“The Sandlot,” “Skins UK,” “The Wire,” “Shaun of the Dead,” “District 9.” If any of those buzz words mean anything to you, leave as soon as possible and get your ass to Ragtag Cinema to see “Attack the Block,” the UK import that is the culmination of all the aforementioned shows and movies.
“Attack the Block,” as the tagline says “Inner City vs. Outer Space,” pretty much revolves around a gang of young inner city kids trying to fight hordes of huge gorilla-wolf-looking aliens. Basically, the kids beat the hell out of a comet-crashed alien and then have to deal with the consequences – which more or less translates into an alien invasion of their home. Violence and hilarity ensue.
It’s hard to nail down good group chemistry in any movie, especially with younger actors, so it’s a little shocking how easily and quickly “Attack the Block” establishes a believable band of ragtag hoodlums/heroes that maintain a quirky likability. I mean, they mug a nurse in the first scene of the film and yet in just mere minutes they’ve already got the audience on their side, rooting for them to survive close encounters of the third kind.
That quickness of conscience becomes a sort of staple for the movie. It wastes no time whatsoever getting into the movie or beating the audience over the head with themes (although it does bring up some pretty good ones).
But the most refreshing element about “Attack the Block” is that there’s not a single kiss in the movie. Now, while that seems a tiny, minute detail, think about it: basically every movie cranked out has some sort of romance or relationship thrown in whether it’s necessary or not, and it make sense. We all like a little bit of love or sex in whatever entertainment we eat up because that’s the stuff that drives human existence.
And prototypically, at the climax of an action film, before the hero runs that last suicidal run that’s a one in a million shot but might — just might — save everyone he knows and loves, there’s a kiss between whomever they’ve been crushing on the entire movie.
Well, (*spoiler alert*) that doesn’t happen in this film. Instead of merely having the female lead play the typical and redundant role of romance interest, “Attack the Block” gives the audience the much more attention –grabbing role of a nurse dealing with having to help the gang of kids that mugged her in the first scene of the film. That’s so refreshing! Seriously! Other movies should take note. (I’m looking at you, “The Help.”)
Simply put, “Attack the Block” is just a humble, fun movie. It was designed as a simple action movie, but there are so many sly tips of the hat, winks and Hollywood reversals that it almost seems unfair to call it an action movie, but at its heart, that’s undeniably what “Attack the Block” is all about.