Inner City vs. Outer Space

Starring: John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, Alex Esmail, Leeon Jones, Franz Drameh, Simon Howard, Maggie McCarthy, Danielle Vitalis, Nick Frost, Michael Ajao, Natasha Jonas, Gina Antwi

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"What kind of alien, out of all the places in the whole wide world, would invade some shitty council estate in south London?" - Dimples

Why watch this? It's one of the best low-budget alien invasion films in years.

Plot Summary: A South London gang and the nurse they just mugged must reluctantly team up to survive when their council estate is invaded by hostile extraterrestrials. What starts as a simple robbery is interrupted by an object falling from the sky, forcing the group to face an intergalactic threat with improvised weapons. Throughout the night, they defend their turf against predatory, fanged creatures as they learn to put aside their differences for the sake of survival.

Dad's Preview: This is the second effort from young British director Joe Cornish and it delivers with confidence. Though centering on a small group of unruly teenagers, it feels polished and bigger than it is. There's a sci-fi freshness I have not felt since Tremors (1990), and that is saying a lot. It has action, social-commentary, character-development and some great creature effects. The strong performance by John Boyega (pre-Star Wars) should be noted. This delightful movie, combining alien invasion, horror and humor, is referred to as a genre-mashup. It also considered a new cult classic.

StudioCanal, Film4, UK Film Council, Big Talk Pictures; Optimum Releasing