Starring Patrick Swayze as the bouncer with a past, who is hired to restore calm to a rough roadside bar in Missouri, "Road House" was slated by many critics when it came out in 1989, "but has since become a cult favourite", said Nicholas Barber on BBC Culture.
Now, we have a loose remake, starring a "ridiculously buff" Jake Gyllenhaal in the Swayze role. He plays Elwood Dalton, a mixed martial arts champ whose career ended after he "pummelled an opponent to death". Elwood is inhabiting a seedy world of bare-knuckle boxing when he is persuaded by Frankie (Jessica Williams) to come and drive the brawling bikers out of her beach bar in Florida (which is called Road House, but isn't one). Cue a host of fight sequences in which Elwood breaks arms, cracks heads and sends bodies flying. It's all watchable enough, but the punch-ups are not as well choreographed as in the original, and though it contains decent lines, the film as a whole contrives to be both mindless and over-complicated, with lots of characters and subplots that are thrown in, but not developed.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Wine-tasting in TuscanyThe Week Recommends From biodynamic vineyards to historic cellars, the picturesque region is a wine lover's dream
-
Ukraine-Russia: is peace deal possible after Easter truce?Today's Big Question 'Decisive week' will tell if Putin's surprise move was cynical PR stunt or genuine step towards ending war
-
The bougie foods causing international shortagesIn the Spotlight Pistachios join avocados and matcha on list of social media-driven crazes that put strain on supply chains and environment
-
Exploring the three great gardens of JapanThe Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
-
One-pan black chickpeas with baharat and orange recipeThe Week Recommends This one-pan dish offers bold flavours, low effort and minimum clean up
-
G20: Viola Davis stars in 'ludicrous' but fun action thrillerThe Week Recommends The award-winning actress plays the 'swashbuckling American president' in this newly released Prime Video film
-
6 must-see homes in BostonFeature Featuring a factory-turned-loft in South Boston and a wraparound roof deck in South End
-
Cartier at the V&A: a 'dazzling' showThe Week Recommends A 'once-in-a-lifetime' display of the French jeweller's 'exquisite' objects
-
What is Free Speech?: a 'meticulous' look at the evolution of freedom of expressionThe Week Recommends Fara Dabhoiwala provides both history and critique while 'correcting misconceptions'
-
Rupert Gavin shares his favourite booksThe Week Recommends The theatre impresario picks works by Dan Jones, Annie Ernaux and Floella Benjamin
-
What They Found: Sam Mendes's powerful debut documentaryThe Week Recommends The Oscar-winning director's harrowing film features footage and first-hand accounts of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
