British sci-fi horror about a teen gang in South London defending their block from an alien invasion. Remeniscent of 80s horror films like Gremlins, with the splatter of Peter Jackson's Brain Dead.
This is the feature debut from director Joe Cornish, who co-wrote The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn. Executive produced by Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) and featuring a score by Basement Jaxx.
Fish Tank meets Skyline in this hilarious and arresting British sci-fi comedy. Whilst the Pitch Black/Alien hybrid creatures (described in the film as the result of a party at a zoo where a "monkey got with a fish") are nothing particularly new, the film's swagger and band of teen antiheros are a welcome change from the typical gung-ho marines, essential everymen and narcissistic yuppies who inhabit the likes of Battle Los Angeles, Falling Skies and The Darkest Hour in what is becoming an increasingly over-exposed and underwhelming genre.
Writer-director Cornish manages to meld the Ken Loachian with the Joe Dante as he plays with camera angles, changes in pace, black humour and growing tension to create a thrilling and engaging tale. Atmosphere is added by Stephen Price's spooky score, but it's the sense of realism which sets this apart.
The boys' actions have consequences and it becomes personal ("his best friend got ate and he's a bit vexed about it," is one simple summation). And while they are eventually prepared to "man up", Cornish's characters aren't afraid to confess their fears: "Right now I feel like going in and locking my door and playing Fifa".
Best described as a British version of South Korea's The Host, Block even answers the curly question of what to do when aliens invade and you've only got enough money for one text.
By James Croot, Flicks.co.nz
Can you give no stars? The story is ridiculously stupid and illogical in every sense. What a total utter and complete load of tosh. A testosterone-filled movie with aliens and baseball bats, encouraging teenagers to make like gangs and get aggressive when something gets crossed with their "block". Absolutely horrible script felt like a eight year old wrote it in a week. Contrived to the max. Struggled to see it through to the end. No redeeming qualities in any of the characters. . The only enjoyment I got out of this film was watching each of the sh**ty characters die horribly one by one.
Has a clever script and winning underdog spirit.
An entertaining thriller in the tradition of 1970s B-action films, with an unknown cast, energetic special effects and great energy.
Smart, commercial, original and, particularly in an outstanding slo-mo climax, unashamedly cinematic.
There could be a few more scares and laughs, but it's a blast to be drawn into this urban ecosystem.
There's a vaguely Spielbergian quality to Cornish's skill at balancing the sense of shared adventure with genuine danger.
