As an avid MMA fan, I was excited to see Conor Mcgregor make his big screen debut in the movie Road House (2024). With a lot of hype surrounding this debut and the mid pay per view shooting of some of the film footage during UFC 285 involving the star of the movie aka Jake Gyllenhaal, this movie has gathered quite the buzz leading up to its release on Amazon. Brimming with anticipation I watched this movie with a lot of eagerness, and I am happy to say I was thoroughly entertained throughout. The entertainment value, however, was dimmed down due to the lack of character motivation across the movie.
“….positive note, the action sequences for this movie are quite entertaining and Conor Mcgregor’s crazy persona as Knox is a welcome comic relief throughout….”
Both Jake and Conor delivered exceptional performances in terms of the quality of action sequences, stunt work and the intensity they brought to all their scenes (not just the fight scenes). But due to the absence of any sort of motivation for either of their characters, the intensity kept getting diluted for the viewer. The setting up of the story took a while in the first act of the film with viewers excitedly anticipating for a peak into the history of the character of Dalton, the history of the Road House Bar and its owner Frankie as well as some history involving Knox and the Brandt family. However, that anticipation is never quenched as the movie glosses over all these interesting plot points and moves into an action packed third act which seems to make the characters of Jake and Conor fight just for the sake of having a kickass action sequence in the film.
Dalton’s history, although hinted at, is never clearly explained. His suicidal tendencies that give him an edge as a character are never really justified in a proper way. Similar to this the Road House bar’s significance is never really clarified in a way that the viewer will feel connected to the story. It seems like any other bar where some thugs and mafia members hang out at. Although they shed some light regarding this mystery by the end of the movie, it is not enough for the viewer to develop any affinity for such a place and root for it. Furthermore, the third act allows for a paradoxical ending as the bar that Dalton is meant to protect is completely ignored by him and his emotional motivation is switched to a bookshop in Florida Keys.
On a positive note, the action sequences for this movie are quite entertaining and Conor Mcgregor’s crazy persona as Knox is a welcome comic relief throughout the film. Mcgregor’s intensity as Knox is a perfect contrast for Jake’s calm and sarcastic persona which makes their face offs and fights memorable. Jake Gyllenhaal’s acting carries this movie for a very long time, but the lack of good script ultimately ruins a great performance by the actor. It is a missed opportunity to deliver a simple yet sophisticated movie, which got derailed by unnecessary additions and complications from a script writing standpoint. However, it is definitely an entertaining watch due its thrilling fight sequences that deliver despite other bad creative choices.