Never Back Down

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

Formulaic and derivative, but sufficiently well made to work as both teen-angst melodrama and bone-rattling brawl picture.

The Hollywood Reporter Stephen Farber

Although the movie set in the hot new arena of mixed martial arts is a bit short on star power, it's energetic and warm-hearted enough to become a word-of-mouth hit.

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

The movie is just a cheesy, preposterous, semi-eroticized way of yelling, "Fight! Fight!," when two people go at it in the school cafeteria.

Variety John Anderson

Best part, though, is the cast: Everyone's a model, everyone beats each other half to death, and no one looks as if they've ever suffered so much as a coldsore.

Village Voice Jim Ridley

A modest surprise: better acted than needed, better made than expected.

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

It’s a little “Karate Kid,” a smidge of “Fight Club” (with none of the ironic ambivalence toward violence that David Fincher brought to that story), a lot of “The O.C.” (evil boy Gigandet played an evil boy on that series), and presto: probable hit.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

Director Jeff Wadlow and screenwriter Chris Hauty are so committed to following through on the "Karate Kid" formula that they don't care for novelty; it's enough for them just to hit their cues and play up the slo-mo MMA brutality. In the future, movies this derivative will be made by robots.

Chicago Reader Andrea Gronvall

Jeff Wadlow directed this exploitation flick, which seems designed for students on spring break.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

This movie isn't bad just because it follows a formula slavishly but because it does so without verve or passion.

Los Angeles Times Jan Stuart

A disposable sports drama.

San Francisco Chronicle Ruthe Stein

A junior version of "Fight Club," only with no movie stars and different moves.

New York Daily News Joe Neumaier

By the time ever-noble, ever-watchable Djimon Hounsou shows up to teach earnest young Jake honor and roundhouse kicks, the power-rock and smashmouth idiocy become like a fever dream, sweaty and hard to shake off.

Austin Chronicle Steve Davis

Borrows from other movies almost shamelessly.

Film Threat Felix Vasques Jr.

About as bland, predictable, and self-important as you’d expect.

Empire Nick De Semlyen

"The Karate Kid" meets "Fight Club" but it's no way near as good as it sounds.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jason McBride

At times, the film is more fun than it deserves to be, and it's probably a lot more fun if you're a 13-year-old with an addiction to "Bully: Scholarship Edition."

The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis

The movie speeds up and slows down as though controlled by a director in the grip of competing medications. For those who make it to the final beatdown, however, the only pill worth taking is the one that makes you forget.

New York Post Kyle Smith

A formula flick that should have tapped out in the script stage.

Entertainment Weekly Gregory Kirschling

Movie is dopey. And with its emphasis on stupid violence, xylophone abs, and getting yourself on YouTube, it's yet another product that makes you feel bad about today's youth culture.

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

Reprehensible.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

While too bland and stupid to be offensive, Never Back Down spouts a hollow message of nonviolence while celebrating the brutal satisfaction of beating the crap out of someone.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Sitting through this is groan-inducing enough, but it's spiritually depressing to watch Djimon Hounsou, who deserves better.