Road House

No wonder why it’s #1 trending in the UK, as Amazon Prime says— although a remake of 1989’s film of the same name, it has distinguished itself as a hardcore action-packed, little bit romantic and typical crime genre film. Close to Fight Club in an action sequence, it will surely blow your mind for a straight 2 hours.

2023 was a disappointing year for me. Only a few movies worth watching, although many were overhyped but I don’t rely on hype, rather I focus on vibe. Given the disappointment back in 2023, I’d say 2024 is going to be a blockbuster year— already enjoyed a handful and many more coming this month and the following. I really hope streaming services don’t increase the subscription fee anytime soon.

Anyway, the movie takes place in a small remote town in Florida. So, you get a typical vibe— beach, boats, rich people, drugs and crocs, of course. A ring fighter with notorious skill is hired to protect a small bar from local goons. The bar is in a prime spot and very important to the local drug dealer as he wants to expand his turf. And that’s where the conflicts begin. The owner doesn’t want to hand it over but the drug dealer is a bit naive. It starts with beating the small fish upsetting the bar owner and causing trouble to the customers. Soon police get involved, money flows, a psycho joins, and everything is ruined in back-to-back fighting and watery explosions. Too bad for the lovebirds, they couldn’t finish their date and the romance turned into a rescue mission.

Apart from the action plots, which are good enough, the complexities arise during the final scenes— who is working for whom, it’s like a mess. Nobody is following the chain, doing whatever their mind says. But like I said, you won’t get bored despite the rushed storyline at the end.

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Now, the character, Jake has a nice body buildup. Perfect for the movie. But the plot is overly focused on his strength, which sometimes feels like superhuman, although he is not. And he has a smiling face, as always. Kinda cool, I guess— not all the time you need a rowdy face to beat the hell outta people. On the contrary, the arch-enemy, Knox has the perfect face for a villain. Characteristically psychotic, he possesses a beastly outlook and an insatiable thirst for violence.

Above all, the cinematography is quite enchanting. Azure blue water, contrasting landscape and growing tension among characters— they all make perfect elements for this movie. But unlike most movies highlighting yachts and all riches, Road House does not feast on extravagance. No fancy party, beach girls, or drug festivity. A perfect harmony between country life and wanna-be neighbourhood rocking with violence.

The original Road House premiered in 1989 had a 6.7 IMDb rating while the new one has reached 6.2 so far. But in reality, if we consider viewers’ perception, this might get a higher rating. Nevertheless, this is brilliantly remade, action sequences are quite lively and flow average.