Just an action movie, without trying to be melodramatic. Yes, it's about 5 guys (including the mentor) with personal problems that seek the answer in training and fighting. There's not much background on the characters - but it's not necessarily bad. Sometimes the director is forcefully trying to make us like some character by making him/her an orphan, or raised by only one parent, or evil step parents, and also having an ill sibling, and no money of course. Did I mention that other kids/people trying to step on them, beat them, or kill them perhaps ?
There is no much character development in the movie, maybe except of Justin, but there is character portrayal. It's not hard to understand what kind of person each (and here I think that Michael Jay White did a great job). They all have got problems, but it's not like their world is collapsing on them. At least their not showing it to us - and I think that's good, since the fighter in them becomes more believable that way.
I agree that the acting is slightly wooden. And it's irritating at first, though I did get accustomed to it. Surprisingly, it's not full of clichés (though there are some), and the dialogs are not stupid, because the characters don't say obvious things.
The fighting is satisfying enough. After all, this is the reason I've watched that movie.
I certainly disagree with those saying first Never Back Down was better. This movie has almost no plot, but the first one was just stupid. The director of the original tried to make me like Jack Tyler by the usual trick - making him miserable but struggling. And Cam Giganet's character is barely watchable. He's just not acting like a fighter. The other fighters look more like a clowns. Fight choreography in the original is nowhere near this one. And all unnecessary shots from smart-phone make me ask the question, why watching the first Never Back Down movie ?? For the action - it's not worth it. The drama - not interesting and nothing new.
