Never Back Down

When Jake arrives in his new high school in Orlando, it’s not just romance and lectures he’s going to find. An underground fight club there is so popular he soon gets drawn into it - against his will. And in spite of his troubled youth, he is no match for the martial arts experts that Orlando seems to be full of. So, as his family gets threatened, Jake goes and seeks the help of a veteran fighter with the final aim to beat the local champion and personal nemesis.

The plot of Never Back Down is clearly designed to accommodate for as many choreographed martial arts fights as possible, and it is therefore no surprise that much effort has been put into making those fights as visually stunning as possible. There is some violence, sweat and bruises, yet contrary to Fight Club, it is not raw, animal violence: it is elevated to the state of art.

Accordingly, as Jake learns from veteran Jean Roqua, the fights evolve into ever more intricate dodgings and kicks. This is ultimately what Never Back Down is about: the training that Jake undergoes echoes his personal evolution from the troubled youth he is at the beginning of the film to the champion he wishes to become. Fortunately, the compulsory love story is only there to serve the plot and support that evolution, and never takes precedence over Jake’s personal story. As a result, we get to discover the acting talents of newcomer (and eye-candy!) Sean Faris.

Even though it is essentially a coming-of-age film, Never Back Down does not come out as one-dimensional. Parallel to Jake’s training, the balance between the underground fight club and high school life is perfectly depicted by consistent choices in photography, pacing and soundtrack.

The final result is a quick-paced, entertaining action film, which can be enjoyed on many levels: a no-brainer at first glance which has much more to deliver for cinema buffs.

Pierre Schramm