Never Back Down (2008): cast, story & where to watch

2008 · Film · ★ 6.7

Never Back Down poster

Released in 2008, Never Back Down is an action and drama film directed by Jeff Wadlow, running about 115 minutes. “Win or lose... Everyone has their fight.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Jake, full of anger after his father's death, is just starting to find a place for himself at his new Orlando high school - until Ryan, head of an underground MMA fight club, picks Jake out as a prime opponent. After being trounced by Ryan in front of the entire school, Jake begins training under the firm, moral guidance of a MMA master, where he learns how to fight... and how to avoid a fight. But it becomes obvious that a rematch will be inevitable if Jake wants to stop Ryan and his bullying, once and for all.

Who’s in it. Never Back Down stars Sean Faris as Jake Tyler, Amber Heard as Baja Miller, Cam Gigandet as Ryan McCarthy and Djimon Hounsou as Jean Roqua, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.7/10, Never Back Down has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $41.6M at the box office.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads and MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Never Back Down page.

If you liked it. Fans of Never Back Down tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Frequently asked

Where can I watch Never Back Down (2008)?
In US, Never Back Down is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
Is Never Back Down worth watching?
Never Back Down holds an audience score of 6.7 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action and drama. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
Who stars in Never Back Down?
Never Back Down stars Sean Faris, Amber Heard, Cam Gigandet, Djimon Hounsou and Evan Peters.
When was Never Back Down released?
Never Back Down was released in 2008, with a runtime of about 115 minutes.