Adapted from the 1989 cult classic starring the late and great Patrick Swayze, Doug Liman’s “Road House” follows Elwood Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) after he takes a job as a bouncer at a roadhouse in the Florida Keys.
At first, the film seems too concerned with recapturing the magic of the original by recreating versions of its most iconic scenes and lines of dialogue like “Nobody ever wins a fight.” These homages at times feel awkwardly paced because the film leaves space for audience reactions, but the sentiment grows stale considering the fact that this movie will go straight to streaming on Amazon Prime — a big point of contention that caused Liman to boycott the red carpet at the world premiere of his own movie. Fortunately, once the film gains its sea legs and becomes its own thing, the true magic shines through.
Although audiences maintain the right to feel skeptical of yet another Hollywood remake, they will be pleased to find that this iteration pays homage to most of the original’s best elements. Starting out with the tone, “Road House” feels like an action movie through and through, with all the punches hitting as hard as one would expect from a ripped Gyllenhaal and an intimidating Conor McGregor who plays Knox. The fight sequences, especially in the film’s second half, will have audiences gasping and cringing in the best way possible.
This iteration also benefits from fleshing out Dalton’s character and his hesitancy to stir up any trouble in the film’s first half. While this can first feel off-putting and unexpected, it actually lends an effective tension that makes the later action sequences much more satisfying because the film forces viewers to wait and see the damage Dalton can truly wreak.
As far as Liman’s directing goes, the fight scenes easily comprise the best moments from the film. The dialogue and exposition between the fights sometimes seem clumsy and underdone; however, the innovative camera choices during the fight scenes make up for that lost momentum. One scene in particular goes into Dalton’s first-person point of view as Knox hits him with punch after punch, making the audience feel like they’re the ones taking the beating.
Speaking of damage, one underrated hallmark of a good action movie is when the director isn’t afraid to let the star of the film get knocked around. Some actors might not want to get obliterated on camera, but this can make for a boring movie with no stakes. Audiences must truly feel like their hero might lose the fight. In “Road House,” star Jake Gyllenhaal takes many beatings, specifically at the hands of McGregor’s character. The last fight between the two holds a particular sense of tension, with the power balance constantly shifting before Dalton finally gains the upper hand.
All in all, Doug Liman’s “Road House” makes for a perfectly satisfying action movie and performs best when it takes its own shape instead of trying to recreate the original.
3 1/2 hungry crocodiles out of 5
