The Patrick Swayze-starring 1989 favourite Road House hinges on a simple concept: what if a really cool guy was both a) awesome, and b) great at hitting people? Now, 35 years later, those questions are being asked once again – this time with Jake Gyllenhaal in the Swayze role, in a remake from director Doug Liman. In this Road House, Dalton is a former UFC fighter who becomes a no-nonsense ‘cooler’ at a roadhouse, where he… well, smacks anyone who steps out of line. Liman seems to be funnelling that pumped-up energy into a punchy action movie with hangout vibes. Check out the trailer here:
Doesn’t that look like a good time? Just don’t get too rowdy, eh. Liman’s film also stars the likes of Daniela Melchior (of The Suicide Squad), Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams and Conor McGregor – and while it’s coming directly to Prime Video, that straight-to-streaming release has ruffled the filmmaker’s feathers. Liman boycotted the film’s premiere at SXSW this week to “silently protest Amazon’s decision to stream a movie so clearly made for the big screen”, he wrote for Deadline. While the director advocated for a cinematic release, Amazon is instead, in Liman’s parlance, “using Road House to sell plumbing fixtures.” Ooft. The heavy hits aren’t just confined to the screen, then.
Whether or not those plans change remains to be seen – as it is, Road House will be coming to Prime Video on 21 March. Drink up!