Roadhouse ★★½

SOMETIMES you just have to review a film purely from your personal perspective.

I love the 1989 action drama Roadhouse for many reasons and have reviewed it previously.

Doug Liman’s 2024 remake shares the name and the basic premise but it’s a different film from and for a different era.

There is some good action and a couple of decent additions, eg a crocodile attack. It’s all capably done and entertaining enough, but that’s about it as far as I’m concerned.

Here are 10 reasons to watch the original instead:

1 Patrick Swayze is much better than Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead role

2 Ben Gazzara makes a much better villain than Billy Magnussen

3 The original setting is more linked to the overall feeling of the film – in that case, a modern western.

4 The original has more iconic pieces of dialogue.

5 The original has more humour and is overall a more playful and knowing affair.

6 The original has the Jeff Healey Band’s music rather than the remake’s mishmash of music styles.

7 The chemistry between the romantic leads is completely missing from the remake.

8 The original has much better death scenes

9 The original doesn’t have the debut over-acting of Conor McGregor.

10 The original has Sam Elliott as Wade Garrett – enough said and I rest my case.

Watched on Amazon Prime.