10 Horror Movie Monsters Who Make You EAT Your Words

A council estate in South London is not the obvious place for an alien invasion; Joe Cornish is not the obvious pick for a horror director; and hairy, half-ape, half-werewolf monsters are not the obvious choice for an extraterrestrial villain. And yet Attack the Block is the synthesis of all these elements, serving up something unexpected that just might have you questioning your prejudices.

A local gang of hoods, led by Moses (John Boyega) find themselves at the ground zero of an alien invasion, when a meteorite lands on their street. Forced to club together with the inhabitants of the area around the tower block they normally terrorise, the gang face alien creatures using fireworks, samurai swords and anything else they can lay their hands on.

Using a blend of puppets, practical effects and CG, Cornish and co. bring the rabid, animalistic aliens to life, turning them swiftly from the butt of the joke into the main event. They are savage and surprisingly scary, and their design – including their rows of neon-blue teeth – makes them a truly unique addition to the sci-fi horror canon.