Roadhouse (2024) Amazon Prime Video

Well they have gone and done it again, not happy with robocop remake they have gone after the corny classic Patrick Swayze 1989 Roadhouse, but with a little bit of controversy if thats what you can call it. From the outset of production the director Doug Limen was under the impression that the remake would, like the original, get a chance to see how it faired at the cinema, but alas not. Straight to streaming it went, and to prime no less, which as they own the movie studio why is that a surprise to anyone.

This new version changes things up a bit though, as of course they will have needed to, the new version moves the location of the bar from a small town to the Florida Keys, where Jake Gyllenhaal’s hero-with-a-dark-past, Dalton, reluctantly agrees to help the local bar owner, who he meets at an underground fight for some reason, survive relentless attacks from local henchmen. While the original Dalton was cool, carismatic, and enigmatic, This new incarnation is garrulous and approachable. Not to mention even more ripped: with muscles bursting from every inch of his body, he’s so absurdly buff its just sickening.

But more impressive than his sculpted body, Jake Gyllenhaal manages to find a knack to change what would be a standard buff bouncer into something a little more quietly menacing boiling under the surface.d, this Dalton really is a new kind of action hero, as caring and sensitive as he is ruthlessly violent when he needs to be. This one can crack a smile when the old dalton played it moody.. Yet the star is also believable as a fighter who’s clearly having a great time showing the local hoodlums how to behave, in a series of brilliantly choreographed group fights. Somehow, we entirely buy the idea that this guy can single-handedly hospitalise half a dozen bikers while sustaining only minor injuries himself.

Weirdly in this version Dalton seems to have a rather speedier romance with the good doctor Ellie — played by Daniela Melchior unlike the longer wooing from the original movie of the grate Kelly Lych. This time the doctor doesnt fall for Dalton’s charms in minutes nor date him many times, just a quick ‘date’ and that it..

As for the main villain, Brandt, Billy Magnusson is corny and annoying in placesas the smug, pink-suited thug, who’s desperate to keep on side with his criminal dad. He’s joined by a group of inept local goons for hire, led by real-life MMA superstar Conor McGregor in his first movie role. It’s a daring and controversial bit of stunt casting, but after making quite an entrance, McGregor maintains an impressive level of hyper-intensity throughout. McGregor brings to his role allot of fun but just seems to be trying that bit too hard, and for some reason seems to like showing his butt off for, well.. reasons.

The stunts on the whole are actually quite good, the ending though moves away from the one and done of the original with the an after scene you need to stick around and watch.

Though this has gone straight to streaming, and we wanted to hate it, as a remake. Its actually not as bad as we thought it would be, it is no Swayze original but all in all its a good use of your time and possibly more to come from the franchise in the future.

Give it a go.

4/5