Attack the Block

Attack the Block

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	May 11, 2011 (2011-05-11)
Founder	Joe Cornish (director and writer)
Products	Feature film

Attack the Block is a 2011 British film blending science fiction with comedy horror, written and directed by Joe Cornish. It features performances by John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, and Nick Frost. The storyline centers on a group of teenagers from a South London council estate who defend their neighborhood from extraterrestrial attackers on Guy Fawkes Night. This film marked the first cinematic appearance for Cornish, Boyega, and composer Steven Price.

Premiering on 11 May 2011, Attack the Block did not achieve strong box office results but was met with critical praise, especially highlighting Cornish’s direction and Boyega’s acting, garnering multiple awards internationally.

Plot

On Guy Fawkes Night, trainee nurse Samantha Adams is accosted by a gang of young men: Pest, Dennis, Jerome, Biggz, and their leader Moses. When a meteorite crashes nearby, Samantha manages to flee while Moses suffers a scratch from a dog-sized alien creature. The gang kills the alien and brings it to their drug supplier Ron and his superior Hi-Hatz, who then recruits Moses.

As more meteorites fall, the gang arms themselves and discovers one dead alien alongside numerous larger, more menacing creatures. After an alien kills Dennis’s dog, the gang attempts to escape but Moses is detained by police accompanying Samantha. The aliens kill the officers and trap both Samantha and Moses inside a van. Dennis crashes the van into Hi-Hatz’s car during their escape. The gang confronts Hi-Hatz, who accuses Moses of trying to usurp his position as drug lord. An alien kills one of Hi-Hatz’s henchmen but is subsequently killed by Hi-Hatz.

The gang tries to reach Wyndham Tower but faces another alien assault; Biggz hides but is rescued by neighbors who kill an alien. Pest is bitten by an alien that infiltrates their building. They persuade Samantha to provide medical aid. When an alien attacks her apartment, Moses kills it with a samurai sword, convincing Samantha to join their cause.

They move upstairs to a flat shared by Tia, Dimples, Dionna, and Gloria, thinking it safer there. Aliens attack again, decapitating Dennis. Samantha saves Moses by killing one alien; Tia and Dimples eliminate another. The girls blame the boys for attracting the creatures and force them out. Hi-Hatz and his henchmen arrive but are driven off by aliens; only Hi-Hatz survives.

At Ron’s weed room, the gang uses fireworks to distract the aliens but Jerome dies in the resulting smoke. In Ron’s flat, Hi-Hatz attempts to shoot Moses but is killed by aliens instead. The group escapes and encounters Brewis, a zoology student.

Brewis identifies a glowing stain on Moses’s jacket under UV light and hypothesizes that the aliens are spores reproducing through pheromones released by females after landing on habitable planets. Since killing the female alien, Moses has carried her scent, attracting male aliens. He persuades Pest to return Samantha’s stolen ring, and they devise a plan involving gas in Moses’s flat.

Samantha activates the gas in Moses’s flat before leaving as Moses lures male aliens inside with the female corpse strapped to his back. He ignites the gas with a firework and escapes through a window. The explosion kills all aliens but sets the flat on fire; Moses survives by grabbing onto a balcony flag.

Afterward, police arrest Moses, Pest, Brewis, and Ron for deaths occurring around the block. Samantha identifies them as neighbors who protected her rather than criminals. As they ride in the police van, residents cheer for Moses; he and Pest share smiles.

Cast

In keeping with the film's setting on a London council estate, the majority of the cast were young, local talents with limited prior recognition, many of whom spoke Multicultural London English. Selected through a rigorous process of eight auditions and drama classes, the ensemble features:

• John Boyega portraying Moses, an orphaned teenager who leads a gang and seeks respect.
• Jodie Whittaker as Samantha Adams, a trainee nurse and newcomer to the area.
• Alex Esmail in the role of Pest, the gang’s humorous second-in-command.
• Franz Drameh playing Dennis, the gang’s impulsive enforcer who also works as a pizza delivery person.
• Leeon Jones as Jerome, recognized as the most level-headed and academically focused member of the group.
• Simon Howard as Biggz, the gang’s youngest member, who spends much of the film confined in a recycling bin.
• Nick Frost as Ron, a local drug dealer residing in Wyndham Tower’s penthouse.
• Luke Treadaway portraying Brewis, an affluent student and one of Ron’s clients.
• Jumayn Hunter as Hi-Hatz, the intimidating gangster boss overseeing Ron.
• Danielle Vitalis as Tia, Moses’s romantic interest and fellow gang member.
• Paige Meade playing Dimples, Tia’s hot-tempered roommate.
• Sammy Williams as Probs, a child eager to join Moses’s gang.
• Michael Ajao as Mayhem, Probs’s close friend with similar aspirations.
• Jacey Sallés in the role of Biggz's mother.
• Karl Collins portraying Dennis' father.
• Joey Ansah and Chris Wilson as police officers.

Production

The film was produced by Big Talk Pictures, recognized for titles such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, in collaboration with Film4, The UK Film Council, and StudioCanal. Director Joe Cornish drew inspiration for the story from his personal experience of being mugged. To shape the sci-fi aspects of the narrative, Cornish engaged with youth groups to explore what weapons they might use during an alien invasion. His goal was to counteract 'hoodie horror' stereotypes that unfairly vilify urban youth. The character Brewis was partially modeled after Cornish himself during his twenties.

Filming

Set in an imagined neighbourhood within London's Stockwell area, the film’s location was constructed from various council estates scattered throughout the city. Director Cornish highlighted that the film opens with an aerial shot of a map to introduce viewers to the estate's layout since it is a fictional creation. The central tower block—Wyndham Tower—was named in homage to English science-fiction author John Wyndham, famed for works like The Kraken Wakes centered on alien invasions. Other estate buildings carry names referencing sci-fi writers such as J. G. Ballard, H. G. Wells, Aldous Huxley, and Douglas Adams.

Filming occurred throughout London between March and May 2010, featuring six weeks of nighttime shoots at locations including the Heygate Estate in Elephant and Castle, Myatts Field in Brixton, Oval tube station, and the Bemerton Estate in Islington. Interior sequences were captured at Three Mills Studios located in Newham.

Creature effects

Initially depicted by two performers wearing gorilla-like suits equipped with animatronic jaws, the film’s creatures were enhanced during post-production with non-reflective spiky fur, claws, glowing jaws, and distinctive movements. Swedish visual effects company Fido completed over 100 effects shots over a four-month period. Designed without eyes and dependent on echolocation and scent tracking, these aliens were crafted to convey an eerie alien presence. Their echolocation audio combined elements of dolphin sonar with animalistic grunts and human screams. Puppetry was also employed for certain scenes, including a smaller female alien that unsettled the young actors. In 2023, Cornish disclosed that aspects of the creature designs were inspired by his pet cat’s ability to "engulf darkness."

Theatrical

The film was distributed in the United Kingdom by Optimum Releasing, the British arm of StudioCanal, premiering on 11 May 2011. Distribution rights for North and Latin America were acquired by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions. In the United States, the movie had a limited release starting 29 July 2011, handled by Screen Gems. US distributors expressed concerns that the pronounced South London accents might pose comprehension challenges for American viewers, even contemplating the use of subtitles for the US screenings. At SXSW, director Cornish addressed these apprehensions, affirming that audiences understood the dialogue well despite distributor doubts.

Home media

The film became available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in the UK on 19 September 2011, followed by a US release on 25 October 2011. An exclusive Blu-ray/DVD combo edition with a glow-in-the-dark cover showcasing the bio-luminescent jaws of one of the creatures was offered through Play.com.

Soundtrack

The original soundtrack includes compositions by British electronic duo Basement Jaxx and composer Steven Price. It also features selected tracks not present on the official album, such as KRS-One’s 1993 rap anthem "Sound of da Police" and Richie Spice’s 2006 reggae track "Youths Dem Cold," which plays during the closing credits. Throughout the film, an original rap titled "Get That Snitch," performed by the character Hi-Hatz, is featured and is included as part of the DVD’s special content.

Box office

On its opening weekend in May 2011 within the UK market, Attack the Block generated £1,133,859, securing third place behind blockbuster releases Thor and Fast Five. It achieved the highest average gross per cinema, nearly doubling that of its competitors. On a per-screen basis, it topped all other films for that week. In North America, its theatrical presence was limited to 66 theaters over a period shorter than two months, accumulating US$1,024,175 in total revenue. Despite favorable reviews from critics, it was ultimately deemed a commercial failure at the box office.

Critical response

Attack the Block garnered widespread critical praise. According to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 90% approval rating based on 183 critiques, with an average score of 7.5/10, described as "a thrilling, briskly-paced sci-fi yarn with a distinctly British flavor." On Metacritic, it has a score of 75 out of 100 from 27 reviewers, reflecting "generally favorable reviews."

Slash film hailed Attack the Block as a "true cult classic" deserving its own line of action figures. Renowned critic Roger Ebert of Chicago Sun-Times commended its character development and John Boyega’s performance. Scott Wampler from The Examiner awarded it an A+ grade, labeling it the standout film of the 2011 festival season and likening it to notable debuts such as Neill Blomkamp's District 9 and Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. Matt Patches at Cinemablend suggested it might rank among that year’s best action films. IGN’s Chris Tilly gave it four stars, praising Cornish’s assured direction and dynamic pacing. Similarly, Ben Rawson-Jones from Digital Spy rated it four stars, emphasizing its importance as a distinctly British production. In contrast, Mark Kermode offered a more mixed critique, expressing a desire for greater humor and scares.

Following the subsequent success of its lead actors—Boyega as Finn in Star Wars and Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who—the film received renewed critical attention. In 2017, Tom Philip of GQ described it as "one of the most confidently-delivered debut feature films in recent memory" and ranked it among the decade’s finest genre hybrids. Nathan Rabin from Rotten Tomatoes affirmed its status as a deserved cult classic and recognized it as an authentic star-making project. Additionally, Wired Magazine included it in their list of best films from the 2010s.

Awards and Honors

• Audience Choice Award for Best Film (Midnights) at the 2011 SXSW
• Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Los Angeles Film Festival
• Audience Choice Award for Best European or American Feature at the 2011 Fantasia Festival
• Melies d'Argent awarded for Best European Fantastic Feature Film in 2011 at the Lund International Fantastic Film Festival
• Muut Prize for Outstanding Visual Concept at the 2011 Miskolc International Film Festival
• Bassan Arts and Crafts Prize recognizing Best Production Design at the Torino Film Festival 2011
• Golden Mouse Online Critics Prize for Best Film at the Torino Film Festival 2011
• Best Debut Director accolade at the 2011 New York Film Critics Online Awards
• Best First Feature honor at the 2011 Toronto Film Critics Association Awards
• At the 2011 Sitges Film Festival, received Best Original Soundtrack, Special Jury Award, Audience Award for Best Motion Picture, and the Jose Luis Guarner Critic Award
• Special Recognition at the 2011 Black Film Critics Circle Awards for its pioneering depiction of a predominantly black cast within a science-fiction context
• Awards for Best First Film and Best Original Score presented by the 2011 Austin Film Critics Association
• John Boyega earned Best Actor, while the film won Outstanding Foreign Film at the 2011 Black Reel Awards

Sequel

In May 2021, it was revealed that Joe Cornish would return as writer and director for a sequel, with John Boyega confirmed to reprise his role and take on production duties.