Emma Swales
On March 8, Amazon Prime released a modern twist on the 80’s cult classic film “Road House.” The action-packed thriller featured Jake Gyllenhaal and UFC legend Conor McGregor as they added new life to a critically acclaimed fan-favorite.
The film is an Amazon Original directed by Doug Linman. The story follows an ex-UFC fighter Elwood Dalton, portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal, as he finds himself acquiring a job as a bouncer for Road House, a rowdy bar in the Florida Keys. Once he arrives in the small town of Glass Key, he starts to notice strange activity.
The story begins when Road House bar owner Frankie, played by Jessica Williams, enters a fight club to find Dalton and recruit him to move to South Florida and become the bouncer for the Road House and keep out unwanted delinquents. Dalton was hesitant at first but eventually agreed when Frankie offered him 20,000 dollars a 20,000-a-month salary.
Once he arrives in Glass Key, he is confused about the large amounts of violence and thugs that the Road House attracts. He decides to do some research on the town and befriends a local nurse named Ellie. She tells him about the corrupt local police force, and how drugs and shady families are the foundation of the small town.
Dalton realizes someone in particular is targeting him as well as the Road House. Ben Brandt, a well-known local villain who terrorizes the people of Glass Key. He wanted to burn the Road House down and claim the land as his own. Throughout the movie, Dalton deals with countless bad guys and hundreds of fistfights. Brandt realizes that Dalton will not be easy to get rid of, so he calls in some help from Knox, a crazed fighter played by Conor McGregor.
The movie is fast-paced and packed full of bar fights and intense action scenes. The movie does a good job of holding to the original 1989 Road House, while also adding new updated details to appeal to the newer generation of watchers.
The movies had comparable storylines, but the 2024 adaptation switched up some of the original factors throughout the movie. For example, the original bar was named Double Deuce whereas the remake named the bar Road House after the film title. The ending scenes also differed greatly. The 1989 “Road House” had a much longer, dramatic fight scene and ended the movie with more suspense. The 2024 adaptation had a shorter fight scene, and concluded with Dalton simply walking away and leaving Glass Key forever.
Although the remake was an enjoyable watch, it does not compare to the 80’s cult classic. The new elements that were added to the recent film made it seem corny and overdone. The 1989 “Road House” starred the legend Patrick Swayze who embodied his role and created a more realistic and gritty element that could not be topped. The original felt real and made me think that the storyline could be possible in the real world. It contained more exciting and creative fight scenes, while the 2024 version presented very fast and UFC-style fights.
Altogether, The Amazon Prime remake of “Road House” was an exciting thriller that any action lover should watch and contains some scenes that will leave the audience on the edge of their seats. This movie has received mostly positive reviews, but if you are a fan of the classic “Road House,” be prepared for some new twists and tweaks. Jake Gyllenhaal did an overall good job at playing Dalton and bringing the character a new feel, but in my opinion, Patrick Swayze will always be the best and the 1989 “Road House” remains undefeated.