Remakes already have a long history of hits and misses. Mostly misses, some might say, but perhaps some of the hits make up for misses, I would argue. Especially when we talk about beloved films from the past such as Road House, a B-movie classic that seems to have survived the test of time, essentially thanks to a faithful fandom and newly found appreciation among new generations. Road House 2024 stands as a worthy heir to this legacy.
This Time Road House translates as “Go Way Down South, Young Man”
Following part of the plot of the original movie, Elwood Dalton, a former UFC fighter, arrives in the fictional South Florida locale of Glass Key. He has been hired to work as a bouncer in this seemingly peaceful tropical paradise, in a troubled joint simply called the Road House. Road House appears to be the only venue in Glass Key where you can get live music, exotic cocktails, and a punch in the face just by standing in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
Glass Key also offers a menagerie of characters like the affable bookstore owner and his daughter, a caring bartender, and a surgeon soon to become Dalton’s love interest. But in an action film, none of that matters without the heavy, which in this case is an obnoxious guy named Ben Brandt. Brandt’s business interest is pretty much an excuse to call on Knox, a fairly one-dimensional antagonist but one that is capable of delivering very impressive fight scenes.
Jake Gyllenhaal gave Elwood Dalton Abs and Brains
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The Road House Bar seems to be a place preferred by a rowdy crowd formed by prickly customers ready to plunge into utter violence at a moment´s notice. So, the nightly bar brawls quickly devolve into “everything goes” affairs, complete with plenty of broken glass and furniture as well as every single imaginable kind of body injury. This hyper-tough guy, macho fantasy world fueled by excess testosterone and alcohol is pretty predictable, except for one factor: Elwood Dalton.
Dalton is a character that is both fierce and chill at all times; the guy just never seems to lose his cool. Just like heroes such as Will Kane of “High Noon,” the man with no name of “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” or Wyatt Erp. This is to say that Road House is a western of sorts, and his protagonist is indeed a hero within that tradition, made more nuanced and interesting thanks to Jake Gyllenhaal, a serious actor with a very impressive career.
Road House Offers a No-Frills Fist Fest, mostly
Road House is, at its core, pure, unapologetic entertainment. Yet, it has an interesting perspective where nonsensical, unnecessary violence is met by an equally violent response, but one that is somewhat measured, responsible, and perhaps even reasonable. Most action scenes are pretty over the top but very well choreographed and executed, thanks to Doug Liman, its director, who has under his belt films such as “The Bourne Identity”, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and “Edge of Tomorrow.”
Road House Might Not be for Everyone, but…
Finally, if you are one of those people who clench their teeth at bone-crunching action or cringe at some silly reaction or remark by a character or two, you should probably skip this one. But if you are capable of suspending belief for an hour or two and being overly entertained, go watch Road House here: Amazon Prime Video
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