American Pie with fighting

Rating: 7/10 (15 January 2009)

Think of American Pie, or any teen slasher movie, then take out the sex (or the slashing) and add in a liberal dose of mixed martial arts (cage fighting). The result is Never Back Down.
It is not meant to be high-brow, it is a disposable movie, but it is really quite good. The action is quite well staged and for those viewers who don't have any knowledge of MMA style fighting, there is even a geeky character who commentates on the fights at times.
Some reviewers note that this is almost like an updated version of the Karate Kid, but it avoids most of the posturing and scowling by the villains - principally by making the villain an excellent fighter who is also the most popular kid at school.
Anyway, in the end they all live happily ever after and they avoid Karate Kid's cheesy closing line: "You're OK Larusso!"