Road House

Patrick Swayze is such a badass head bouncer that if he worked at the Titty Twister, Chet Pussy would never use the word "pussy" again, and the entire staff would be in bed by eleven to avoid causing any trouble! When he gallantly helps the dancing women off the tables, you almost feel like "Time of My Life" is about to start playing. When he tries the same thing with rebellious guests, it looks like it’s about to turn into the iconic lift, but instead, he throws them through a window. Trim the runtime a bit, throw in hairstyles straight out of the 1991/92 locker room of a beer league soccer club, and reduce the distance between fists and faces, and maybe people wouldn’t spend so much time wondering when the local sheriff’s vacation will end (the sound of police sirens here was a reminder of what it means to walk into a finished job). Too bad "kung-fu claw" Patrick injured himself during filming, and had to be replaced by Danny Glover in Predator 2. Baby City Hunter would just sit in the corner. (09/08/2022)

I’m a sucker for an 80s action flick. But Patrick Swayze’s emotionless performance, where he’s channeling some pre-fame Chuck Norris vibes, was a bit hard for me to get past. Still, it’s a standard action movie — everyone gets their faces smashed in, and an hour later, they’re back on their feet, ready for the next fight. (23/06/2021)

It is hard to believe that humanity has made such a huge leap forward, not only in terms of technology but also fundamentally in the field of cinematography in these roughly 25 years. No matter how you look at this accomplishment, you will always laugh and shake your head in disbelief. It is not a comedy, it is not a proper action movie, you do not understand the motivations of the characters, and neither do you understand the actions of the protagonists. It is not even a cool, crazy action film that would not worry about image and dramaturgy. It is an incredible mess with a few decent action scenes. Let's move away from that. Only out of nostalgia – Patrick Swayze was in great shape here. (31/03/2014)

The role of a charismatic tough guy and fighter for good suits Patrick Swayze, and the film immediately draws you in with his character. The simplicity of the story is only an advantage – high-quality eighties flicks like this are always pleasing with their sincere straightforwardness. Sam Elliott brings the same level of charisma to the film as an equalising force against a band of villains. As the head mobster, Ben Gazzara reminds us that the worst movie bad guy always works best when he has the face of a kind uncle. Road House is a film rich in rampaging goons and manly brawlers, yet it is significantly more dignified than the silly B-movies starring Chuck Norris. It’s just a shame about the naïve climax, and that it tries to use karate motifs to be like Van Damme and co. It doesn’t need that. (25/03/2024)

Exactly what I would expect from an action B-movie from the late '80s: shots of luxury cars, beautiful women, plenty of action, and Patrick Swayze in the lead role. Believe it or not, it works. Even better than the new version with Gyllenhaal. I really grew to like the character of Dalton here. Add to that the wisecracking sidekick Sam Elliott (it’s a shame he didn’t get more screen time) and some really well-shot action scenes, and you have a solid one-off from that historical era. Just don’t expect any added value. You’ll search in vain for that. I give it 6/10. (13/05/2024)