside I would have guessed that passes were distributed by Ain't it Cool, Hitfix, Slashfilm, the local retirement home and my aunt's garden club. Seriously, I would say a good third of the crowd were middle aged women and people in their 80s, none of whom seemed to enjoy the movie. Considering our screening sold out in less than a day and we were told prior to the screening that the purpose of the event was to generate enthusiasm, I have no idea how so many passes ended up in the hands of people so outside the target demographic. We weren't polled for opinions afterwards...just given a card with links and asked to talk it up on Facebook and Twitter. That aspect was very strange. I hope it played to more appreciative audiences in other cities.
Thanks for the passes!
Brendan
Finally, because this article's really really long at this point (and I received a ton of responses, and wish I could use them all), here's Questionable Role Model:
I can guarantee this movie will be in my top 5 this year. I went in to the screening on one trailer and the blessings of the AICN family. This, THIS is why I come to AICN for my movie information, where else would I hear about such awesome films. I know going in, if at least 2 or more of you guys at the site vouch for a film, I'm probably going love the hell out of it. Tonight you proved that for the countless time. I just didn't know how truly right you were. The editing (which as I get older, becomes a vast focal point for me) was so well done, the pacing was running on all cylinders, it gave you a moment here and there to catch up, laughs abound, and then hurtling a scare at you with joy. What felt great was the scares were scary without that awful feeling, like certain hot sauces that don't just burn for the sake of burn but do so with flavor. I was worried at first with the trailer that I might have trouble understanding the strong accents, but there were only a few words here and there and on a second viewing won't even be a problem(they weren't the first time around). The audience I was with which seemed like a mixed bag of people, all seemed to generally be enthused by this film, which impressed me. It wasn't just my fellow geeks like the Scott Pilgrim Comic-con Screening (which elevated that film to near godlike first viewing). There was a synergy among all types. As I looked at the view negative Rotten Tomatoes reviews, I couldn't help but think, these people have completely missed the boat on this. Was their day a complete wreck before viewing? Did their girlfriend up and leave hours before the screening? I left the theater my body buzzing over the joy of this film, a feeling I haven't felt since Pilgrim and The Dark Knight the year prior. I won't get too much into the Aliens or plot(though not wide in scope, it didn't feel thin), but I have to say, these are by far some of my favorite interpretations of aliens I've seen in a long time. When you see there teeth floating in this distance, or seen too late, you are truly filled with a shiver. On another note, these kids, man these kids, an applause for the casting director for finding these extremely talented boys who even though they're hoodlums, you never once (maybe in the very beginning) stop rooting for them, especially Moses played by John Moyega, I hope to see more great performances from this young man. I can't not mention Nick Frost, simply to say, reliable as usual, just giving little blips of Frost charm to us boys and girls. To sum it all up, well acted, well crafted, this movie deserves to be in your prized DVD collection, right next to your Special Edition signed copy of Shaun of the Dead(or in my case, the multi disc Hot Fuzz). Well done Mr. Cornish, bloody well done.
On a small note, there was one scene I had one of those "Why would you do that???" moments, but for all the good that is this film, it's peanuts.
Call me Questionable Role Model
So there you have it. If I didn't post your reaction, feel free to drop it in the Talkback below. Screen Gems has ATTACK THE BLOCK listed for release sometime this year. If it doesn't come out this summer, I think Halloween would be perfect for this film. You can also follow ATTACK THE BLOCK on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ATBMovie or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AttackTheBlock. If your personal jury's still out for this film, I don't know what else to tell you. Having seen it twice, I definitely think it's going to be in my top 10 of this year, unless this year really kicks me around with more amazing films like this one.
Nordling, out.
