In this adrenaline-fueled reimagining of the ’80s cult classic, ex-UFC fighter Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems.
There are those who think that the 1989 version of “Road House” is a classic that shouldn’t have been messed with. I was born in the ’70s and grew up in the ’80s, and I can tell you, as someone who saw it in theaters back then and then again on VHS, it is in no way a classic. That is not to take away from those who deem it so, I just feel that it is overblown and one of the ’80s cheesiest action movies out there, and while it has Patrick Swayze and Sam Elliott in it, they just play more into the cheese factor.
I had no problem with Doug Liman remaking the film, and to be perfectly honest, while the new “Road House” won’t win any awards for originality, it is enjoyable and a big step up from the 1989 version. I can hear all the fans of the original screaming at me, but hey, this is my critique, and I won’t apologize because I liked the newer version more.
Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a former UFC middleweight fighter who lives with the guilt of killing an opponent in the ring when his anger got the better of him. Unemployed, he takes the position of a bouncer for Frankie (Jessica Williams), a young woman who owns a roadhouse in the Florida Keys. When he learns that Frankie is holding out from selling her place to Ben Brandt (Billy Magnussen), a local crime lord and drug runner who wants to turn the Keys into a playground for the rich and famous, he stands with her and fends off Brandt and his henchmen. That is, of course, until a new bad guy, Knox (Conor McGregor), turns up, threatening to demolish Frankie, Dalton, and the roadhouse.
One of the aspects I liked about this version was its change of scenery. In the original, the story takes place in the small town of Jasper, Missouri. Here, it transpires in the Florida Keys (it was actually shot in the Dominican Republic) and is beautifully photographed by cinematographer Henry Braham. In the 1989 movie, Swayze’s Dalton was a professional bouncer while Gyllenhaal used to be a UFC middleweight fighter, and the change matches up well with people’s love today for the UFC, mixed martial arts, and pay-per-view violent entertainment.
The other aspect that far surpasses the 1989 version is its fight choreography. Here, every punch looks like it landed on a person’s face, and the brawl between Gyllenhaal and McGregor is exceptional. Obviously, McGregor is the real deal, but Gyllenhaal is notorious for researching his roles. He got ripped for the part and learned MMA fighting, so their onscreen clash would look believable. And it most certainly does.
The story is clichéd and has been utilized in films for decades, but the fans are here to see Gyllenhaal and McGregor come to blows. Director Liman tries to imbue the story with some character development, peeking inside Dalton’s psyche to see what makes him tick, and while it occasionally works, we just find ourselves wanting to see Dalton kick ass. In the end, the plot is identical to the original, with a few changes here and there and a change in geography, but overall, it’s a significant improvement over Swayze’s version and a lot more entertaining.
Streaming exclusively on Prime Video Thursday. March 21st
Gyllenhaal is the reason I watch this movie and Gyllenhaal is the chapter in it that stopped it for being dross. His lines were sparse but he delivers them with the solid background of experience both as an actor and also of course, as a person. i would have liked the character of Elle to have been developed far more – we were teased by her characters’ basic self determining outlook on life and the openness she showed about her family. however i am GLAD that the tentative scenes of attraction did not slither down the boring murk of sexual… Read more »