WFG RATING: B

Amazon MGM Studios presents a Silver Pictures production. Directed by Doug Liman. Produced by Joel Silver. Written by Anthony Bagarozzi and Chuck Mondry; based on the original film written by R. Lance Hill. Cinematography by Henry Braham. Edited by Doc Crotzer.

Stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniela Melchior, Conor McGregor, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Lukas Gage, B.K. Cannon, Travis Van Winkle, J.D. Pardo, Joaquim de Almeida, and Hannah Lanier. 

It has finally come after a decade in development, but does Jake Gyllenhaal outdo Patrick Swayze. No, but he still delivers a pretty good performance in this long-awaited reboot to Swayze’s classic 1989 action film.

Elwood Dalton is a former UFC fighter who now spends his days making money by entering illegal bare knuckle fights. However, the opponents, knowing who he is, refuse to fight. One night, Dalton meets Frankie, who offers him a job as a bouncer at her road house in the Florida Keys. At first, he refuses, but after some careful thinking, decides to take the job and heads south.

Upon his arrival, he meets local bookstore owner Charlie and her father and they instantly hit it off. When he arrives at the roadhouse, he sees a group of goons led by Dell causing trouble. Dalton decides to do something about it and soon proves himself to be a viable asset to the roadhouse where he befriends the staff and even gives aspiring bouncer Billy some tips. This angers Ben Brandt, a businessman who wants the roadhouse to finish his dream project of a resort. When Dalton continues to stop the goons, Ben’s convict dad decides to get the big guns and bring his number one man, Knox, to Florida to deal with Dalton once and for all.

In 1989, Road House, starring Patrick Swayze, wasn’t a total blockbuster but has since gained a massive cult classic following thanks in part of the late star’s charm, wits, and kickboxing skills (in which his trainer, Benny “the Jet” Urquidez, even told Swayze he would have made a good pro kickboxer if he wasn’t an actor). A sequel was released in 2006 with Jonathan Schaech playing Dalton’s FBI agent son on a quest to avenge his dad. After a decade of development, which at one point was going to have MMA legend Ronda Rousey as a gender-reversal Dalton, we finally have the reboot and it’s not totally great, but at the same time, it’s a total popcorn film.

While Swayze brought on a certain charm to his version of Dalton, Jake Gyllenhaal brings his own charm to the role of Elwood Dalton, a former UFC fighter who is hired to be the bouncer of the roadhouse (which doesn’t have a name like the original film). The new Dalton comes off as someone who is willing to warn his adversaries what could be coming to them should they not leave peacefully. In his first fight in the film itself, he goes as far as to ask the group if they have insurance and where the hospital is. He goes as far as to take the group to the hospital himself, showing the kind of guy he is.   

Unlike the original film, there is no Wade Garrett-like character and while there is somewhat of a romance between Dalton and local doctor Ellie, played by Daniela Melchior, it is not done where it needs to rely on a nude love scene between the two. It becomes more of a date involving sitting on the beach and the two getting to know each other. 

The only few flaws of the film go into the performances of the two lead villains. Where Ben Gazarra played the nonchalant businessman who has no care in the world in his OG baddie Brad Wesley, Billy Magnussen’s Ben Brandt comes off a spoiled scion of a convict whose family “built” the town and knowing full well he has that privilege, has the means to think he can get away with whatever he pleases. When he doesn’t get his way, there are times like, with spoiled brats today, comes off like a whiny baby who didn’t get their favorite toy. Sometimes it’s pretty annoying.

However, that is nothing compared to UFC legend Conor McGregor, who makes his film debut as Knox, the enforcer for Ben’s dad who comes to Florida on behalf of daddy when he learns his son can’t do his job right. McGregor’s intro is most likely going to be unforgettable as he roams the streets of Italy late at night buck naked. However, he still comes off as an over the top lunatic who matches and sometimes exceeds Dalton’s skills. McGregor is an excellent fighter who does well at working fights in films. Once he improves his acting, he could have the potential to make it in the action film industry. Since this is his first film, I am not going to hold it against him.

Road House will ultimately be compared to the original film, but it is its own beast. Jake Gyllenhaal makes Dalton his own and while the action is actually pretty good and at times comical, it has comical performances in the over-the-top villains played by Billy Magnussen and Conor McGregor. However, McGregor makes up for it in his ability to translate his skills in the Octagon to screen and as mentioned, he has potential once he can improve his acting skills. 

The film is now streaming on Amazon Prime.