Review of Road House (1989) by Mark D — 13 Feb 2011

"Road House" is something of a gem of late-80s trash, centered entirely around Patrick Swayze's overblown role as a "superbouncer" whose attempts to clean up an incredibly rough bar eventually pit him against the town's pseudo-crime boss who refuses to play by the rules.

Lots of violent bar brawls, high kicks, and gratuitous glamour shots of Swayze (mostly shirtless) ensue. Despite feeling at first more like a comedy/drama, "Road House" quickly devolves into a pure action flick as Swayze is continually challenged by an endless train of stupid henchmen, all of whom get their asses kicked multiple times only to come back for more.

The whole thing feels quite formulaic until the final act, which turns much darker as Swayze begins to exact some ruthless throat-ripping revenge instead of just cleaning things up at the bar. This change of pace actually benefits the film, which plays off of its own excessive violence and delivers precisely what viewers want to see: more ass-kicking.

Though certainly not for everyone, fans of cheesy '80s action will find plenty to enjoy about "Road House" and may gain a shred of appreciation for Swayze and his limited martial arts skills.