NEVER BACK DOWN
US, 2008, 110 minutes, Colour.
Sean Faris, Amber Heard, Cam Gigandet, Evan Peters, Leslie Hope, Djimon Hounsou.
Directed by Jeff Wadlow.
Never Back Down has a target audience of middle teenage boys – with an appeal to boys of an older age as well.
Sean Faris, who appeared in some action films as well as parody films requiring a muscleman, is a boy who moves with his family to a new neighbourhood, has to settle into a school, is attracted by one of the glamorous students, played by Amber Heard, but falls foul of the martial arts champion, played by Cam Gigandet.
At home, there are some tensions, especially with his father who is involved, drunk, in a car accident.
In the meantime, having been defeated in a fight, he seeks out a trainer, who has a sad background and a rather grim manner, Djimon Hounsou, and, the final fight is in little doubt, except when the young man has an injury but perseveres, even to the admiration of his adversary.
There are echoes of Fight Club and mentoring films like The Karate Kid a kind of high school shirtless and bikini Baywatch. The film was directed by Jeff Wadlow who directed the second Kick Ass film – and this is a teenage Kick Ass film.
1. Teen drama? High school, fights, romances, parents, training, growing up?
2. The title, martial arts, echoes of Fight Club, of The Karate Kid…?
3. The locations, the American town, homes, roads, bars, school? The musical score?
4. The emphasis on martial arts, the choreography of the fights, the training, the role of the mentor?
5. Jake, his age, relationship with his father, mother, family, moving to the new neighbourhood, his unease? Setting up the house, his relationship with his father, drinking, accompanying him, the accident, death? Coping?
6. Going to school, meeting Ryan Mc Carthy, taunts, fights, Mc Carthy as champion for two years, training and fitness? Jake, his abilities? Being beaten? Going to the mentor? The initial clash? The training, the regimen, the buildup to the fights? The climax, the injury, Jake continuing on – and some admiration from Mc Carthy?
7. The mentor, his personality, his back story, sadness, in America, his work, relationship with Jake, the training?
8. The romantic element, the popular girl, relationship with Ryan Mc Carthy, her response to Jake, clashes, fights, reconciliation?
9. The final fight, the drama, the effect on Jake, responsibility, maturity? His future?
