--- title: "Attack the Block: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/attack-the-block/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/attack-the-block" critics_score: 82 critics_reviews: 14 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Attack the Block (2011): what the critics said Critics' score 82 from 14 reviews: 14 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are consistently positive about Attack the Block, with praise clustering around Joe Cornish’s brisk direction, the young cast and the convincing south London estate setting. Most critics find that the mixture of alien siege, comedy and social observation works without patronising its teenage protagonists. John Boyega’s Moses draws particular notice, while the gang’s natural dialogue and growing individuality give the action weight. The staging, creature designs and balance of laughs with danger also earn approval. Reservations are limited, and the spread of opinion is narrow. The Evening Standard finds the social message too forceful at times, despite admiring the dialogue and momentum. /Film considers the story somewhat restricted in scope, while Digital Spy finds that the intensity occasionally drops. These are qualifications within favourable reviews: the main difference is how much critics value the film’s social concerns alongside its compact, energetic genre storytelling. ## The New Yorker — Bruce Diones Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 21 July 2011. A superb science-fiction horror film with a thoroughly wicked sense of humor in which young teens defend their grim London council estate from hairy murderous aliens. Cornish’s first film offers tight imaginative camerawork, electric thrills, and a sharp twisty script that plays like social satire. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/attack-the-block) ## Sight and Sound — Michael Brooke Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). The critic calls the film an uproarious debut with street smarts matching its movie smarts. It singles out the convincing South London estate milieu and the strong performances from the young cast, especially John Boyega as Moses. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/6223) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 12 May 2011. First-time director Joe Cornish excels in this very funny, gutsy action-adventure comedy about an alien invasion on a south London council estate. The film blends excitement, laughs, and sharp social comment on alienation and redemption with a light, optimistic touch and strong performances from the young cast. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/may/12/attack-the-block-review) ## Little White Lies — Matt Bochenski Rating 4/4/4. 12 May 2011. Cornish’s first feature is hailed as a brilliant debut by any standard, a triumphant fusion of British values and Hollywood magic. It singles out the young cast’s development of witty, authentic dialogue and the film’s energetic collision of the everyday and the extraordinary. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/attack-the-block) ## Radio Times — Andrew Collins Rating 4/5. Cornish combines 1980s creature capers with contemporary concerns in a socially conscious, energetic horror comedy that is scary and very funny. It singles out the masterful staging of nonstop siege action around the estate without patronising the young protagonists. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-5pjbw9/attack-the-block/) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 4/5. 10 May 2011. The film is deemed this year’s unmissable British movie and Cornish a major talent. It singles out the respectful, heartfelt progression of the young gang protagonists from caricature to believable characters. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/attack-the-block) ## Empire — Chris Hewitt 22 May 2009. The critic calls Cornish’s debut a confident, ambitious sci-fi action thriller that transplants Carpenter-style siege tropes to a South London tower block with authentic youth dialogue and strong newcomer performances. It singles out the memorable alien designs, exciting set pieces and overall cinematic flair for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/attack-block-review/) ## Evening Standard 10 April 2012. The critic finds the film energetic and fresh as an alien-invasion movie, likening it to early John Carpenter with a strong young cast that works well as a gang. It singles out the authentic dialogue and momentum for praise while noting it pushes its social message too hard at times. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/attack-the-block-has-a-lot-of-energy-and-momentum-7424819.html) ## IndieWire — Eric Kohn 13 March 2011. Festival review. The review notes the film's effective use of genre conventions to explore deeper social themes in a South London setting, appreciating its energetic take on alien invasion amid local youth dynamics. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/sxsw-review-genre-goes-deep-in-attack-the-block-and-the-innkeepers-243331/) ## Los Angeles Times — Mark Olsen 29 July 2011. The feature debut of British comedian Joe Cornish works as both a sci-fi horror flick and a teen adventure film pulsing with rowdy energy. Cornish makes the initially unlikable mugger protagonists worth getting to know while creating something fresh rather than nostalgic. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2011-jul-29-la-et-attack-block-20110729-story.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert 27 July 2011. The film is an entertaining thriller in the tradition of 1970s B-action films that turns a gang of teenage thugs into sympathetic individuals defending their housing estate from aliens. Cornish shows strong character sense in his impressive debut and makes effective use of the low-budget monster-movie formula. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/attack-the-block-2011) ## Slant Magazine — Jaime N. Christley 24 July 2011. The critic highlights how the film distinguishes itself by emphasizing theme, place, and compassion for its inner-city teen characters over typical genre referentiality or grindhouse tropes. It singles out the shrewd direction, broad humor, and refusal to over-celebrate community while delivering bloody, breakneck action. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/attack-the-block/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney 27 June 2011. The critic praises the film's blend of rough-edged urban British setting with slick sci-fi thrills and its engaging young cast of junior thugs turned unlikely heroes. It highlights Cornish's skill at balancing shared adventure with genuine danger in a fast-paced, locally flavored invasion story. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/attack-block-film-review-205881/) ## The New York Times — Jeannette Catsoulis Rating NYT Critic’s Pick. 29 July 2011. Teenage delinquents go from hoods to heroes in this jacked-up horror comedy that pits inner-city residents against outer-space invaders. The fabulously inventive debut feature by Joe Cornish never flags over a single night on a South London council estate. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/29/movies/attack-the-block-review.html) ## Variety — Charles Gant 12 March 2011. Festival review. Joe Cornish emerges as an exciting new writer-helmer with this enormously appealing debut feature in which teen street hoodlums defend their tower-block home from shaggy-haired aliens. The zero-to-hero tale mixes wry humor and genre homage with nimble pacing and a propulsive score. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2011/film/markets-festivals/attack-the-block-1117944793/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating A-. 26 May 2011. The critic calls it a great, fast-paced action-thriller with heart and wit that resets the alien invasion genre. He singles out the strong performances from the young cast, especially John Boyega's breakthrough as Moses, and Cornish's assured direction. [Read the review](https://collider.com/attack-the-block-review-2/) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 20 April 2011. This is a powerful feelgood film with lots of thrills and a deliciously dark sense of humour, probably among the most fun films of the year, that succeeds in making the audience side with its young protagonists. It singles out Cornish's lightness of touch and the terrifically naturalistic performances from the young cast for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/attack-the-block-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) ## Paste — David Roark Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 11 August 2011. The critic deems it the year's best alien invasion film for its humor, visuals, and timely story that uses the premise for social commentary on community and redemption. He praises Cornish's direction, the energetic young cast, and the blend of action and meaningful subtext. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/attack-the-block-review) ## Den of Geek — Michael Leader Rating 4/5. 27 April 2011. Cornish's assured debut blends sci-fi horror with a sharp council-estate setting, delivering visual flair and well-observed details amid the alien invasion. The young cast shines in bringing humour and heroism to their characters. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/attack-the-block-review/) ## /Film — Germain Lussier Rating 8/10. 29 July 2011. The film is a small but well-made and fun debut that blends sci-fi, horror, comedy and action while building tension, and is destined to become a cult classic thanks to its characters and passion. It singles out the quirky, relatable characters and their development for praise, while noting the story feels somewhat constricted in scope. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/515327/attack-the-block-review-a-genre-blending-cult-classic-in-the-making/) ## The Skinny — Jamie Dunn Rating 4/5. 5 May 2011. Cornish delivers a mean, lean siege movie that collides urban social realism with extraterrestrial mayhem, using the estate's architecture and the gang's patois to striking effect. It is a blistering debut full of laughs and tension. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/attack-the-block) ## Digital Spy — Ben Rawson-Jones Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 9 May 2011. Joe Cornish's directorial debut cleverly mixes social realism, comedy and thrills as hoodies battle aliens on a South London estate. The largely youthful cast delivers authentic performances and the film offers frequent laughs and shocks, though it lacks sustained intensity in places. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a318411/attack-the-block/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 28 July 2011. The critic finds "Attack the Block" a spunky, low-budget British action-comedy that freshens the alien invasion formula with ethnically diverse teenage heroes in a London housing project. The reviewer praises the film's ability to balance humor, entertainment, genuine scares, and character development among the young protagonists. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/attack-block-giant-feral-chia-pets-gone-wild-29551/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/attack-the-block.md