Never Back Down

[Hunter Rider]

I see, well i think one thing we can all agree on is this looks dreadful regardless of the colour of the ppl in it, but have you seen the trailer for the MMA movie Redbelt ?

 

[Super_Ludacris]

What's that about?

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=23013

 

[GL1]

This goes with my theory that Movies come in twos... if a good idea comes out, two different studios run with it... I think they get their movie ideas from focus groups or something...

Regardless, this and Redbelt are counterparts... this movie focuses on a student and turns O.C.ish... Redbelt keeps the focus on the teacher... who is a real martial artist.

 

[Super_Ludacris]

This goes with my theory that Movies come in twos... if a good idea comes out, two different studios run with it... I think they get their movie ideas from focus groups or something...

Regardless, this and Redbelt are counterparts... this movie focuses on a student and turns O.C.ish... Redbelt keeps the focus on the teacher... who is a real martial artist.

This is a good idea?

 

[KenK]

Redbelt is clearly more about the drama, where as Never Back Down is more about Calvin Klein models kickin' each others asses. Beside, Redbelt's got David Mamet and Chiwetel Ejiofor in its favor, two names I really respect, and would trust not to put out no junk.

 

[GL1]

This is a good idea?

Yes... In general I have a lot more respect for and interest in real martial artists and their teachers than yuppie fight clubs. Infinitely more, in fact.

 

[Red Mask]

She was like " I always turn off the radio when (guess which artist) comes on. I think he's a hypocrite. Im not a religious person but if you claim to love jesus then you should make more songs like that and set an example for your audience"

I was like . What dumb stuff is she rambling on about? First of all this said artist had a massive hit with what some would say comes across as a pro-religious song. But at the same time, he can make whatever songs he wants because religion does not define his music alone and he keeps it diverse.

I dont think his audience cares (he's pretty big and has an eclectic mix of fans) and if your not religious then why do you care? And that's your reason for turning his music off? I would have rather she just said " I dont like his music". What dumb shyt is that? Anyways, let her get cancer, its all good.

You want her to get cancer for something petty as that?

 

[Mr. Credible]

here's the first review (that i've read, anyway)

Hi Harry,

Your website is my blood source. I had the unexpected pleasure of checking out a screening of Never Back Down recently and thought I’d share my thoughts. Keep in mind this is coming from a guy who grew up in the 80’s Van Damme genre, which Never Back Down arguably pays tribute to in its own way.

Jake Tyler (Sean Faris, whom in this movie eerily resembles an early Tom Cruise during his Maverick days, before he became a bonafide kookyhead) is a brilliant high school football star. But he has an anger problem, especially when the subject of his deceased father arises. And further trouble erupts when he’s forced to move from his comfortable common middle-class hillbilly nation lifestyle and into the upper-scale suburban world of the internet-dependent, preppie porche glamour American Pie generation where maintaining your reputation in school is at the mercy of resembling the external looks of a supermodel or posting videos of yourself kicking other people’s asses on youtube.
Jake is unfortunately lured into a fight at a Playboy mansion-like high school party (teenagers resembling 30 year olds) and gets Deebo’d by some super jock ******* named Ryan (Cam Gigandet) in front of half the school and in the presence of Jake’s love interest Baja (Amber Heard), whom also is Ryan’s girlfriend to add to the “emotional strain of poor Jake” element of the movie. So Jake enrolls into a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) program instructed by Jean Roqua played by none other than the great Djimon Hounsou, who will teach him more than just skills in pouncing on over-privileged Laguna Beach super jock asshats. He will teach him the true meaning of life, help discover his inner potential and to follow his willful heart.

I won’t dive into the acting too much because it’s mildly mediocre for the most part with the exception of the great Djimon Hounsou who was not nearly present enough.

Sean Faris pulls his weight fine as the tough yet likeable protagonist but is no Maximus by any means. Amber Heard expresses a total of two emotions throughout the entire film but serves quite well as the eye candy. Not surprisingly the teen romance aspect between Jake and Baja fails for the most part. But fortunately that’s not the main focus of the movie. It’s about action packed grappling/kickboxing ass kicking, combined with the journey of a common struggling teen with a burdened past, striving to get a grasp on his inner demons and overcome his anger mismanagement.

The there’s Cam Gigandet. I’m unfamiliar with The O.C. and anything else he stared in, but here he brings a unique sort of wicked edge as the antagonist that genuinely makes you just hate the guy. Maybe it’s that unnerving grin he carries every five seconds throughout the film. Call me demented but I’ve always been quite fond of villains who smirk excessively, such as Chong Li in Bloodsport, Geena Davis’ nemesis in Long Kiss Goodnight and of course the Clown Prince of Gotham to name a few. There’s just something about the baddies getting a comical kick out of hurting others that amplifies their evilness and gives me great joy, as if they take pleasure in inflicting pain as much as I enjoy a common priceless Chuck Norris gag. Not to say Cam Gigandet is of high status as the above mentioned, but here he pulls it off quite well.

The message of the movie is solid. As I stated earlier it’s about ass kicking, but it’s more than that. It’s about a maturing teen struggling to deal with the harsh cards he was dealt as best as he knows how at his young age. A kid attempting to find himself and overcome his intense animosity towards life. And even more importantly the movie emphasizes the fact that walking away from a fight is not always possible, but fighting back is sometimes absolutely necessary to defend ourselves, our loved ones, or stopping those intent on harm so we ultimately never have to fight again. An important theme for all those “peace-pipe smoking, the world is a perfect place, silence before violence, lets all hold hands, form a circle, throw flowers in air, strum a guitar and sing kumbaya around the campfire” fruit loops out there in the media today.

After the movie when the comment segment kicked in, some thug was arguing in a philosophical tone that the score should have been less hip-hopy and more dramatically symphonic or some nonsense, as if Djimon Hounsou being in the movie automatically required something along the lines of Hans Zimmer Gladiator caliber. But I thought it couldn’t have been more fitting with a blend of artists such as Kanye West and yes, say what you want, the much underrated Toby Mac in my opinion.

Overall for what it’s worth, the majority of the audience seemed to love the movie (oddly consisting of mainly ghetto peeps and white trash whose opinions I actually value more than the cream-of-the-crop knucklehead critics who will hate this move simply due to the excess of clichés). I honestly had low expectations walking in and was pleasantly surprised. And I would sum up Never Back Down as a PG-13 teeny bopper Fight Club, minus the spilt personality disorder, death to consumerism message, superb acting, invaluable one liners and flawless David Fincher directing. In other words, Never Back Down is a dynamic $6.75 matinee flick, packed with mindless fun, numerous clichés, a bit of spurious teenage lovey-dovey nonsense and pure unadulterated ass pounding, in a non-prison-like fashion. It makes you want to lace up some gloves afterwards and smack down a member of the born into riches, I own a X-Box 360, Wii, and PS3, super athlete crew who floss around in their decked out lifted Dodge Ram 2500s, picking on those smaller in size to promote their own over-inflated egos. Peace out G’s.

If you use this review, call me Cpt. Wiggin. If not, I still love your website.

 

[Mr. Credible]

sounds like about what i expected... shallow, 80's inspired, plenty of ass kicking, ultimately forgettable, but a good matinée or dollar movie catch.

 

[SodaPop]

sounds like about what i expected... shallow, 80's inspired, plenty of ass kicking, ultimately forgettable, but a good matinée or dollar movie catch.

exactly what i expected from this movie. and so i will go see it.

 

[Mr. Credible]

^

diddo

 

[SodaPop]

And plus this movie will help get me through til May and all of Summer's glory. Its the only movie Im excited for in march.

 

[Sebastos]

^ You're not exicted for 10,000 BC?

 

[SodaPop]

^ Not really. I'm going to go watch the trailers that are in front of it and then leave. The whole story just seems stupid to me. But thats what I think.

 

[terry78]

The dude's name in this is Tyler. Like the dude from Step Up. Coincidence.

 

[SodaPop]

No, his name is Jake Tyler.
Tyler is not a rare name.

The worst name in the movie is Amber Heard's character, Baja; pronounced Baha.

Just like the flavor of starburst and the short lived flavor of mountain dew.

 

[terry78]

No, his name is Jake Tyler.
Tyler is not a rare name.

The worst name in the movie is Amber Heard's character, Baja; pronounced Baha.

You know an awful lot about this film.

 

[SodaPop]

You know an awful lot about this film.

A lot of people know alot about this film. Its got some buzz following it.

 

[terry78]

I am in the film.

Touche, pussycat.

 

[Sebastos]

That review does sound pretty positive.

 

[Sebastos]

I'm...almost tempted to go see it.

 

[nocomics]

I'll pass on this movie,looks soo lame. Like one poster says,looks like a bunch of yuppie models fighting...kindof reminds me of those dance movies...I may check out Redbelt,looks halfway decent..

 

[SodaPop]

I'm...almost tempted to go see it.

IMO, its totally worth checking out. And if you look at the other movies coming out in march, this one seems to one of the better ones.

 

[DieSmiling]

This looks laughably bad.