Never Back Down (2008)

That was an excellent one.

Powerful

Fresh and Exciting

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

This film is an In Between Good and Very Good film with some great acting by Sean Faris, Amber Heard, Cam Gigandet, Evan Peters and Djimon Hounsou. Never Back Down is a film which does have some pretty good fighting, but the film is to over Glamorized. The film does have some great things about it such as Jake Tylers rebellious teen character, Max Coopermans friendly, confident, passionate and keen character, Baja Millers friendly, loving and caring character and Ryan McCarthys violent and malicious character. The acting by Sean Faris as Jake Tyler, Amber Heard as Baja Miller, Cam Gigandet as Ryan McCarthy, Evan Peters as Max Cooperman and Djimon Hounsou as Jean Roqua was very good. This film did lack things in quite a few ways though and one of the main things was that the violent and malicious martial arts champion Ryan McCarthy had a big ego and was a complete dickhead, thinking he's the most powerful person ever, but Jake Tyler proved him wrong and knocked the living daylights out of him. Compared to Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown, this film was no way as good as that film and Never Back Down 2 was a hell of a lot better than this film. Never Back Down 2 was a lot more tense than this film, the fighters were a lot better than these fighters, the extremely powerful and absolutely brilliant martial arts film actor Michael Jai White was in the film not Djimon Hounsou and the fighting was a lot more tense, powerful and amazing compared to Never Back Down. None of the fighters in Never Back Down 2 had a big ego or were dickheads like Ryan McCarthy. Todd Duffee who acted as Tim Tim Newhouse is a MMA Champion in real life, is much more powerful than Cam Gigandet and would slaughter Ryan McCarthys arse to death. I'm not saying that this is a crap film, because it definitely isn't a crap film, it's quite a good one, it just has a few weak things to it that's all.

Never Back Down reminds me of a Disney Channel Movie back in days of Brink and Johnny Tsunami. It has simple characters and doesn't really have too many surprises. That being said the movie is well written and has a classic plot. Plain and simple, it's just light hearted good watch. Jake Tyler (Sean Faris) is a kid troubled by the death of his father. After moving to a new town the local tough guy (Cam Gigandet) picks him to be his latest person to beat up on. The thing to do in this town is being into UFC/MMA and participating in the low key fight club.If you're looking for some time to kill or your looking for a simple yet enjoyable movie check this out. The three reasons to are: entertaining story, decent acting for a small movie (with a small part from Dijon Hounsou), and a good motivational message.

Jake Tyler is a tough kid who leads with his fists, and often, with his heart. He is the new kid in town with a troubled past. He has recently moved to Orlando, Fla., with his family who has relocated to support his younger brother's shot at a professional tennis career. Jake was a star athlete on the football team at home, but in this new city he is an outsider with a reputation for being a quick tempered brawler. Making an attempt to fit in, at the invitation of a flirtatious classmate, Baja, Jake goes to a party where he is unwittingly pulled into a fight with a bully named Ryan McDonald. While he is defeated and humiliated in the fight, a classmate introduces himself to Jake and tells him about the sport known as Mixed Marshall Arts (MMA). He sees a star in Jake and asks that he meet with his mentor, Jean Roqua,. It is immediately apparent to Jake that MMA is not street fighting, but rather an art form he wants to master. Roqua will take Jake under his wing, but it is up to Jake to find the patience, discipline, willingness and reason within him to succeed. For Jake, there is much more at stake than mere victory. His decision will not just settle a score; it will define who he is.

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.