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The 1989 blockbuster “Road House” was something of a pastiche. It offered disreputable B-movie thrills with oversized production value. Lead actor Patrick Swayze, playing a philosophical thug, smiled with unwavering confidence as he broke arms and jaws, while cars and buildings exploded around him. The action unfolded with brilliant studio polish.
Therefore, some might argue that a remake of the film is meant to be a pastiche of a pastiche. But as we move into the 21st century, we find the notion of authenticity becoming increasingly devalued. And who needs that when you have Doug Liman directing everything? After all, he is the J. Robert Oppenheimer of lunatic action scenes (“The Bourne Identity,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “Edge of Tomorrow,” to name a few).
Taking on the role of Swayze, Jake Gyllenhaal plays professional wrestler turned bouncer Elwood Dalton, here protecting a music venue that sits on valuable real estate in the Florida Keys. At his most successful despite the lethal nature of his character, Gyllenhaal keeps up the one-liners and jokes. Instead of Swayze’s Zen musings, he asks us dry questions about whether his rivals have health insurance before beating them up and taking them to a hospital.
This film delivers many of the same kicks as the first, but with contemporary tweaks such as a villain played by Conor McGregor, the Ultimate Fighting Championship star who is first seen completely naked except for his shoes and socks ( so you can carry your phone). Although two hours long, the film moves as fast as a greased ferret through a Habitrail and delivers mind-blowing levels of action for its drawn-out climax.
All this and also a pretty funny reference to “The Third Man.”
road house
Rated R for violence and language. Duration: 2 hours 1 minute. Watch it on Prime Video.