Teen gladiators in the Internet era

Rating: 5/10 (8 July 2013)

At least since Gary Grant, the movies where a rebellious teen attempts to prove something for himself and people close to him, have been flourished. The method has slightly varied, but fights, car chases, parties, beautiful girls and muscular men have all been included. Novelties have long gone, but movies with similar elements tend still to attract wide audiences. All this concerns Never Back Down as well. Is it really not cool for the young to watch a similar movie made some years before? I can't see any new angle or approach here (technology development is a parallel phenomenon), and the only good actors and "adult" ones, e.g. Djimon Hounsou and Leslie Hope (some additional rating from me thanks to their performances). Those depicting students are - apart from their looks - not inviting at all.
Well, my teen years were decades ago, but I can still assess a book, not its covers only. If you like to see time-proof movie with and about teens and youngsters, the keywords are - included but not limited to - Paul Dano, Ezra Miller, Anton Yelchin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.