A naive and truly obnoxious movie about the world of Mixed Martial Arts.
Comment
10/18/08
Never Back Down (2008)
24
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:79
Fresh:19
Rotten:60
Average Rating:4.4/10
Consensus: Though not without its pleasures, Never Back Down faithfully adheres to every imaginable fight movie cliché.
Theatrical Release:04-04-2008
Synopsis: Set against the action-packed world of Mixed Martial Arts, Never Back Down is the story of Jake Tyler, a tough kid who leads with his fists, and, often, with his heart. Jake Tyler, played by Sean... [More]
Starring: Sean Faris, Djimon Hounsou, Amber Heard, Cam Gigandet
Director: Jeff Wadlow
Reviews for Never Back Down
Top CriticIf you think about what this film is saying, the superficiality is overwhelming.
03/25/08
The Karate Kid meets Fight Club but it's no way near as good as it sounds.
04/04/08
Top CriticA generic, violent underdog story that pays a lot of lip service to non-violence when its characters aren't busy kicking and punching the tar out of each other.
07/23/08
Come back Mr Miyagi, all is forgiven.
04/08/08
Top CriticA cliché-ridden guilty pleasure.
04/04/08
Enjoyably trashy teen flick that plays like a dumbed-down version of Fight Club, enlivened by an engaging lead performance by star-in-the-making Sean Faris.
04/03/08
High School Fight Club. Discover new star Sean Faris and his homoerotic nemesis Cam Gigandet.
03/12/08
When I think of tough fighters the first thing I think is Disney World. You can take so much of that place before you want to go and beat the heck out of someone.
03/17/08
Compulsively watchable...there's always something viscerally exciting about watching kung fu fighters whaling on each other.
03/17/08
The human body can't do or withstand the things this movie claims it can, and one can only hope that pic's probable success doesn't trigger a dramatic rise in schoolyard body-slams, arm locks and chokeholds.
03/14/08
Top Critic... spouts a hollow message of nonviolence while celebrating the brutal satisfaction of beating the crap out of someone.
03/13/08
In lieu of character development we get musical montages, and the film is sliced and diced more than all of Sweeney Todd's victims combined.
03/13/08
Here's what I hoped for: someone to root for, someone to root against, an inspiring coach, some eye candy and, of course, training montages. I got what I wanted.
08/27/08
This movie isn't bad just because it follows a formula slavishly but because it does so without verve or passion.
03/14/08
A sort of teenage Fight Club, complete with daddy issues, Never Back Down is a slight refinement of the sort of picture that was ascendant in the '80s... [Blu-Ray]
08/05/08
Never Back Down offers extreme fighting as the modern-day alternative to sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll.
03/14/08
Top CriticPretty much all of Never Back Down is shot like an episode of Punk’d, with a soundtrack from an MTV2 playlist. Which is all perfectly appropriate and kinda fun.
03/17/08
You could call this "Fight Club Jr." blended with "Karate Kid Redux" and "The Fast and the Furious Again."
03/14/08
With its thin characters and derivative plot, the finished product seems more like a marketing concept than an actual film.
03/14/08
Latest News for Never Back Down
June 02, 2008:
2008 MTV Movie Awards Winners
Forget to tune into the 17th annual MTV Movie Awards last night? No problem -- here's a list of the evening's winners, including the coveted Best Summer Movie So Far award! More...
May 14, 2008:
Hauty, Wadlow, and Baumgarten Are The Eternals 
The Never Back Down creative team -- writer Chris Hauty, director Jeff Wadlow, and producer Craig Baumgarten -- will reunite for CBS Films' The Eternals, which is being... More...
May 06, 2008:
2008 MTV Movie Award Nominations Announced
It's almost time to hand out some golden popcorn -- the nominations for the 2008 MTV Movie Awards have been announced! More...
April 09, 2008:
UK Box Office Breakdown: Son of Rambow Highest New Entry
In a piece of news almost as heartwarming as the film itself, Son of Rambow came in at second place in the UK box office this week, with the British indie nabbing almost... More...
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