The Never Back Down franchise just gets better and better under Michael Jai White’s direction. This sequel essentially does away with the teen movie themes outlined in the 2008 original – and only mildly observed in the 2011 sequel – and focuses instead on the commercialisation of MMA, which White argues has been overrun by banned substances and unscrupulous promoters. White returns as Case Walker, the ex-con hobo who is built like a tank, who turns heads in a Thai gym when he starts performing his Shotokan karate kata, using scrap material as work out props and drawing on the walls. The younger jocks in their designer gym-wear call him “old school” and, as a provocation, “Blackie Chan”. The arrogance of the next generation of MMA fighters is shown to be another indictment on a sport which has lost its discipline and philosophical roots. Case resists the multi-million dollar offers from an organisation calling itself the PFC (a clear cipher for the UFC), instead preferring to remain in the shadows as a mentor to his buddy Brody (Josh Barnett), who is scheduled to take on steroid-headed giant slayer Nathan Jones in a Bangkok cage fight. White is not only an incredibly likable and engaging screen presence – sporting great charisma and physicality – but he also shows himself to be a moral and principled filmmaker. His characters may be broad but his message is noble, and this positive ethos carries the film. There’s also a couple of really good gags, a genuinely sweet romance between Case and the PR lady, Myca (played by Michael Jai White’s real-life spouse, Gillian White), and a funny if somewhat random cameo from White’s Skin Trade co-star Tony Jaa.

AKA: The Fighters 3: No Surrender; Never Back Down 3.