I walked into this movie with pretty high expectations and I am happy to say it met them. I obviously wasn't expecting a thought-provoking masterpiece but for what was was being advertised, it exceeds with flying colours.
The premise is simple- Aliens attack a small estate in South London, a bunch of teenagers try to kill them. This movie has such a simple premise but is able to stretch so much out of it, something commendable.
One thing I think also deserves recognition is the dialogue. Since the main character's are all teenagers, writer/director Joe Cornish researched for months on end in order to try and recreate the ireverrency of the way young people talk. I am a young person at the time of writing and I can confirm this movie's dialogue is almost identical to the way me and some of my peers speak with each other, something I feel is sorely lacking in other teen-centred movies.
Furthermore, the performances are pretty good. John Boyega gives a solid performance and the child actors all seem to have a genuine rapport which adds to the quality.
In terms of location, the film is very clever. By shooting in this one estate block, with neighbours who live with each other, the film gets a real community and intimate feel, as if you've known these people your whole lives.
Another great thing to see is the alien designs, enough time in the shadows so it can be left to the imagination but detailed enough to create that sense of dread.
The characters however, feel pretty bland and without motivation. The opening scene of them mugging Sam really makes them unlikeable for the first half of the film, and while their characters do develop slightly from the middle, the beginning left a sour taste in my mouth. On top of that, O found the Cinematography passable and nothing really exceptional.
If you're looking for a dumb action movie, look no further than this one. If you compared it to other dumb action movie, this one would be high-tiered but in general it's just passable. Definitely check it out if you're in the mood for it.
The premise is simple- Aliens attack a small estate in South London, a bunch of teenagers try to kill them. This movie has such a simple premise but is able to stretch so much out of it, something commendable.
One thing I think also deserves recognition is the dialogue. Since the main character's are all teenagers, writer/director Joe Cornish researched for months on end in order to try and recreate the ireverrency of the way young people talk. I am a young person at the time of writing and I can confirm this movie's dialogue is almost identical to the way me and some of my peers speak with each other, something I feel is sorely lacking in other teen-centred movies.
Furthermore, the performances are pretty good. John Boyega gives a solid performance and the child actors all seem to have a genuine rapport which adds to the quality.
In terms of location, the film is very clever. By shooting in this one estate block, with neighbours who live with each other, the film gets a real community and intimate feel, as if you've known these people your whole lives.
Another great thing to see is the alien designs, enough time in the shadows so it can be left to the imagination but detailed enough to create that sense of dread.
The characters however, feel pretty bland and without motivation. The opening scene of them mugging Sam really makes them unlikeable for the first half of the film, and while their characters do develop slightly from the middle, the beginning left a sour taste in my mouth. On top of that, O found the Cinematography passable and nothing really exceptional.
If you're looking for a dumb action movie, look no further than this one. If you compared it to other dumb action movie, this one would be high-tiered but in general it's just passable. Definitely check it out if you're in the mood for it.