BEETLE GRABS HIS BASEBALL BAT AND PREPARES TO ATTACK THE BLOCK

For all of 2011 I've waited to see a film that would really get my blood pumping, that would thrill me, chill me, and surprise me. Well, good news folks: Attack The Block is that film.

Attack The Block follows a group of hoodlums: Pest, Moses, Jerome, Dennis, and Beats. One night after mugging an innocent woman the group's leader, Moses, is attacked by a being from out of this world. Enraged, Moses rallies his group and together they hunt it down and bash its face in. Triumphant, they gloat to each other, unaware that bigger baddies are hurtling towards Earth and that soon it will be up to them to protect their small apartment complex (referred to as The Block, hence the name of the film).

While at first the film seems to be a fun, adrenaline filled joy ride, after a while the film does a 180 and becomes quite serious and dark as the teens numbers diminish and they find themselves in a fight for their lives. The film is stock full of surprises that I am not at liberty to reveal (the real reson for the alien's attack, etc.), but I will say that, although the sci-fi elements are at the forefront of the film, that's not really what the film is all about. Attack The Block is actually more of a redemptive journey for these hoodlums as they realize the troubles the have caused and go about trying to right their wrongs by protecting the girl they mugged earlier and by protecting their apartment complex from the alien hoardes.

While the film appears to be all good times and fun, when you look at it on a deeper level it really is quite mature with the way it handles its characters, its plot, and the subject material. Moses for one has a moving speech about violence and killing, it adds a depth to his character that I was not expecting to be there (pleasant surprise). In fact, most of the hoodlums (and the mugging victim, whose name is Sam, by the way) have some depth added to their characters. Although they may be scum, this added depth and attention to character development makes each of the hoodlums likeable and thus easy to root for. It is apparent that they are just innocents doing what they have been brought up to believe is "cool". It's almost kind of tragic.

Another neat aspect of the film is the language the characters use. The hoodlums speak in slang. It does take a few minutes to learn the lingo, but by the end of the film you will be speaking the slang along with them. The alien design is also pretty terrifying, the proceeding aliens getting bigger, nastier, and meaner as the film progresses.

Attack The Block is an alien invasion film that has copious amounts of violence, profanity, blood, gore, and drug use but it also has a good message and lots of heart to boot. It is by far one of the happiest surprises of the year so far. Not only is it an outstandingly well-made (and acted, every actor/actress in the film acts their heart out here with Moses stealing the show. My personal favorite character was Pest, by the way.) film, but Attack The Block is also one of the best films of 2011. Believe it, Bruv!

5/5 BETTER THAN SEX