Cool News
A Spy Checks Out NEVER BACK DOWN!
Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
This has got to be one of the most out-of-left-field set visits I’ve ever been invited to, and I actually wish it had timed out right for me to go. An ‘80s-style kickboxing film with Djimon Honsou? Can the finished film be as awesome as that premise sounds? Let’s see what today’s spy has to say.
Also, this may not be exactly right, but it feels like this thing was shooting about five weeks ago. Is it really already totally finished? Wow.
Hi Harry,
Your website is my blood source. I had the unexpected pleasure of checking out a screening of Never Back Down recently and thought I’d share my thoughts. Keep in mind this is coming from a guy who grew up in the 80’s Van Damme genre, which Never Back Down arguably pays tribute to in its own way.
Jake Tyler (Sean Faris, whom in this movie eerily resembles an early Tom Cruise during his Maverick days, before he became a bonafide kookyhead) is a brilliant high school football star. But he has an anger problem, especially when the subject of his deceased father arises. And further trouble erupts when he’s forced to move from his comfortable common middle-class hillbilly nation lifestyle and into the upper-scale suburban world of the internet-dependent, preppie porche glamour American Pie generation where maintaining your reputation in school is at the mercy of resembling the external looks of a supermodel or posting videos of yourself kicking other people’s asses on youtube.
Jake is unfortunately lured into a fight at a Playboy mansion-like high school party (teenagers resembling 30 year olds) and gets Deebo’d by some super jock jerkoff named Ryan (Cam Gigandet) in front of half the school and in the presence of Jake’s love interest Baja (Amber Heard), whom also is Ryan’s girlfriend to add to the “emotional strain of poor Jake” element of the movie. So Jake enrolls into a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) program instructed by Jean Roqua played by none other than the great Djimon Hounsou, who will teach him more than just skills in pouncing on over-privileged Laguna Beach super jock asshats. He will teach him the true meaning of life, help discover his inner potential and to follow his willful heart.
I won’t dive into the acting too much because it’s mildly mediocre for the most part with the exception of the great Djimon Hounsou who was not nearly present enough.
Sean Faris pulls his weight fine as the tough yet likeable protagonist but is no Maximus by any means. Amber Heard expresses a total of two emotions throughout the entire film but serves quite well as the eye candy. Not surprisingly the teen romance aspect between Jake and Baja fails for the most part. But fortunately that’s not the main focus of the movie. It’s about action packed grappling/kickboxing ass kicking, combined with the journey of a common struggling teen with a burdened past, striving to get a grasp on his inner demons and overcome his anger mismanagement.
The there’s Cam Gigandet. I’m unfamiliar with The O.C. and anything else he stared in, but here he brings a unique sort of wicked edge as the antagonist that genuinely makes you just hate the guy. Maybe it’s that unnerving grin he carries every five seconds throughout the film. Call me demented but I’ve always been quite fond of villains who smirk excessively, such as Chong Li in Bloodsport, Geena Davis’ nemesis in Long Kiss Goodnight and of course the Clown Prince of Gotham to name a few. There’s just something about the baddies getting a comical kick out of hurting others that amplifies their evilness and gives me great joy, as if they take pleasure in inflicting pain as much as I enjoy a common priceless Chuck Norris gag. Not to say Cam Gigandet is of high status as the above mentioned, but here he pulls it off quite well.
The message of the movie is solid. As I stated earlier it’s about ass kicking, but it’s more than that. It’s about a maturing teen struggling to deal with the harsh cards he was dealt as best as he knows how at his young age. A kid attempting to find himself and overcome his intense animosity towards life. And even more importantly the movie emphasizes the fact that walking away from a fight is not always possible, but fighting back is sometimes absolutely necessary to defend ourselves, our loved ones, or stopping those intent on harm so we ultimately never have to fight again. An important theme for all those “peace-pipe smoking, the world is a perfect place, silence before violence, lets all hold hands, form a circle, throw flowers in air, strum a guitar and sing kumbaya around the campfire” fruit loops out there in the media today.
After the movie when the comment segment kicked in, some thug was arguing in a philosophical tone that the score should have been less hip-hopy and more dramatically symphonic or some nonsense, as if Djimon Hounsou being in the movie automatically required something along the lines of Hans Zimmer Gladiator caliber. But I thought it couldn’t have been more fitting with a blend of artists such as Kanye West and yes, say what you want, the much underrated Toby Mac in my opinion.
Overall for what it’s worth, the majority of the audience seemed to love the movie (oddly consisting of mainly ghetto peeps and white trash whose opinions I actually value more than the cream-of-the-crop knucklehead critics who will hate this move simply due to the excess of clichés). I honestly had low expectations walking in and was pleasantly surprised. And I would sum up Never Back Down as a PG-13 teeny bopper Fight Club, minus the spilt personality disorder, death to consumerism message, superb acting, invaluable one liners and flawless David Fincher directing. In other words, Never Back Down is a dynamic $6.75 matinee flick, packed with mindless fun, numerous clichés, a bit of spurious teenage lovey-dovey nonsense and pure unadulterated ass pounding, in a non-prison-like fashion. It makes you want to lace up some gloves afterwards and smack down a member of the born into riches, I own a X-Box 360, Wii, and PS3, super athlete crew who floss around in their decked out lifted Dodge Ram 2500s, picking on those smaller in size to promote their own over-inflated egos. Peace out G’s.
If you use this review, call me Cpt. Wiggin. If not, I still love your website.
-
+ Expand All
-
the good one not the award winning one
-
It looked like "Step Up..and Kick Someone in the Face" and then Djimon Hounsou showed up as the mentor character and the trailer earned 3 cool points. Jury is still out on whether those points will be enough. It sounds from above that the trailer is a pretty accurate depiction of what to expect.
-
I don't think you have to be a "cream-of-the-crop knucklehead critic" to hate a movie filled with cliches.
-
really needed a remake!
-
this is pitched at the least discerning audience possible. It might not be that way but basically it sounds like "if all you want is cool tunes set to people punching the hell out of other people then you will not be disappointed". Thing is, you can see that whenever you want, it's called youtube and it doesnt last an hour and a half. Also, Ive noticed that there seems to be an audience for any movie, no matter how lame. I made the mistake of going to a free screening of Primeval last January(got it confused with Rogue, which by the way, where is that?)and even though it was the worst giant croc pic imaginable, the audience we saw it with was hooting hollering, screaming and jumping at the jump scenes and cheering when said croc chomped up the bad guy. You would have thought we were watching the original Jurassic Park or something.
-
Feb 27, 2008 2:45:01 PM CST
I'm sorry but this movie just looks stupid (and not in the fun w
by reel american hero
Just another make money off the teenagers movie, in the tradition of Step Up and that idiotic racing movie from last year Red Line or something like that, which looks like a bad hybrid of Karate Kid crossed with Bloodsport. -
The writer defends this movie a little too much. I'm always a little suspicious when they go out of their way to validate their love for a movie by claiming the audience they saw it with loved it too. And far too many cliche hip references (Chuck Norris, Deebo, hip hop, etc).
-
They have an aged, haggard Tom Petty singing "Won't Back Down" in this somewhere. I'll see it in that case
-
How could you forget the laughing villain of Speed, Mr. Dennis Hopper? "Interactive TV! Wave of the future, Jack! Ahahahahahahah!"
-
Saw this a while back and it is just OK. Think Karate Kid with no chemistry between the actors and no sense of probability or a sense of everyday teen life like the later had.Good for cinemax but not for a theatrical release.
-
There's gonna need to be a montage sequence in order to attain spiritual cohesiveness with the 80's.
-
Like that Van Damme movie called Kickboxer. Remake that, Hollywood. But with more tits and trees getting kicked over.
-
Word, dat.
-
You know, the one with Will Smith's kid. I Vote Sonny Chiba for Mister Miyagi.
-
Fuck that shit!Bring back Loren Avedon for No Retreat,No Surrender4 and 5!
-
Random thoughts to throw into the discussion... The climatic fight between Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung in Sha po lang/Kill Zone is definitely movie reality fighting, but of what I've seen, I'd say that it really sets the bar for mixed martial arts in an over the top action movie. On the realism side, I'm curious to see how Mamet's Redbelt turns out.
-
Feb 27, 2008 3:58:57 PM CST
ScottGreen:Check this one out,one of Donnie Yen`s best....
by travis-dane
http://tinyurl.com/2ddweh
-
...But this sounds on the money. When I first heard about it, I thought we were in for a shitty Fast And The Furious rip off. Which it no doubt it. But it sounds like its also got some heavy Karate Kid and No Retreat No Surrender shit going on, which I love. Might have made a good double header with John Rambo.
-
Awesome fight! That one really had everything in it! Thanks...
-
Feb 27, 2008 4:14:55 PM CST
This review is unquestionably a plant from Summit Entertainment
by laudnergomez
This movie contains 1) rap video direction 2) laughable acting 3) a crayola screenplay. The audience I saw the film with laughed AT the film, with many walkouts. ----- Nobody can act in this garbage, the filmmaking is as pedestrian as it gets (yes, there's a body-mounted camera sequence!), and the KARATE KID similarities are alarming. ----- It makes MMA look like a sport for mouthbreathers. ---- plus it's interesting the plant is telling readers to IGNORE the critics and trust idiot teenagers!---- if this isn't a Summit intern, I will eat my hat.
-
I know, lets hit the dead horse one more time...
That video link blew my mind! Thanks travis! -
So kids, Henderson vs Silva - Who ya got?
-
dammit!!!
-
"He will teach him the true meaning of life, help discover his inner potential and to follow his willful heart." Oh come on!
-
Feb 27, 2008 5:14:41 PM CST
I'm gonna splice the trailer with "Your The Best" in the backgro
by mike_d
prepare for awesomeness.
-
He's either a plant or needs to start writing for AICN,which is after all, his blood source. This movie looks like shit and will be shit.
-
Seriously, he was growing leaves, lil bulbs with anther filaments.
-
...I guess I shouldn't be surprised that it didn't hold up. At all. But I was surprised at how...small it looked though. When I was twelve that party on the beach looked just bitchin. That's right, the coolest party in the history of beaches. And the bandana shiny jacket sporting bad boys on dirt bikes?...evil, yes...but oh so cool. Look at it now though and the last big fight scene looks like it takes place in a fummunda cheese infested YMCA somewhere in New Jersey...there are about seventeen people cheering in the audience...sad man. Just sad.
-
...He tells us he trusts the opinion of white trash morons nad hood rats at a test screening more than that of snooty critics is a pretty obvious give away. That and it sounds like a press release. But it also sounds exactly like what I was expecting from the movie, so no harm, no foul.
-
Fuck YOU! I usually take anything said in the forums with a grain of salt. But you deserve to burn in hell for your mild criticism of the greatest film ever made. Oh god, I need to go watch and appreciate the Karate Kid again, just to rebalance the scales after your slanderous attack on my lovely.
-
Ripoff!
-
Or did this reviewer just try and compare the OC based villain in this piece of trash to the Joker & Chong Li? What a twat plant douche.
-
his comments.
-
I would have put the cobra kai and mr. miagi in there but my video editing software crashed. i hate windows.
-
Feb 27, 2008 11:29:29 PM CST
Didn' t that TaeBo guy do something like this years ago?
by mrmysteryguest
Where he trained some kid to kick some gang's or dick's ass in a movie?
-
Is that in spite of the fact it's total crap, it'll probably number 1 at the box-office it's opening weekend, and thus more crappy sequels will be forthcoming.
-
mark my words.
-
... but Skillet owns them all.
-
Yes, when I saw the trailer for this it reminded me of something(besides a retread karate kid)and it was the billy blanks movie you are referencing. I dont recall the name, but they used to run it on cable alot back in the mid 90s. He was a janitor and trained this kid to beat up a bunch of douches who were bullies with some martial arts training.
-
He clearly stated, "Not to say Cam Gigandet is of high status as the above mentioned" Put ur mind to it and try reading the sentence clearly. This movie looks weaksauce btw.
-
made this movie look like a direct-to-VHS piece of trash! I can't imagine it being anything better than mediocre.
-
AND GOING FUCKING BATSHIT. this is going to be one of the best-worst movies EVER.
-
The movie was called Showdown with Billy Blanks and Christine Taylor or more commonly known as Ben Stillers wifey.
-
Man, there's a lot of hate on this board. I imagine it comes from hopped up UFC junkies who don't want their precious rep threatened by Hollywood. Whatever. I'm 11 years into BJJ, Escrima and Hapkido and I actually liked it. The plot is connect-the-dots from frame one, but the film totally delivers on the fighting end. Kickass fight scenes. No, this isn't a horns-up to hardcore MMA fighters, but the cast obviously took the time to learn the core techniques. The trailer is laughable, tho. It totally misrepresents the movie.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 325 total posts 322 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 106 total posts 106 posts
- HANNA's Saoirse Ronan to boss around seven little people -- 63 total posts 60 posts
- Does ‘SNL’ Rhyme With ‘Deschanel’?? Learn Which SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Vet Hosts After Sexy Zooey!! -- 74 total posts 58 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 159 total posts 51 posts
- If the Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day drops her pen, pick it up, but don’t look at her legs or else it will be on your record. -- 47 total posts 41 posts
- AVENGERS enemy revealed as pink boardgame pieces... You might suffer some form of elation... SPOILERS!!! -- 161 total posts 34 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 488 total posts 33 posts
- Friday Brings SWEEPS DAY NINE!! Gab Here About Tonight’s FRINGE!! Plus Einstein on TIM, Wiig On PORTLANDIA, MAHER, CLONE, GIFTED, GRIMM, SPARTACUS, SUPERNATURAL, GOLD RUSH And More!! -- 121 total posts 23 posts
- Here's The Red Band Trailer For Drafthouse Films' THE FP! -- 70 total posts 20 posts