The Road House Remake's Rotten Tomatoes Score Compared To The Original Is Surprising

1989's "Road House" is a beloved cult classic, but that doesn't mean it's a good film by certain metrics. The original film only has a 41% positive rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes (out of only 46 reviews counted in total). While remakes are often viewed as inherently inferior to the original, it seems as though the opposite may be the case for the upcoming version of "Road House" starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The trailer for 2024's "Road House" was a knockout, and it looks like the final product delivers on the goods, as the new film currently stands at a 76% Rotten Tomatoes score, with 25 reviews being counted as of this writing. 

The original "Road House" has many critics knocking it for being dumb, cheesy, and violent. Meanwhile, a lot of critics enjoy the remade "Road House" because it's ... dumb, cheesy, and violent. Have tastes and sensibilities simply changed over the last few decades to where critics can admit to enjoying dumb, fun action? It's hard to say, but many reviewers love the new Gyllenhaal flick. Nathan McVay of HeyUGuys wrote, "'Road House' is the perfect movie to grab your buds, turn your brain off, and want to cheer in your seat." Matthew Creith of The Wrap shared a similar viewpoint: "The ensemble understands the type of cartoonish movie they are in and the audience can easily follow along."

2024's "Road House" may have a higher Rotten Tomatoes score than its predecessor, but it's clear it's the same old dumb fun. If someone enjoyed Patrick Swayze's version, they'll likely be entertained here.

The new "Road House" premiered at SXSW in anticipation of its release on Amazon Prime Video on March 21. More reviews will come out between now and then that could bring its Rotten Tomatoes score down to be on par with the original. As it stands now, the remake sounds like a rip-roaring good time. However, while the film is currently getting better scores than its predecessor, some critics have compared it unfavorably to the original.

The Austin Chronicle's Richard Whittaker wrote, "[2024's 'Road House'] may not be an all-timer like the original, but it'll sure as hell leave some fun bruises." It definitely seems to be a case where critics at the time may not have appreciated "Road House," but it's garnered a stronger reputation over the years. Perhaps more people look back on the original film more fondly due to it being part of their childhoods. Regardless of which one is superior, they both represent the same thing, which is that it's all right for a movie to be just plain fun sometimes. 

Christian Wilko of IndieWire praised the new "Road House" because it's ultimately a remake done right. "This 'Road House' is a fitting update to its predecessor's legacy," he wrote. "Not because it's better, or even because it's all that similar, but because it moves with the same unselfconscious stupidity that fueled so many of the '80s blockbusters we remember so fondly." At the end of the day, anyone who wants to see how ripped Jake Gyllenhaal got to play a former MMA fighter should check out "Road House" when it's available for all to see.