Once you get passed the un-realistic ness of the film, it's actually pretty good

Rating: 8/10 (15 February 2009)

When I saw the trailer for "Never Back Down", I didn't seem too impressed.It looked like a lamer version of "The Karate Kid" and I was not interested in it one bit.I watched it on the movie network on Friday.It actually exceeded my expectations! Once you get passed the un-realistic ness of the movie, and the fact it is sort of like a UFC version of "Karate Kid", there is a fairly decent film.It's about a teen who's father was killed right in front of him in a drunk driving accident.During a football game, someone on the other team mentions this, which starts a fight.This is right before the family moves to a new place and he attends a new school.However the fight made it to youtube and everybody has seen it.He gets invited to this party by this pretty girl and everything seems to be going fine.However, this one person who enjoys fighting, wants to challenge him.He does and the other guy brutally beats him.Here is an unrealistic aspect, no high school party has girls making out while naked in a hot tub(as depicted in the film), and how many teens have planned fights at their parties? Anyway, he decides to train at a UFC-style gym so he can beat this guy.The rules of the gym are if you fight outside, you are out.So he starts training and forms a small friendship with the owner.However, one day his temper gets the better of him and he gets into a fight with four guys in a hummer.He gets kicked out of the gym but begs to come back, he lets him and decides against fighting him again.He also forms a relationship with the girl who invited him to the party.He also learns more about the owner of the gym.This movie is much like the Karate kid(almost a remake), it may be unrealistic but it actually is better than the trailer shows it.The acting is fairly good(despite having a cast of mostly nobodies). Overall a fairly decent film.