agmtw logo
search

Road House (2024)

Road House (2024)

5.7

A cult classic adaptation that replicates the action, but not the nightlife

Movie

United States of America
English
Action, Thriller
2024

TLDR

Fights were great, though!

What it's about

Trying to escape his dark past, ex-UFC fighter Dalton takes a job as a bouncer for a roadhouse in Florida Keys, which has been visited by a violent gang.

The take

Being based on the 1989 Patrick Swayze movie, we weren’t expecting much from the new Road House on Amazon Prime. Like the original, it has fun fight sequences, shot in a way that brings us to the bar itself, and it’s amusing to see actual MMA fighter Conor McGregor acting as an antagonist. However, this adaptation rewrites the main character to be a former UFC fighter, turning the story into something more akin to an outsider cowboy Western rather than a bouncer action drama. It’s not outright terrible, but it just feels uneven, and the cast performances can’t make up for the thinly written characters. It also just doesn’t feel like Road House.

What stands out

The action sequences aren’t bad– they don’t shy away from the blood and the way the camera moves in some of them make you feel like you’re actually being punched by characters– but this Road House just doesn’t capture the lifestyle of a bouncer. The bar is empty, the music isn’t as groovy, and it looks more sad compared to the original. Part of it could be due to the bar culture being in decline, with more and more clubs closing down, but the film doesn’t even have the appreciation for this culture to make it feel like it’s worth fighting for.

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

The Substance (2024)

Demi Moore swaps bodies in this standout chaotic body dysmorphia horror

8.3

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.

8.1

Blink (2024)

Equal parts stunning and touching, this family adventure trip doubles as an ode to the beauty of life and the preciousness of childhood

7.2

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

Wind River (2017)

Sicario's screenwriter directs this story of murder in an Indigenous reserve

9.4

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Shyamalan meets Black Mirror in this hugely entertaining, visually inventive apocalyptic thriller with a killer ending

8.2

Wild Tales (2014)

Co-produced by Pedro Almodóvar, this tumultuous Argentine anthology film tests the limits of human sanity when pushed to the extremes – and will also test yours.

9.9

Burning (2018)

The Complex South-Korean Award-Sweeper

7.7

Booksmart (2019)

Two academic overachievers from high school set out to prove that they're a smart and fun for one last time.

9.0

Contratiempo (2016)

8.0

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.