Pisaries Creator

Before I begin comparing and contrasting these two movies, both of them are absolutely cheesy in their own right when it comes to some of the scenes. It’s a little funny how directors attempt a remake by spinning it a little differently from the original (the whole purpose of a remake, right?), but in the process neglect whether deliberately or not to leave out the parts that make the original as good or bad as it was when released in theatres. While l understand the remake Road House had to change to make it more familiar to the current viewer because there probably aren’t many millennials+ who are familiar with Jeff Healey, let alone his band. With this being said, I found the remake was less serious in nature. it’s safe to say Conor McGregor lent the necessary humor in the remake. Who’s ready for a third Nate Diaz (Stockton slapping triathlete) and Conor McGregor (Irish pride madman) rematch?

The premise of Road House in the original is about a well-known bouncer named James Dalton who is sought after by a businessman, Frank Tilghman, to be in charge of his security in a club he recently purchased in Jasper, Missouri to clean up the riff raff it attracts. He soon realizes it isn’t going to be the clear-cut job he thought it would be as he goes head-to-head with a powerful man named Wesley’s henchmen. It sends him to the hospital because no matter how good you are in a fight, usually the sole fighter loses more than the opposition group. Dalton meets a doctor by the name of Elizabeth Clay that become a part of the story because everyone is related in a small town. The Double Deuce proves to be an even more popular bar after it is cleaned up by Dalton but soon things turn really personal for him when he best friend, Wade Garrett, finds himself in trouble when he visits. One of the best scenes is the end where Dalton kills Wesley’s henchmen one by one inside his own home. The major cast includes Patrick Swayze as James Dalton, Kelly Lynch as Dr. Elizabeth Clay, Sam Elliott as Wade Garrett, Ben Gazzara as Brad Wesley, Red West as Red Webster, and Kevin Tighe as Frank Tilghman.

Now onto the remake of Road House where James Dalton becomes Elwood Dalton, and the bar is located in Glass Key, Florida where crocodiles play a role in hiding dead bodies. As James Dalton was bothered by killing a man, Elwood continues fighting underground to deal with loss of killing his opponent during an MMA fight. He is portrayed with a tad more vulnerability and compassion in the remake and this is due to his befriending a young girl named Charlie and her father that own a bookstore. Shortly after Dalton’s arrival, he too finds himself in trouble with a motorcycle gang and lands in a hospital ER. There he meets Ellie who teaches him more about Glass Key. They form a relationship although strained at times as they should be, but when Knox arrives in town, the purpose becomes clear to Dalton of what he must do. When he tries to leave town, he realizes he can’t because Knox and Ben have different plans for him. They bring the fight to Dalton where only one side will survive. The major cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal as Elwood Dalton, Kevin Carroll as Stephen, Billy Magnussen as Ben Brandt, JD Pardo as Dell, Hannah Lanier as Charlie, Daniela Melchior as Ellie, and Conor McGregor as Knox.

What was missing from the original and remake? Which had the better Dalton? Which had the better ER doctor? Which had the better antagonist? There was humor missing from the original that I enjoyed in the remake. There was Dalton’s mentor missing from the remake that was played most excellent by Sam Elliott. I have to give it Kelly Lynch as the better ER doctor. The chemistry was believable between Dalton and Elizabeth. It seemed like a teenage romance in the remake because the of how young Daniela Melchior is and maybe if she was made to look older, it would’ve resonated and been more believable. Now, I think Jake Gyllenhaal is a great actor, but give props to Conor McGregor for his comedic role as one of the antagonists in the remake (although probably not really acting). His fighting scene with Jake Gyllenhaal was highly memorable as the ending. So, which Road House is the best overall? I give it the original and not only because Patrick Swayze hated wearing a mullet haircut, but it had a slow burn of destruction and a little more subtly compared to the remake. The dialogue wasn’t so on the nose and there was not as much repeating of how Dalton felt in the original. It was a silent brooding Patrick Swayze was able to convey. Jake Gyllenhaal has the ability to do the same, but the remake character wasn’t written in this manner. Besides, an MMA fighter like Dalton doesn’t need help from crocodiles to beat his opponents (he can do this all by himself), but I do like the ending of the remake because having it any other way wouldn’t have made sense.