Road House

Die Figur des charismatischen harten Kerls und Kämpfers für das Gute passt zu Patrick Swayze, der Film ist dank seiner Figur sofort fesselnd. Und die Einfachheit der Handlung ist nur von Vorteil – hochwertige Filme zum Entspannen aus den 80er Jahren erfreuen immer mit ihrer aufrichtigen Geradlinigkeit. Ebenso bringt der Kämpfer Sam Elliott Charisma in den Film, der gegen die Schufte kämpft. Ben Gazzara als Hauptmafioso erinnert daran, dass der schlimmste Filmschurke immer am besten mit dem Gesicht eines gutmütigen Onkels funktioniert hat. Ein reichhaltiger Film voller Schurkenbekämpfung und männlicher Schlägereien, deutlich würdiger als dumme B-Movies mit Chuck Norris. Schade, dass der Höhepunkt naiv ist und dass er mit den Karate-Motiven wie ein Film von Van Damme und Co. aussieht. Er hätte es nicht gebraucht. (24.03.2024)

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. (12.05.2024)

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)

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. (30.03.2014)

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)