10 Reasons Jake Gyllenhaal’s Road House Remake Reviews Are So Positive (& Way Better Than The Original)

Road House gained cult status when it was released back in 1989, but the modern reimagining in 2024 appears to be taking a sharp lead over the original. When Road House came out in 1989, the movie earned a decent sum in theaters with a domestic box office of $30 million (via The Numbers). However, the movie failed to find its audience until after its release when it aired on cable TV and gained cult status. The excessive violence and cheesy humor fit in with a niche demographic and thus continued to be held in high regard as an influential action movie of the 80s.

In 2006, the movie was granted a sequel with a direct-to-video movie that continued the story, but without any of the core cast, it felt like a hollow cash grab. So, when a reimagined version of the 1989 film was announced starring Gyllenhaal, and featuring UFC legend Conor McGregor in his acting debut, there were doubts about what would be achieved. However, following the film being shown at the SXSW film festival, early reviews appear to rate the film much higher than its predecessor. But, there are reasons why that was always going to happen.

Road House (2024)

Road House is a remake of the original 1989 film, which followed protagonist Dalton, a Ph.D. educated bouncer at the roughest bar in the south known as the Double Deuce. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Dalton, with two major changes including Dalton being a retired UFC fighter and the bar locale being in the Florida Keys.

Director

Doug Liman

Release Date

March 21, 2024

Studio(s)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , Silver Pictures

Distributor(s)

Prime Video

Writers

Anthony Bagarozzi , Charles Mondry , David Lee Henry

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal , Daniela Melchior , Billy Magnussen , Jessica Williams , Joaquim De Almeida , Conor McGregor , Lukas Gage , Arturo Castro , B.K. Cannon , Beau Knapp , Darren Barnet , Dominique Columbus , Bob Menery

10 Nostalgia For A Cult Classic

Like With Top Gun: Maverick, And Star Wars

While Top Gun: Maverick and Star Wars were considerably more popular, nostalgia has proven to be a massive driving force for people enjoying and paying to go and see a movie. Road House is set to release via streaming, but considering the cult classic status of the original, a more dedicated fanbase came after the movie’s release, and may well have paid for a ticket to see the cult film brought up to date. 1989’s Road House walked so that 2024’s could run, and with more appreciation for the movie than ever before, the remake was bound to perform well.

9 True To The Original

At least In Spirit

In some early reviews, critics highlighted the movie’s faithfulness to the original concept. Despite changes to some names, criminal activities, and the location, the story remains very much in line with what the original Road House set out to achieve. The movie is not designed to be serious, or full of intense drama, but rather, it is an action flick like those made popular in the 80s and 90s. Road House is violent, corny, funny, and adrenaline-fuelled, nothing more, and nothing less.

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8 Different Enough To Avoid Comparison

Starting With A New Villain

While the modern version of Road House may hearken back to the movie that inspired it, it’s also a distinctly modern movie. Gyllenhaal’s Dalton is an ex-UFC fighter who fought his way up in giant brightly lit stadiums. Patrick Swayze’s Dalton, on the other hand, was a black belt in karate with a tragic past. The main antagonist in 1989 was a sleazy businessman in a suit and a dark shirt who sent others to do the fighting for him, while 2024’s places the hulking and intimidating McGregor as Gyllenhaal’s opponent.

7 A Real Action Hero Movie

Action Heroes Are Few And Far Between In Hollywood Right Now

While former wrestlers are transitioning into action stars, and actors like Jason Statham and Vin Diesel frequently appear in modern action titles, action heroes like those in the 80s and 90s are rarer now. With Gyllenhaal clearly putting in the work to take on a physically demanding role like this and featuring the skilled fighter, Conor McGregor, as the antagonist, this movie feels more true to the pure and simple action heroes of the past, and that is sorely missing from Hollywood in the present cinematic landscape.

6 Big Talent

From Multiple Disciplines

Jake Gyllenhaal has long been a Hollywood A-lister, and with his talent matched by others from other areas of entertainment, Road House has an outstanding cast for attracting viewers. Post Malone is one of the most popular musicians in the world, and Conor McGregor is one of the biggest legends in UFC history. Despite never being crowned the king, his loud and energetic displays earned him global recognition. In addition, talented actors like Billy Magnussen round out the cast with rising stars in the industry, which all adds to an incredible cast.

5 UFC Legend Conor McGregor

UFC Fighter Conor McGregor’s Cinematic Debut

As mentioned above, McGregor was one of the biggest names in UFC before retiring. He has repeatedly returned and retired, but at the height of his career, he earned the number 2 spot in the overall rankings, and became the highest-earning star in UFC (via SportBible), thanks to his louder-than-life approach and entertainment value. Now moving into the world of cinema, McGregor is sure to bring some of that clout with him, and in a debut role that essentially serves up his next big fight, his fans will be happy to see him return in a familiar role.

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4 Doug Liman As Director

Known For: Swingers, The Bourne Identity, Jumper, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, And Edge of Tomorrow

When creating a spectacular action film, it pays to have someone with a wealth of experience in the genre. With Doug Liman at the helm, Road House could not be in better hands in this regard. With his credits adding up to many of the best action movies in modern cinema, along with several cult classics of his own, like Jumper, Liman is one of the best action directors in Hollywood. Giving him the reins to recreate the bloody, brutal, and action-packed Road House movie for a modern audience was the perfect call.

3 Road House 2024 Is Self-Aware

Over The Top, But In The Best Way Possible

From the blood and brutality to the humor, everything is extra, and it works. Road House owns its place as a film that isn’t trying to win acclaim and awards but to engage its audience and give them something that is thoroughly entertaining. The movie does not try to create some political statement, a critique on action movies of the 80s, or anything else, it just aims to be the best action picture that it can be, and with a simple and clear vision, the results are equally simple and clear.

2 The Locations Are Spectacular

From The Dominican Republic To Vegas

Road House capitalizes on a far bigger budget than the original film with $85 million at their disposal (via IndieWire). With that, the film was able to shoot a scene in the Octagon Arena in Las Vegas, as well as stunning location filming in the Dominican Republic (via Collider). These beautiful and unique settings give the film a greater sense of scale and make it visually stunning, which is helpful when it comes to visual media.

1 It’s Fun To Watch

Making It Perfect For Streaming

Like the original, Road House is designed to be fun and easy to watch. From the humor to the action, and the stars filling up the screen, the movie is designed to be a good time. The original Road Housebecame a cult classic because of its popularity on cable TV after the movie was released in theaters. In the same way, Road House is likely to climb the ranks of popularity thanks to its availability on streaming, which will make it easy for fans of the film to watch it again and again, ultimately becoming a fan-favorite film.

Road House

With a story and screenplay by David Lee Henry and direction from Rowdy Herrington, Road House is a 1989 Action release starring Patrick Swayze in the lead role. Swayze steps into the shoes of James Dalton, a bouncer that is hired by a club owner to provide security for the establishment.

Director

Rowdy Herrington

Release Date

May 19, 1989

Studio(s)

United Artists

Distributor(s)

United Artists

Writers

Hilary Henkin , R. Lance Hill

Cast

Kelly Lynch , Sam Elliott , Patrick swayze , Red West , Kevin Tighe , Ben Gazzara

Runtime

114 minutes

Budget

$17 million