At the risk of repeating myself, the Big Talk links have a lot of reviews.
There is no risk.
I am repeating myself.
As well as excitement and laughs, Cornish provides some sharp social comment on the subject of aliens and alienation
Peter Bradshaw for The Guardian
First and foremost, Attack the Block is a properly cinematic film unlike anything the British film industry has produced in recent memory.
Ultra Culture held back their words in accordance with the embargo
but then realised they were the only silly billies to be showing
that level of respect.
Cornish, like Garth Jennings, Duncan Jones and Gareth Edwards before him, didn't get the memo that said all British science fiction must be small-scale, tedious analogies of the decline of postwar imperialism or the unbelievable price of stamps or whatever we're complaining about these days.
All great horror films work because the heroes are stuck in a locked, small environment. Here we find our gang of kids, and everyone else for that matter, fighting off the alien invasion within the confines of a South London tower block.
Neil for SciFind
Cinematographer Tom Townend turns exclusively nocturnal locations into a riot of neon-drenched colour reminiscent of Andrew Laszlo’s work for Walter Hill, while the electronic throb of Steven Price’s score betrays an unmistakable John Carpenter influence
Michael Brooke for Sight & Sound
The stylistic references are clear (predator, gremlins, close encounters), but the film doesn’t rely on this to support itself, never descending into parody or overly referential fan boy smugness.
From Celluloid Hero's Jack
Like a love postcard to his postcode this is a movie set in a very real London, and Cornish uses every part of the grimy night streets and neon lit housing estate as a sprawling playground-come-warzone where the crafty kids who ‘call it home’ have the upper hand against their evil aggressors.
From Love Horror
I can imagine discovering Attack The Block at a TIFF Midnight Madness screening circa 1987 or 88, or watching it on a crappy VHS screening copy even. And I think I would have loved it then as much as I love it now.
Norman Wilner for Now Toronto
The character development between the mugged nurse and her hooded marauders provides a solid foundation of urban realism upon which Cornish layers on plenty of visual japes, verbal wisecracks and gory shocks.
from Ben Rawson-Jones of Digital Spy
Joe Cornish, making his debut here, stuffs the film with immensely satisfying, soon-to-be-iconic moments and juggles several major story threads with ease.Alex Williams for the Daily Texan
But the setting and the aliens are mere supports to the true stars of the film, the young actors, who last week described how they had enjoyed having an input into their characters' dialogue.
Andrew McCorkell for The Independent
It's a perfect example of how every piece of the film is intricately thought out.Rick DeMott for Animation World Network
Giant Feral Chia Pets Gone WildLeah Rozen for TheWrap
The small scale works in favor of the film’s overall charm. There’s no government cover-up or agents running around with walkie-talkies.Tim Kelly for Guy.com
It's action-packed 88 minutes feel like about 20.Whitney Matheson for USA Today
The film alternates suspense with flashes of mild gore gross-out and cheerful farce: there's a nice scene in which a bunch of girls set about the aliens with roller skates and standard lamps (the girls, in fact, are feistier and mouthier than the boys, and underused in this somewhat male affair)
Jonathan Romney, also for The Independent
Attack the Block is an affectionate addition to the monster movie catalogue but anyone expecting Cornish, with his comedy pedigree, to have crafted a parody should know that this is a quirky, but brutal sci-fi shocker that’s as violent and tense as the best of the genre demands.
from Ed Whitfield of Obsessed with Films
While the aliens remain unknowable black beasts – prowling blotches of dead space with no eyes and glowing neon fangs – the youngsters gradually evolve from caricatures to characters.
from Jonathan Crocker of Love Film
Most importantly, it gives grotty London estates an almost magical cinematic sheen which is unexpectedly stunning.
by Becky Read for FakeDIY
Cornish was obviously very deliberate when distinguishing each person’s look, speech, attitude and back story and it pays off.
Alongside Ayoade, Cornish is now a director to watch.
Michael Leader for Den of Geek
While the creatures look like vicious Muppets, they make surprisingly convincing antagonists.David Rooney in The Hollywood Reporter
Consistently funny and bursting with creativity, it’s staggering that this is Cornish’s first feature. Along with cinematographer Thomas Townend, Cornish shoots inner city London like Blade Runner’s midnight cityscape; a third-act slow-mo sequence in particular is a scene of unexpected beauty amid the interstellar chaos.
Jordan Farley of SFX Magazine
The socio-political commentary is there if you want to chew on it, but Attack The Block is primarily concerned with the invasion of inky extraterrestrials whose only distinguishing feature is a hellish maw of glow-in-the-dark teeth.
Graeme Virtue of The Sunday Herald
His direction is terrifically solid too, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
Danny Bowes for TOR.com
There are some genuine scares too, thanks to the great retro monster design and the stunning night-time cinematography.
Attack the Block sets its stall out as a 80s sci-fi, which is very entertaining and brilliantly written.
Andrew Watson for The Script Lab
‘Attack the Block’ is a rousing adventure which packs as much excitement as possible into its 88 minute running time.
by Alan Diment for Hackney Hive
During the climax, I wanted to send along a note to Zack Snyder saying, "This is how you use slo-mo."
Jake writes in his blog
Cornish resists the temptation of including such traditional tropes as a hokey romantic subplot, or of attempting to explore the broken familiar relationships at the heart of the film in any way not befitting the characters themselves.
The design of these creatures is brilliant in its simplicity; they are essentially a black, featureless mass with glowing fangs
from Phil - you know, Phil on Film
The lead character Moses with an excellent performance by John Boyega who looks at times eerily like a very young Denzel Washington.
Sergio n for Shadow And Act on Indiewire.
I overheard two earnest-sounding men in the British Library canteen talking about it the other day. One had never heard of it, the other was enthusing about how, finally, underprivileged kids who live on estates would finally have a film that does them justice and give them a positive spin. I think I can see what he means. But don’t watch Attack The Block out of a spurious need for political roughage; watch it (from May 13), because it’s scary and funny.
You should read it.
Where Wright’s first two features were satirical romps, and Jones and Edwards chose to set their sci-fi pictures outside the UK, Attack the Block is both muscular and set on his home turf; for once it’s not America that the aliens choose to invade.
from Jamie Dunn at The Skinny
However much goodwill you chuck at it, this isn’t quite the instant cult classic you want it to be. But now and then it’s as blinding as those alien gnashers.
Just in case you thought I was sugaring a pill,
this a rare review with reservations
from James Mottram at......well, it's Total Film
SO WHY THE STRANGE TITLE ATTACK THE BLOCK? BECAUSE THIS A FILM ABOUT TERRITORY. AND TERRITORY BEST MEANS “HOME” AND “COMMUNITY” IN THIS CASE; BEST EXPLORED THROUGH THAT SINGLE, AMAZING CHARACTER.
HULK SIMPLY CANNOT BELIEVE SOMEONE MADE A MOVIE ABOUT MOSES.
There will be lots of lazy comparisons with Shaun Of The Dead, taking into consideration the Edgar Wright link (he’s executive producer). On one level, that’s justified — we’ll be throwing in our own lazy comparison later — but like Belloq in Raiders, people seeking to lump Shaun and Block together are digging in the wrong place. For Attack The Block is really the best movie John Carpenter never made
This is the on-line version of Chris Hewitt's review in this month's glossy Empire Magazine I chose that quote because Attack the Block has got about as much to do with Shaun of the Dead as my bottom - i.e. I sat on it to watch both films...though only the very edge of it.
The director Joe Cornish has a sharp ear for the depressing rhythms of teen patois, and the execution has an undeniable zing, but it’s more jumpy than scary...
Jenny McCartney in The Telegraph's Seven (David Gritten's review is also at this link)
In some ways Attack The Block is reminiscent of last year's French zombie actioner The Horde. The high rise council block is the locale for a fantasy event where different types of people come together in an uneasy alliance.
Martyn Conterio from FilmShaft.com
Cast-wise, the young crew of first-timers is plucky and endearing. There’s muscular support from Jodie Whittaker and Nick Frost, while Luke Treadaway walks away with the film as a bumbling posh-boy stoner.
in their SXSW roundup but there'll be more to come
from this team, no doubt.
Despite the inclusion of every potential stereotype, and tackling an entirely improbable storyline, the film still feels fresh and real
Once the Basement Jaxx soundtrack is pumping and the glow-in-the-dark teeth possessing aliens are ascending the tower, the film hits the peak of the frenetic pace and it manages to keep it all the way to the finale.
Stewart Terry for HUH
Cornish’s breathlessly-paced script entwines thrilling action set-pieces with a gently provocative portrayal of urban youth, effectively challenging audience preconceptions while never letting up on the entertainment.
Paul Gallagher writes for The List
Another clever idea is that the alien invasion occurs on bonfire night with most people assuming that when they land they are simply rockets that have been misfired.
Luke for The Daily Dischord
Although very funny, Attack the Block refuses to be labelled as a mere comedy and is not to be confused for one.
Steven Price’s score is impressive, is used with wit and verve, and Basement Jaxx (also feature film debutants) contribute a superb pulsing soundtrack.
from Olly Buxton of Flick Feast
It would be remiss of me to exclude Robbie Collin's now notoriously damning review but it's behind a paywall so you'd think I'd have a watertight excuse. I'm not impartial. I can't pretend I am but whilst I disagree with Robbie as often as I concur with him, he's a lovely chap and his thoughts on any film are always worth a look. Due to the Twoutrage on Sunday, Robbie felt the need to not so much defend but explain the basis of his review via his Facebook page and in doing so, pretty much made the salient points of it available for us tightwads.
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