What a True Testosterone Delight!

Rating: 10/10 (26 March 2008)

This is one of the most masculine-positive films I have ever seen in my entire life! Sure there's a lot of sweat and hot muscle everywhere you look! But that takes a big back seat to genuine character development - with the primary focus being on the muscle on the left side of your chest (Your Heart)! What an incredibly intelligent story! If only Hollywood could have the courage to do this more often - A "Fight Club" type movie with zero, I repeat, zero exploitation or gore! This rare, one-of-kind movie is even suitable for older children to watch! It is so sophisticated, in fact, I would even recommend it as an excellent resource for Anger Management classes!
The fight choreography is mind boggling! It certainly looks like full contact! If you watch closely you could even learn some very good moves!
It also made me reflect on my own High School experience! Where there were certainly a lot of aggressive and vicious bad guys, but very few good guys to stand-up to them. It amazes me to this very day how some teenage boys develop powerful, man-like bodies at an early age, but have the emotional maturity of a turnip! Is this a universal in American society? All this aggressiveness and malevolence to those physically weaker than one's self? Where does it come from? Is it some sort of malfunctioning biological drive? Or learned at home from an abusive parent? If only we could find the right physical trainer as our hero did! Wow! It could move mountains for so many people who are constantly bullied by their fellow, physically stronger classmates!
Never Back Down is neither maudlin or trite! It discusses real issues we all will face at some point in our life - like making a big mistake, relocating to a different community, falling in love, defending one's self from physical or emotional harm, dealing with the loss of a loved one, submitting to someone wiser than yourself, and learning to manage anger, regret and grief! This, and a lot more, is covered in this delightful, sheer joy of a film!