Road House Review: A Surprisingly Good Remake

Summary

• A new take on
  Road House
  is surprisingly better than you’d expect, with a very good Gyllenhaal as Dalton, though his character is too abstract.
• Conor McGregor’s film debut is a standout in this action-packed remake.
• A solid supporting cast adds heart and humor to this fresh reimagining with excellent action scenes and some cheesy dialogue.

When word got out that Doug Liman would be directing the reimagining of the 1989 Patrick Swayze classic, Road House, there was an immediate backlash from fans who hold nostalgia in high regard. When it was revealed that Jake Gyllenhaal would be portraying Dalton, there were further outcries of injustice. And Conor McGregor? Oh, the horror!

Like Swayze said, though, “Pain don’t hurt,” and if audiences are willing to toughen up and go into Road House with an open mind, they’ll find that Liman’s version doesn’t hurt, either. In fact, it’s the perfect homage to the original, while at the same time branching out on its own to become something new. It’s a throwback to action films of the ’90s with 21st century techniques that grab you by the collar and don’t let go, and if moviegoers are willing to take the ride, they’ll be treated to a fun couple of hours filled with heart, humor, and hard-hitting action. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a smooth ride.

Jake Gyllenhall Is Elwood Dalton

Road House (2024)

3.5/5

Release Date March 21, 2024

Director Doug Liman

Studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Silver Pictures

Pros

• A surprisingly excellent cast makes Road House fun.
• The action scenes are very well designed by director Doug Liman.
• The Road House remake wisely avoids nostalgic fan service.

Cons

• Road House was hardly a necessary film to remake.
• Dalton remains a weirdly vague character without much substance.

With help from the opening sequence that sets the tone of Road House with the perfect soundtrack, Jake Gyllenhaal is the embodiment of Elwood Dalton, an ex-UFC fighter whose reputation precedes him. He remains stoic, even in the face of adversity (and with a knife sticking out of him), and his nonchalant attitude and disregard for his own safety lets the viewer know that this is a man with some demons. Any doubts about Gyllenhaal’s ability to take on such an iconic role are quickly laid to rest.

However, with so much made about his past, one would think that his backstory would play a more prominent role throughout the course of the film. Such is not the case here, and audiences might be left wanting when it comes to finding out exactly what happened to him and the aftermath that ensued. While it’s understandable that the film wants to stay in the present, just a little more substance to Dalton’s history would have rounded out the character nicely.

Conor McGregor Shines

There’s not much to say about Conor McGregor that hasn’t already been said, but in terms of Road House, the MMA fighter shines in his film debut. Right from his humorous introduction, the movie pulls no punches, letting viewers know that this is a man with a screw loose, and the perfect yang to Dalton’s yin. He’s a larger-than-life character with an even larger-than-life physique, and takes command of every scene he’s in with snappy — albeit sometimes cliché — dialogue, and expertly timed punches.

Related Why Road House Is the Best Action Movie of the ‘80s Often overlooked, we’re showing why Road House is deserving of the best action movie of the 1980s.

McGregor could easily make the transition into an action star if he so chooses. Road House is the perfect vehicle for him to showcase his abilities outside the octagon, while at the same time reminding viewers what brought him to the dance. At age 35, and with one or two fights left in him, don’t be surprised to see his name pop up in the credits of future movies.

All Are Welcome at the Road House (Especially Great Supporting Characters)

While all eyes will be on Gyllenhaal and McGregor in Road House, audiences will be pleasantly surprised by the supporting cast who make the rowdy establishment in Glass Key, Florida, feel like a family. Jessica Williams (The Daily Show), Lukas Gage (Euphoria), Dominique Columbus (Ray Donovan), and B.K. Cannon (Switched at Birth) work together with Gyllenhaal to form that familial bond prevalent in most workplaces. Hannah Love Lanier (Special Ops: Lioness) is a young actress with a bright future, and her scenes with Gyllenhaal inject a lot of heart into the film.

Related: Jake Gyllenhaal Breaks Silence on Road House Streaming Controversy

Daniela Melchior (Fast X) as the ER doctor is a suitable love interest for Dalton throughout, and her ties to the villains come as no surprise for those who’ve seen the original. Billy Magnussen (Spy Kids: Armageddon) is the perfect spoiled rich kid who wants Williams’ Road House for his own nefarious purposes, while his band of minions like J.D. Pardo (Mayans M.C.) and Arturo Castro (The Menu) do a wonderful job acting as chum to Gyllenhaal’s great white. Of course, it wouldn’t be a small town without a few corrupt cops, and the excellent Joaquim de Almeida (Fast Five) doesn’t disappoint.

The Choice of a New Generation

In the end, this isn’t Patrick Swayze’s Road House, and audiences would do well to not go in expecting their nostalgia to be fulfilled with a bevy of fan service. The film stands on its own two feet for a new generation with action sequences that are top-notch, an ending that — dare we say — leaves the door open for a sequel, and performances and scenery that deliver from start to finish. Fans of the original will easily spot some references to the 1989 movie, but thankfully, they are few and far between, leaving this Road House to operate on its own.

Road House made its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 8, 2024, and will hit Prime Video on March 21.

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