Hidden Gems - Volume II: Attack The Block

When I first heard the title "Attack The Block", I was convinced that some money hungry movie studio had manufactured yet another movie about a ragtag group of kids who use some unorthodox form of street dancing to escape the woes of the inner city. Since I'm getting too old to "Step Up 2: The Streets" or "Stomp The Yard", I didn't want to waste my time.


I thought to myself that I would just watch the movie trailer to see all the cool dance moves and spare myself from the "wrong side of the tracks" love story. I found the trailer online... Pressed Play... Mind Blown.


"Attack The Block" wasn't slang for street dancing. Attack The Block was a Hidden Gem - waiting to be discovered.

"The Deadliest Species In The Galaxy Is About To Encounter The Ultimate Enemy". 

Attack The Block is not a dance flick. Attack The Block is a British film about a small scale alien invasion at a council estate (public housing development) in South London. As the movie begins, we follow a young woman as she talks on her cell phone. As she makes her way through town during Bonfire Night, she is confronted by a group of young street punks who mug her at knife point. While the woman is in the process of handing over her jewelry, a small projectile falls from the sky and collides with a car that is parked next to the robbery. 

At this point, the narrative of the movie focuses on the group of 5 young street punks who witness the impact. Moses, the leader of the group, is attacked by something in the vehicle. After tracking down and subduing the perpetrator, they decide to carry their trophy back to their tower block apartment building (The Block). As they sit and watch the holiday pyrotechnics from the window of a top floor unit, they notice that certain fireworks are falling from the sky without being preceded by a rocket shooting up from the ground. They come to the conclusion that an alien invasion has begun.                  

Being the only ones with the knowledge of an alien presence, the 5 teenage boys are forced to transition from hooligans to heroes. They set out to defend their high rise building against the alien invasion. Along the way they encounter a suburban stoner, their neighborhood marijuana horticulturist, the local drug dealer, two 9 year old brats, a group of aggressive girls and the woman who they mugged earlier in the evening.

Inner City vs. Outer Space

Attack The Block isn't your average alien invasion movie. Writer / Director Joe Cornish takes a huge risk in centering the film around a group of juvenile delinquents. The fact that the movie begins with 5 teenagers in the role of antagonists and through the unusual circumstances of the story transitions them into the role of protagonists is a gamble that some viewers have trouble moving past. However, in Cornish's defense, the chatty dialog and playful rapport between the main characters paint a more well rounded picture of who these kids really are. They mention everything from playing video games to Pokemon, which makes it easier to identify them as apathetic and unsupervised youth who have started down a negative path due to poor decision making skills. 

As a former Youth Development Professional, I have worked with teenagers who were at risk of being involved with criminal and/or gang activity. The characters in Attack The Block are introduced to us as violent thugs. However, once we get to know them, they are more like the modern day "Goonies from the Ghetto." Cornish manages to tell a tale of bravery and redemption that could be an effective contemporary fable with the proper target audience. I have often wondered how an American version of this movie would be received if it was set in the Chicago Housing Authority.

Protect The Projects?

Overall, Attack The Block is one of my favorite films of 2011. Last summer, most moviegoers in the US were too busy trying to uncover the mystery of Super 8 and may have missed this hidden gem of a film. Critically, it's been well received. It currently holds an impressive rating of 90% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. You can find Attack The Block online or at your local retail store or rental kiosk.

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