April 1, 2024 · Watch the official trailer
No one needed a remake to the 1980s cult classic “Road House” starring Patrick Swayze and yet, in 2024, that’s exactly where movies are at.
Director Doug Liman of “The Bourne Identity” teams with Jake Gyllenhaal to modernize and cinematically weaponize a ridiculously implausible tale of a down on his luck fighter tasked to clean up a bar as the head bouncer only to run into a nefarious gang hoping to shut things down at all costs.
While the mere concept of a “Road House” remake might offend some ardent fans of the original, there isn’t really anything about this film that evokes the same sentimentality that one might have from endless viewings of the original on basic cable.
Liman opts for bombastic action to an almost comical CGI level at every turn and the endless need to crank up the blood and violence to 11 makes the entire feature ironically laughable.
In spite of this, Gyllenhaal continues a string of terrific character work as the enigmatic ex-UFC fighter seemingly turned into a Clint Eastwood-esque western antihero.
His Dalton is brooding and standoffish but displays all the classic hallmarks of a vintage Eastwood character. The mythos that Dalton brings into every moment of the film is carried by Gyllenhaal’s gravitas as a performer. Even when size or numbers seem to outclass him, Dalton is always able to overcome in bizarre, hysterical ways.
The thing about “Road House” is that it’s unlikely Liman or Gyllenhaal understand the joke they’re inadvertently telling with the making of the film, but someone who certainly gets it is actual UFC fighter Conor McGregor, who strides with the same bravado that he carries himself to the ring.
From his completely nude entrance to his final moments, McGregor’s larger than life Knox has a persona that has entered the frame a good five seconds before he does and the brash brutality that McGregor brings to the table works perfectly for the story that is actually being told on screen.
Most of the supporting characters are played by relative unknown actors with little consequence to the story beyond their narrative mechanics.
Billy Magnussen’s bizarre, bumbling villain Ben Brandt feels like an immense pushover not truly a threat to Gyllenhaal or Dalton for that matter, while the chemistry Gyllenhaal attempts to create with romantic interest Ellie played by Daniela Melchior or Dalton’s boss Frankie played by Jessica Williams is underwhelming at best.
Action in “Road House” is quick and frantic in numerous hand-to-hand combat sequences with a camera that is always turning to get a better angle like a fighter sliding to get an edge on his opponent. While these moments are well done, they feel ripped from a completely different movie more in line with Netflix action films like the Chris Hemsworth led “Extraction” franchise rather than the fight drama that it appears Liman intended to make.
While there is a cinematic appeal to Liman’s film that would suggest the necessity to see it on the big screen, Amazon’s decision to skip theaters and head straight to their Prime streaming service seems like a smart choice both to maximize audience engagement and not waste the opportunity to create a cult following for a film that is clearly begging for a sequel.
As moviegoers struggle to find quality cinema options at the box office, this “Road House” is too easy of an opportunity for some mindless fun with an at home screening.
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