Attack the Block (2011)

Written by CinemaSerf on April 7, 2024

Usually, if it's got a Treadaway in it, it is going to be fun. This one is. It starts with poor nurse "Sam" (Jodie Whittaker) getting mugged by "Moses" (John Boyega) and his gang on a South London housing estate. It's Guy Fawkes night so with fireworks and racket everywhere, nobody notices her plight. Just as they are about to move on, some debris crashes into a nearby car and "Moses" goes to see what he can find. What he doesn't expect is that something is going to bite him - something he doesn't want to bite back! In a bit of a panic, he promptly kills it and he and his gang return home to see what it is they've got. That was their first mistake for shortly afterwards they are besieged by loads of pantomime gorillas who have seriously overdone it with the Colgate. Now this is where "Brewis" (Luke T) comes up with the theory that "Moses" - or his clothes - have been impregnated with a pheromone by a lady beastie and those chasing are, well, just all a bit horny after a very long space flight. With that eye-watering prospect facing "Moses" he must either get naked or try to find a way to lure the critters to their collective doom. His agent must have had a view on the former solution, so he opts for the latter... This has clearly been done on a bit of a shoestring, but the writing and characterisations are quite entertaining, Whittaker, Boyega and the gobby "Pest" (Alex Esmail) deliver some of the candidly pithy script quite amiably as their ridiculous scenario plays out, perilously, before them. Rarely can a recycling bin have featured quite so importantly in a movie. Treadaway has a daft double act going on with the geeky "Ron" (Nick Frost) and Jumayn Hunter also chips in well as the ostensibly menacing gang leader "Hi-Hatz" who keeps a marijuana plantation growing in a top floor flat that must have had one hell of an electricity bill. A first effort from director Joe Cornish, and it's basic on just about every level but it marries the principles of community spirit and brotherhood with a feature length episode of "Dr. Who" quite enjoyably.