As a movie buff (my collection is pretty intense) and a journalist who has covered mixed martial arts for nearly 20 years, I was particularly interested in the new film Road House, directed by Doug Liman.
If I needed to summarize the film in one sentence, I’d call it a beautifully shot, sometimes fun mess of an action film that you can enjoy if adequately compartmentalized. The film is a remake of the Patrick Swayze classic.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays Dalton, and Road House also features former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor in his film debut. McGregor is the most formidable villain, a killing machine named Knox.
He’s playing the same role as Marshall R. Teague. In the original, Teague played Jimmy, Swayze’s most dangerous foe. While it takes a little while for McGregor to make his first appearance, he becomes arguably the most memorable character once he arrives.
Like the protagonist in the film, Knox is an over-the-top, humorous, and nearly superhuman fellow whose feats will consistently make you reevaluate the feasibility bar in this world set in the Florida Keys. The story follows a similar path as the original, but Gyllenhaal’s character is a former MMA fighter with a checkered past. Swayze’s version of Dalton was a martial artist, but there was no UFC in 1989.
The interpolations of the UFC are spliced in through flashback scenes that feature famed Octagon announcer Bruce Buffer, official UFC cutmen, and a main-card atmosphere that would make the EA UFC 5 presentation team blush.
Most of the fight scenes lack a strong MMA feel, which left me a bit disappointed. It felt like a waste not to hit fans over the head with as many single-leg takedowns, 12-to-6 elbows, wheel kicks, and Superman punches as we could stand.
That said, one fight scene in the movie nearly quenches the thirst of any MMA fan looking to be acknowledged at some point during the two-hour film. You’ll know and appreciate it when you see it. That said, you’ll be disappointed if you’re a pure MMA fan expecting to see many UFC references.
From a visual standpoint, the UHD version on Amazon Prime looked beautiful. Multiple scenes could double as a Corona commercial, and epic angles transport you into the intensity of some of the story’s more impacting moments.
Whether you enjoy the remade tale or not, this is an element almost everyone should be able to appreciate. Gyllenhaal shines in his interpretation of the iconic Dalton character. He plays the role differently than Swayze, but it’s not in a lesser fashion.
He’s ripped, which makes him believable as a tough guy and former mixed martial artist, but he still oozes the timing and presence of an Academy Award nominee. McGregor is solid in his film debut.
Some critics will say the Knox character is a version of the guy we see on social media and the master promoter who became the biggest draw in MMA history. There’s some truth to that concept, but as is the case when he’s in the Octagon or on the mic at a press conference, McGregor has an undeniable presence.
When he’s on screen, there is a feeling that someone important or worthy of your attention is performing. With more experience, a deeper, more fleshed-out story, and better dialog, McGregor could deliver a performance far exceeding what he delivered as Knox.
Even in his rawness, McGregor delivered the best line of the film when he says, “There’s something wrong with you. And me too.”
Unfortunately, Road House’s biggest missteps are in its story progression.
At some point, about mid-film, when it appears we should be learning a little more about important characters, we feel like we’re launched into wrap-it-up mode. The lines get cheesier, and any concepts of substance take a backseat.
It makes you adjust your expectations, and unfortunately that means lowering them in this instance. The dialog–especially for McGregor and the other villains–leaves something to be desired. Sometimes, it resembles an animated superhero tale more than an action film.
As it is, I am familiar enough with the original, McGregor, Gyllenhaal, and some MMA concepts to keep me entertained, but I still fell short of being impressed. I’d score it a 6 out of 10.