Attack the Block (2012), directed by Joe Cornish

It’s bonfire night but amid all the lovely fireworks something horrific is descending on a South London council estate. Its resident gang of teenage thugs look likely to graduate from petty crime to full blown violent arseholes, but an alien invasion forces them to team up with their latest victim in a greater cause. The film starts off a little lame, more like an episode of The Bill than a horror Sci Fi flick. It gains momentum as the nasty furry aliens start ripping humans to shreds and the block residents have to pull together to survive, ending with a bang. It is helped enormously by John Boyega’s straight down the line performance as head teen thug Moses, well supported by Jodie Whittaker as nurse Sam, who refuses to remain a victim. Gang members, their smarter female counterparts and two aspiring bad boys inject moments of comic relief and the film is given depth by some light social commentary that scores some well-made points without preaching.