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Never Back Down

Never Back Down (2008)

March. 04,2008
|
6.5
|
PG-13
| Drama Action

Jake, full of anger after his father's death, is just starting to find a place for himself at his new Orlando high school - until Ryan, head of an underground MMA fight club, picks Jake out as a prime opponent. After being trounced by Ryan in front of the entire school, Jake begins training under the firm, moral guidance of a MMA master, where he learns how to fight... and how to avoid a fight. But it becomes obvious that a rematch will be inevitable if Jake wants to stop Ryan and his bullying, once and for all.

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Reviews

Beanbioca
2008/03/04

As Good As It Gets

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Lollivan
2008/03/05

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

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Derrick Gibbons
2008/03/06

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

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Jenni Devyn
2008/03/07

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

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cyrillgasser
2008/03/08

One of the best movies I have ever seen. I was on YouTube one day and I clicked a video request for this movie I took a look at it and thought it would be cool. I watched it and loved the movie it also teaches you a good message Never Back Down ever this was a great movie I would recommend this movie big time great. I love how Jake looses a fight and trains then takes down Ryan in the end great story great movie great plot great cast just amazing movie. I enjoyed the movie it was a really well put together film. It had really good parts and it instantly became my favorite sport movie of all time it was great and even more this movie was amazing and well put together just what you want in a movie that is worth it.

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Prismark10
2008/03/09

Get some The Karate Kid, add some Bloodsport, mix with Fight Club with a dash of Rocky and you have Never Back Down.Not the most original film but amiable, predictable and silly enough as hotheaded and rebellious Jake Tyler (Sean Farris) who beat up everyone on a football pitch because of a rude comment about his father moves to a new town to help his younger brother play competitive tennis.However in his first day at High School he is lured into a fight by Ryan (Cam Gigandet) who is aware of his exploits in his previous school as they run a not so underground fight club.Jake gets badly beaten up by Ryan and befriends Max (Evan Peters), who introduces him to the world of Mixed Martial Arts run by Jean (Djimon Hounsou) a tough trainer who has a golden rule. No fighting outside of the club. However Ryan keeps on taunting him especially as Jake is going out with ex girlfriend (Amber Heard.)In the climax there is a showdown as both enter a MMA competition. Its a hokey film, Farris looks a lot like a young Tom Cruise without the charisma. Hounsou is the tough trainer with a tender heart (a cross between Mickey from Rocky and Mr Miyagi.) You know that his no fighting rule is going to get breached. The film has a Fast & Furious type beat with the music and is aimed at a younger crowd. The kind that heal quickly from a good beating.

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vanneero
2008/03/10

Putrid, awful, ugly, exasperating, moronic, insufferably boring, terribly written, terribly acted, morally reprehensible and completely rotten to the core, Never Back Down might just be one of the worst films ever made. It is one of those films that is all about trite clichés, and such films can often be made very well, but Never Back Down is so lazily made that you can almost hear director Jeff Wadlow yawning in the background. The film's message is old and familiar: if you're a boring nobody who is constantly bullied by tough guys at school, don't ever tell about those problems to anyone, because you can start studying martial arts instead and beat up the tough guys, after which everyone respects you and even get to date a hot chick! Yuck. The acting is laughably bad across the board, with Sean Faris and Cam Gigandet delivering the most charmless and bland performances you'll ever see. Amber Heard is very pretty (which is the only positive thing you can say about the film), but she's awful as well, and even Djimon Hounsou, the only qualified actor here, is completely wasted in a clownish role. I don't think even the most die-hard fans of mixed martial arts get anything out of this piece of crap other than a bad temper. Never Back Down is a film that I not only utterly loathe, it's a film that I disdain.

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Grit1441
2008/03/11

Overall I found Never Back Down entertaining, although there wasn't anything about it that I feel was "great". The storyline has been used time and time again, but for fans of the genre it is worth your time to take this film for a spin. Some of the MMA action and training included some unexpected accuracy, especially how the training focused on position, functional strength with high endurance, and technique. Some fans of the sport will be disappointed that MMA is portrayed as an underground ring, and not as a fully sanctioned event however those same fans may also remember how MMA began at its roots. Fans of martial arts movies and/or action movies in general will at least appreciate the multiple fight scenes and pretty girls walking around in bikinis.

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