Superficially slick in a attempt to cover the cardboard characters and obvious plotting

Rating: Null/10 (11 September 2008)

Teenager Jake Tyler has been trouble ever since his father died DUI with him in the passenger seat. Physically fit and driven, it doesn't take much for him to lose control  a quality that has seen his family move house several times. Their most recent move takes them to a new high school where Jake finds a healthy culture of backyard fighting amongst the most popular students. Invited to what he thinks is a house party, Jake finds himself goaded into fight with the cocky local fight champion Ryan McCarthy in which his @ss is handed to him. Determined not to back down, Jake is taken to the school of fighter Jean Roqua.
For some reason I had it in my head that Never Back Down was a tough, adult action movie of sorts  probably due to the hyper-content of the trailer. The rather bland reality is that the film is a generic twist on Karate Kid, with a form of cage fighting (I don't care enough to phrase it correctly) taking the place of karate. We all know where it is going and the film offers nothing in the way of surprises or real interest along the way. The characters are paper-thin and their various stories are nothing more than lip-service to the idea of plotting rather than a genuine attempt to layer the film. The fights are so-so but not that exciting, although I did like the convincing and relevant use of phone cameras, you-tube etc. The delivery is endlessly frantic and full of music in an attempt to create life where none exists. Amazingly enough it works and the visual style, editing and wall-to-wall soundtrack does give it an energy and presence that nothing else about it warrants.
The cast match this approach by being incredibly good-looking; we have the "geeks" of course but otherwise everyone has bodies that I would kill for but will not get off the sofa for! Otherwise though they are pretty bland  Faris in particular having little beyond his abs. Cigandet enjoys himself as a cocky w*nker and plays it convincingly even if he has nothing else. Heard is another in the endless parade of cookie-cutter starlet-wannabes in the cult of youth that is Hollywood. Hounsou is better than the film deserves and is he only person who really does a decent performance  but his is still an easy character and an obvious one.
Never Back Down is nothing special whatsoever, although the effectively slick visuals and packaging will be enough to disguise this for many viewers. Think Karate Kid for the MTV generation and then take it down a few notches and that is what this film is. Will maybe suffice for fight fans and teenagers looking for something like the music videos but for the casual viewer it is just basic across the board.