Never give up, never back down!

Rating: 9/10 (17 October 2012)

"Never Back Down" is for all the guys out there who are trying to make something of their selves. I have watched this movie over and over and I have yet to get tired of it. I believe that the whole story captures our attention right away, especially from the first scene. As we sit there, we feel like we are in the movie and begin to feel the same emotions as the main character, Jake Tyler (Sean Faris).
The movie starts off right. The story begins with Jake Tyler living out in Iowa playing in a football game. A player on the other team starts smack talking Jake about his drunk father. Jake Tyler can't handle it and they start a brawl in the middle of the football field. After this whole ordeal, his family moves away to Orlando, Florida. Jake Tyler doesn't make the best first impression and gets into it with Ryan McCarthy (Cam Gigandet), an underground MMA champion. Jake receives threats to his family and friends so he goes out to seek help. He gets help from a MMA fighting veteran, Jean Roqua (Djimon Hounsou), who helps Jake train his mind and body. Jake does this to enter the big elimination fight coming up to get back at Ryan McCarthy.
I believe that director Jeff Wadlow's critical intention of "Never Back Down" is the title itself. We can tell never backing down is the intention of the movie because every time we see a fight with the main character Jake Tyler, he doesn't give up until it is physically impossible to do so anymore. Another reason I believe this is because after all the threats he is getting about his family and friends, he doesn't leave town. He stays in town to train and to try to get back at Ryan McCarthy.
There are a lot of places in the movie that personally grab my attention or make me feel a part of it. The biggest scene that gets me is the opening scene. It starting off as a football game grabbed my attention immediately. This is because I am a football player and I can relate to the emotions going on at the time. I also really like the whole meaning of "Never Back Down". I can also relate to the meaning because whatever I do, I do my best and I never back down.