Synopsis
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.
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Cast
- Sean FarisJake Tyler
- Amber HeardBaja Miller
- Cam GigandetRyan McCarthy
- Djimon HounsouJean Roqua
- Evan PetersMax Cooperman
- Leslie HopeMargot Tyler
- Wyatt SmithCharlie Tyler
- Neil Brown Jr.Aaron
- Lauren LeechJenny
- Nadine AvolaBikini Party Girl (uncredited)
Recommendations
- 75
TV Guide Magazine
Formulaic and derivative, but sufficiently well made to work as both teen-angst melodrama and bone-rattling brawl picture. - 70
The Hollywood Reporter
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. - 60
Village Voice
A modest surprise: better acted than needed, better made than expected. - 60
Variety
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. - 50
Chicago Tribune
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. - 50
The A.V. Club
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. - 50
Chicago Reader
Jeff Wadlow directed this exploitation flick, which seems designed for students on spring break. - 30
The New York Times
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.
