Kernel Rating (out of 5):
MPAA Rating: PG Length: 102 minutes
Age Appropriate For: 10+. Some language and some bullying, but otherwise it’s a fairly standard come-from-behind victory tale set in the world of youth sports. But even that streamlined of a story doesn’t work very well here because of the impressively underdeveloped characters.
‘Underdogs’ is an extremely by-the-numbers melodrama set in the world of youth football. It’s supposed to be inspiring, but it’s too expected and obvious to really resonate in a way that other football movies haven’t already done before—and better.
By Roxana Hadadi
“Remember the Titans,” “We Are Marshall,” “The Blind Side,” and especially the TV version of “Friday Night Lights”—they’ve all done youth football better and more accurately than “Underdogs.” It’s not that the movie has its heart in the wrong place, but it’s so clichéd that practically nothing about it really makes an impact.