Movie Review: Never Back Down

 

I apparently have a hot guy theme going on, but that is definitely not the only movies I watch (however, it never hurts). In this movie, Jake Tyler (played by Sean Faris) is the quintessential troubled teen. He has seen his share of tragedy and has taken to lashing out. In the beginning of the movie we see him on the football field tackling any person who comes up against him. His mom then relocates him and his brother to Orlando and he tries to stay on the straight and narrow. He meets the archetypal pretty blonde chick and sticks up for her by answering the professor’s questions on The Iliad (swoon!) for her. She invites him to a party where he gets swindled into fighting the resident badass, Ryan McCarthy (played by Cam Gigandet). He eventually begins training with mixed martial arts leader extraordinaire Jean Roqua (the very large Dijmon Hounsou). It is the basic learn to control what you’ve got story all culminating to one big “beatdown” at the end to prove who the best is. 

 Although mostly predictable, the movie captivated me throughout. I spent the whole movie waiting in anticipation for the inevitable time when the underdog would win. Throw in some really awesome fight scenes, some character development and lots of sweaty, muscular men and you’ve got a good solid two hours worth of a movie. The cinematography fit in well with the vein of the movie, varying slow and rapid camera movements as well as showing what the rib cage probably looked like as a few ribs were knocked loose. I’m all for bloody fights and they captured the slow descent of being knocked out while teeth and bloody spit goes flying quite well. The music was well picked, upbeat and made me want to go run or lift weights (hello, IPod playlist!).  

Jake’s little brother Charlie (played by Wyatt Smith) had some really great lines and added a dynamic that I think Jake’s character really needed. Charlie needed someone to look up to and, for better or worse, it turned out to be Jake. This aspect became much more interesting when lady love Baja (played by Amber Heard) started showing up. “Whatever she did, you have to forgive her!” All twelve year old boys need a big brother to look up to…or look down to when said brother’s girlfriend is in a tiny pair of shorts straddling him behind his closed bedroom door whilst they make out.  Jake’s new friend, Max, (played by Evan Peters and played that goofy kid Seth on Phil of the Future) introduces Jake to the world of mixed martial arts (not wrestling as a certain someone corrected when I was making reference to hot guys wrestling on the ground). Max takes lessons with Jean Roqua, but knows he will never be as good as Jake so he ends up behind his camera most of the time, filming the fights. And driving his badass black Mustang. Max is lovable in that goofy sidekick kind of way and you really start to like him because he stands by Jake when he needs it the most. Jean really tries to make the most out of Jake while trying to brood over his own malcontent. He sleeps at his gym, washes his face in the sink and kicks the living crap out of a punching bag. Dijmon Hounsou is a scary looking guy, but obviously a gentle giant, even though he looks way bigger than 6’2”. Plus, I like that his goatee is half white. 

 Jake’s mom, Margot (played by Leslie Hope), was the stock pissed-off-at-your-son-because-he’s-been-getting-into-fights-at-school-and-I-don’t-know-how-to-handle-it-mom. There were never any parts when I felt she really had tried to do the best for Jake or that she was at one time a warm and loving mother. There was one scene where she gained a bit of redemption, but it was a little strange to me and all in all I really just didn’t like her.  Just let the kid fight already!  And speaking of fighting, we have to touch on Ryan for a second. Let me just say (and I’ve already been made fun of for this) that I keep saying “Jake Ryan” like the guy from Sixteen Candles instead of separating the two: Jake and Ryan. Cam Gigandet is the guy who played Volchek on The O.C. He was the guy from the wrong side of the tracks that Marisa took a liking to. Until he accidentally killed her. Apparently Cam has such ripped arms (and abs…think a step below Brad Pitt in Fight Club) that he is further typecast into the mean guy who beats people up for sport, but he’s really good at that part so it seems to work for him. He should also continue all endeavors where he is shirtless at least 98% of the time.  

To conclude, this movie was exactly how I expected it to be. Good triumphs over evil in the battle of hot guys. The protagonist gets the hot chick. There’s a dj spinning at every type of battle. In all seriousness, though, fight the good fight and you will find success.  

Rating: Four out of Five Beatdown Championships