Never Surrender Review: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
Never Surrender is an action-packed revenge thriller with well-made fights and some very nasty villains. The story is predictable, and the film is far longer than it needs to be.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
Genre: Action Thriller
Language: Indonesian
Director: Sidharta Tata
Writers: Sidharta Tata and Khalid Kashogi
Cast: Lukman Sardi, Callista Arum, Sulthan Hamonangan, Derby Romero, Donny Alamsyah
Original Title: Serangan Balik
Some films promise one thing and deliver it again and again until you start checking the clock. Never Surrender is one of them. The Indonesian action thriller arrived on Netflix on 12 November 2026, and it gives you a lot of fighting. Sadly, it also gives you far more running time than the story needs.
The film follows a retired special forces soldier who now lives a quiet life in a remote home. He has never made peace with his past. It is not the killing that haunts him, since he was very good at that. It is the people he could not save, or was not allowed to save.
Then his peace is broken. He is asked to look after his two grandchildren, the kids of his late daughter, while their father goes off to take care of business. The father loves his children, but he keeps making silly mistakes and bad choices.
Those choices catch up with the family. A crime syndicate comes after the old man and his grandkids, and he is pushed back into the world he knew as a soldier. The rule is simple. Kill or be killed. This time, he does not want any innocent person to die on his watch. But there is a warning here. He cannot always protect everyone, and not all who deserve to live will make it to the end.
The fight scenes are the best thing about Never Surrender. They are well made, they look great, and they are fun to watch. The villains are truly evil, and the kills are creative, so fans of old-school action will find plenty to enjoy. The film also tries to add a character-driven angle through the grandfather’s guilt and his bond with the children, which gives the violence a little more weight than usual.
The trouble is that those same fights go on for too long. They are the main reason the film stretches well past the two-hour mark. The plot honestly does not need more than about 90 minutes, and that includes lots of time for action. Long films can work when the story is rich.
Some South Korean movies run even longer, and so do certain Indonesian films from directors like Joko Anwar, but they earn it with deep characters and strong storytelling. Never Surrender does not quite reach that level.
It is also very predictable. The film feels like a tribute to the revenge and survival movies that ruled American screens in the 1990s. If you grew up on those films, the mood will feel like home. Still, you can guess most of what happens long before it does, and that takes some of the fun out of the ride.
It is a pity, because Indonesia has made many strong action films in recent years, and this one plays it safer than it should.
Director Sidharta Tata co-wrote the film with Khalid Kashogi. The story is set in a remote village in Central Java, where the grandfather and the two teenage siblings fight for their lives against a brutal gang. A short scene early in the end credits also hints that a sequel may be on the way.
If you want more to watch on Netflix, our The Gospel of Christmas review covers Tyler Perry’s musical holiday film. For something campy and stylish, try our The Body review. And if you want a cozy holiday romance, our The Christmas Switch review is a warm pick.
Never Surrender will keep you entertained if you love action and do not mind a long sit. Just do not expect many surprises.
Never Surrender is now streaming on Netflix.