Fantasia 2026: 'Attack On Paradise' Movie Review

“This is really bad timing, babe.” For Suleyman (Said Boumazoughe), the protagonist of Bob Colares's new action-thriller, Attack on Paradise, this is easily the understatement of a lifetime, considering he’s about to embark on a day that plays out like a mix of The Raid and Walking Tall. 

 

After a seven-year stint in prison for beating up a pair of corrupt cops, all “Solo,” as he’s known by some, wants is to reunite with his ailing mother and move on with his life. But the home he returns to is not the home he left. Prince (Achmed Akkabi), a vicious crime boss, has taken over the Paradise apartment complex in Antwerp, embedding his empire on the top floor and living like a gangster Robin Hood. It also happens that the day Suleyman returns is the day the police stage a massive raid on the complex, and wouldn’t you know it, he gets caught in the ensuing chaos. To survive, avoid returning to prison, and save his mother, he must team up with rookie SWAT cop and single mom Yasmine (Clara Cleymans) and fight their way up the high rise one flight at a time, one fight at a time.

 

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Plot wise, you’ve seen this movie before, and nothing that happens will surprise most of you. The cops don’t care about collateral damage or innocence, Yasmine doesn’t trust Suleyman, until she does, Prince even gets on the loud speaker and implores the building’s residents to go after the invaders, like Ma-Ma in Dredd. Things go awry in the places they always do and complications rear their ugly head as expected. For example, the moment you see the sick mom, you know there’s going to be a side quest for life-saving medicine. 

 

But just because this is a familiar journey doesn’t mean it’s not one worth taking. It’s tight, well-paced, and propulsive end-to-end. The action is exciting and plentiful, and while stylized, Colaers and cinematographer Steven Vanvolsem never go overboard with frenetic camera movements and editing. They employ tools like canted frames, slow motion, and others, but use them judiciously, to enhance the constrained interiors and utilize the unusual spaces and shadows of the tenement to deliver intricate staging and imagery. An excellent pool hall/sex club brawl is a notable standout.

 

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The real reason to watch is Boumazoughe, who is also one of the writers. As a character, Suleyman is stock stuff; he wants to save his mom and his home, fine and relatable motivations, but oft-used. But Boumazoughe has the best fighting chops in the movie, well beyond anyone else, and his scenes are, far and away, the best, and, of course, the most frequent. They never explain how or why he’s such a badass, but who really cares? Perhaps just as important, however, is his screen presence. Even when not throwing down, has a magnetism and charisma that draws you in, keeps you on the hook, and adds weight and gravitas. If he leads more action movies, we should watch; he’s a hell of a frontman and the biggest asset Attack on Paradise has working in its favor. [Grade: B]

 

Find all of our Fantasia 2026 coverage here.