User Reviews

The original Road House is by no means an award winning film. But it is one of the great guilty pleasures of all time. It shouldn't have been that hard to make a sequel. There's no need for a big budget, big name stars, and spectacular visual effects. Even the story didn't have to be original. All it needed was a good time vibe, and some great fist fights. I don't mean Matrix-style "wire-fu", just some well choreographed barroom brawls. Lots of them. There are a couple of decent fights in the movie, but none of them are memorable, and the focus is more on gun play. Plus, the way it ties in to the original film is laughable, bordering on insulting. Johnathon Schaech plays Shane Tanner, an undercover DEA agent who is good with his hands and feet. But here's the kicker...he's the son of Patrick Swayze's character Dalton!!!! Say what????? Let's see, the original Road House was made in 1989. So for Dalton to have a son in his late 20's (maybe even 30) in 2006...well you get the idea. They give it a cheesy explanation that he lived with his uncle Nate (Will Patton) while his father "travelled around a lot". Oh please. That itself almost warranted shutting this movie off. But I digress. Schaech is completely out of his element. Sure he can throw a couple of kicks, but he's got nothing going on as an actor. Plus, he's referred to in the movie by the bad guys as "pretty boy". I've never scrutinized men that closely, but I don't think this guy is too good looking. He looks sick. His face is way too thin, and his sunken eyes make it look like he's going to pass out at any moment. I'd never heard of him before, but I think he should give up acting and go back to his day job. Jake Busey plays the local drug runner Wild Bill. Busey is not a terrible actor. He was good in Starship Troopers, and even made a menacing villain in Hitcher 2. But here, he just chews the scenery in standard bad guy mode. Even his "threating" dialog is yawn worthy. We're supposed to buy him as the man that has the whole town in his pocket. But why? What does he do? Because he wants to buy a bar from Patton "by any means necessary"? Ellen Hollman has the token girlfriend role. A woman with a secret. Too bad that secret is about as difficult to figure out as 2+2. She's the local elementary school teacher who happens to be a former Army soldier. Guess what that means? It means that while she may quiver with fear for the majority of the movie, she'll be ready to smash heads when the fur starts to fly. Oh well, at least she's hot. Actually the fight between her and Wild Bill's girl is the best one in the movie. It's fast, brutal, and entertaining. Which leads me to my next problem with the movie...the fights. As I said Schaech knows how to throw a punch. The same can't be said for anyone he faces in the movie. Obviously the movie will all come down to Schaech versus Busey. Busey is an actor, not a fighter. He doesn't possess the skills to pull of a movie fight. Swayze may have been a trained dancer, but his athletic ability gave him the means to pull off well choreographed fights. He also faced a couple of worthy opponents, and had one killer (literally) move. None of that here. With a couple of exceptions, the fights are forced, poorly staged, and routine. The punches sound like someone smacking a 2X4 on the concrete, and there's even a couple of parts where the sound doesn't even match up to the punch. It's embarrassing. There isn't even the good southern/redneck music of the original. Road House had the Jeff Healy Band, who were a somewhat popular band at the time. This movie features a singer called John Otto, whose music is tepid, and his acting even worse. He's given one line in the movie, which was probably inserted to appease whatever fans he may have out there. Either that, or someone owed him a favor. My final complaint about the movie is one that comes out of just being picky...the continuity. Movies are shot out of sequence, and then it's the editor's job to piece it all together. Well someone should give the editor of this movie a little shove. The problems range from little things like people not looking the same direction when a shot changes, to RE-USED footage at the end of the movie. In the beginning, we are introduced to the bar, The Black Pellican. As the camera moves through the bar, you see the band, the bouncers, and the people dancing. At the end of the movie, when the bad guys have been defeated, we get another shot of the same bar, with insert shots of our hero sitting at the bar with his girl. The problem is, the footage of the people in the bar is the SAME footage from the beginning of the movie!!! I kid you not. It's the same people, standing (or dancing) in the same places, wearing the same clothes. Want to know the funniest part? You see bouncers in the shot that were KILLED earlier in the movie. Do yourself a favor, don't watch this movie unless YOU feel the need to go out and punch someone. This movie will make you angry enough to do it.

The original Road House was a classic cheesy 80s movie, which although it didn't have anywhere near award worthy writing or acting, was a very enjoyable and popular film, largely due to the presence of star Patrick Swayze and the great supporting cast, along with some excellent fight scenes and eye candy.

16 years later, and MGM / Sony attempts to re-create the magic which left us all quoting one liners and reciting the three rules of bouncing... with a movie which quotes all the original's best one liners and recites the three rules.

Were this an amateur fan made film, it would be seen as a loving homage to one of the most popular of Swayze's movies. As a professionally made film, it falls flat on it's face right into the DVD Bargin Bin, with its continual reuse of lines and plot from the original movie becoming more of an annoying sign of lack of originality rather than cool references to the original.

Having said that, with new lines such as "I'm gonna kill you just like I killed your father" no wonder the screenwriters decided to rehash much of the original script.

I knew this was never going to be anything special, being a Straight to DVD Sequel, but I had at least hoped that there might be a couple of new ideas and fresh things included to live up to the Road House name, but what you get is simply just a 2006 remake of the same film, with a little narcotics added in.

Were I the director, I'd have removed all references to the first film so as not to tarnish the original and it's characters. As it is, we got Patrick Swayze's character now supposed to be dead (killed off screen in a lame way by Jake Busey) and his brother and son now the main characters, who strangely enough have completely different surnames.

My favourite part was that Dalton's 'son' drove the same car his father did, a genuinely cool homage, although it was later ruined by having the car meet its end EXACTLY the same way as its predecessor did. That's a good example of how this film goes too far in including sequences and ideas from the '89 movie.

Also of course who can forget the legendary moment where Wild Bill promises to kill Shane "just like I killed your father" and then proceeds to attempt to dispatch him in a completely different manner. Amazing writing there. I see Schaech is listed as co-screenwriter. Stick to acting, or preferably, nothing.

Overall though, this is an OK film if there's nothing else to watch and you want to turn your brain off for an hour and a half, or if you haven't seen the first Road House, but hardcore fans of Swayze's classic will be totally disappointed almost to the point of feeling insulting at how much of a rip off this movie is of the first. As someone once suggested as an alternative subtitle for this film, "Even Jeff Healy is glad he won't be seeing this one!" Stick to the original Road House and relive the good old Swayze days!

Patrick Swayze built his movie reputation on sexy good looks and hard-fisted action. The best example was the popular "Road House," where Swayze flexed his muscles as a bouncer in a backwoods bar, putting the bad guys on the floor -- some of them permanently. Road House 2 brings us Johnathon Schaech playing Swayze's son in a copy of the original that isn't half bad.

Schaech plays Tanner, a DEA agent who learns his uncle Nate, owner of the Black Pelican Bar in Louisiana, is in the hospital after an attack by drug dealers. Nate raised Tanner after his dad (the original Swayze) was mysteriously killed. Now, a lowlife named Wild Bill wants Nate's bar. Wild Bill is played by Jake Busey -- yep, his old man is crazy Gary Busey and the kid looks like the apple didn't fall far. With a linebacker's build and a mean streak a mile wide, Wild Bill used to be the Pelican's toughest bouncer until Nate fired him for selling dope. His chief henchman is Marcus, a black street thug who is big, bad and all muscle.

In order to fill Swayze's big shoes, Schaech has got to show the same physicality and fighting skills the first movie showcased -- and the kid does. In one scene, we see him in just gym shorts working out on the heavy bag, throwing punches and barefoot kicks. The young Schaech has a sculpted torso, rippled with muscle. Early on we get to compare him to Wild Bill when we see Busey in a hot tub attended by two topless hookers. Though the girls make him grin and close his eyes with pleasure, his muscular chest and arms, covered in tattoos, let us know this is one badass dude.

Tanner soon learns that the local police are in Wild Bill's pocket from Dep. Hendricks, a tough redneck cop, who urges Tanner to go home. The only ones in his corner are the Pelican's bouncers -- especially Chubby, a built young football jock. But among the bouncers is Luther, a heavily muscled brute, who is playing a double game. Tanner finds another ally in local beauty, Beau, who is not only sexy but can handle a gun. They make love in a sizzling scene where both hard bodies are on display.

Throughout the movie the action is hot and heavy with plenty of shoot outs and bar fights. When Tanner discovers Luther's betrayal, he brutally snuffs the muscleman in a savage fight. The final showdown occurs when Wild Bill's gang attacks the bar. At the very moment that it looks like Marcus has got the drop on Tanner, a gunshot ends the black thug's life. Tanner looks up to see Dep. Hendricks and gives the hillbilly lawman the thumbs up. Of course, the main event is the fight between Wild Bill and Tanner. The two are evenly matched with Schaech's muscled physique vs. Busey's brute strength. They fight with fists, kicks and even chains. A mystery is solved when an excited Wild Bill, who has his massive arms wrapped around Tanner's neck, ready to snap it, whispers "I can't believe I killed your father and now I get to kill his son." Enraged by that knowledge, Tanner comes roaring back and pummels Wild Bill into half-consciousness. Then, after telling him that he owes him for his dad's death and the attack on his uncle, Tanner makes Wild Bill pay the ultimate price. We have to believe that Swayze would have done the same thing -- like father like son.

The original "Roadhouse" ranked as an invigorating, hard-knuckled, bruiser of a B-picture that benefited tremendously from good performances by Patrick Swayze, Ben Gazzara, and Sam Elliot, along with several tough-as-nails fights, and red-hot babe chicks with bosomy charms. Of course, the in-name sequel only "Roadhouse 2: Last Call" emerges as just another cash-in quickly follow-up film that has little to do with the original, but it isn't as tame or lame as the usual straight-to-video sequel. In other words, "Roadhouse 2" ain't half-bad, even if it is strictly formula without anything substantial to set it apart from the hundreds of other knuckle-busting, testosterone thrillers.

Nate Tanner (Will Patton of "The Rapture")owns a popular nightclub in the sticks called the Black Pelican, and he has a hard time with the local narcotics smuggler, Will Bill (Jake Busey of "Starship Troopers"), who wants the Pelican owing to its'"location, location, location" promixity to his drug smuggling operation. When Nate refuses to sell out, Will Bill sends his muscle men out to change his mind. They don't succeed it changing Nate's mind. However, they beat him up sufficiently to put him in the hospital. Naturally, the local constabulary complains that they are too undermanned to handle the investigation. Actually, they're on the villain's payroll. Meanwhile, troubleshooting DEA agent Shane Tanner (Johnathon Schaech of "Hush" and "The Doom Generation") is having his own problems. He cannot make the big bust that his superiors expect him to make. When he learns that his uncle is in the hospital, Shane takes time off to visit him down in Louisiana. On the way to his uncle's bar, he happens upon a hopelessly pretty blonde, Beau (newcomer Ellen Hollman) changing a flat tire on her jeep and gives her a hand. Later, we discover that not only is Beau an elementary school teacher, but she also can kick, punch, stab, and shoot with the best of them. According to Beau, she acquired these implausible skills during her stay in the Army that helped her afford her college education. When he arrives at the Black Pelican, Shane discovers that the local drug dealers are selling product on his premises, and he gives them the boot. Reprisals are swift and sure, but Shane handles them without difficulty. He calls in help from his DEA buddies and sets up a meeting with Wild Bill and nearly busts Bill after a bullet-blasting gun battle at his bar. Jurisdictional boundaries are infringed upon by the government guys, and so the DEA have to back and let the local authorities handle the situation. Meantime, Nate recovers from his wounds while Beau and Shane take a shine to each other. In the background, Wild Bill's boss Victor Cross (Australian kickboxing sensation Richard Norton) steps in to see if he can't resolve of Wild Bill's predicament with Shane. It seems that Shane and Victor had a little run-in when Shane was a rookie Louisiana State Trooper. Evidently, our hero busted Victor for pot and coke. Since then Victor has migrated to Miami and has the world by the tail as a big-time drug smuggler. As it turns out, we learn late in the fourth quarter that Victor smoked Shane's father by accident because dad was driving Shane's car. Precisely speaking, Victor ordered nasty old Will Bill to pull the trigger. This comes out during a confessional moment between the two adversaries.

"Roadhouse 2: Last Call" isn't a classic, but it does pack a solid punch or two. In other words, it stacks up better than the usual direct-to-video nonsense. Of course, it shouldn't have been made in the first place, but it's not a complete waste of time. Director Scott Ziehl keeps things popping throughout this 86 minute potboiler and he never wears out his welcome. Indestructible Will Patton appears to be playing the sort-of-Sam Elliot role. The fights are better-than-average, too, and the women are easy on the eye.

If I had never seen the first Road House, then I guess this movie might get one more star, but even then that makes it a 3 star movie. For that matter I was really surprised as to the relatively high rating it currently has.

In reality, I was not able to finish this movie, as it was painful. Where it went wrong (at least the most obvious way) is that it pretty much parallels the original exactly even though the original plot is still referenced. This doesn't really make sense and doesn't work. Also, the acting is weak...I never felt like I was into the movie yet I felt like I was watching people act. Even good actors like Busey don't work out, probably due to the screenplay or maybe the awkward editing. The strangest thing is that the movie feels like a mid 90's B movie, yet is made in 06. I am not sure as to why, but then again, this often seems to happen with sequels for some reason. The music, the look, and the whole overall feel reminds me of movies you saw 10 years ago on Cinemax late at night. The strangest thing of all is that I am also expecting Ja Rule to come in at some point...often it reminds me of more current movies with rappers as actors.

The most irritating thing is love interest girl who's character seems like a total rip off of the Lois Lane character on Smallville which is also quite annoying. And lets not forget the fakest sounding "southern accents" I have heard since Walk the Line. I realize this is common place in movies, but no accent at all would work better than attempting to sound like you are from that universal hick place on TV where anyone from any southern state (or KY and WV) sound exactly the same. Sure, people in desert towns in AZ sound just like people in Southeastern states 2000+ miles away. That was wearing thin 10 years ago in the B movies where technique came from. Why do writers / directors make such decisions?

Bottom line: I would truly not recommend this if you are a fan of Road House or if you like good movies. Also, if you have not seen it yet, don't spoil it by seeing this version first. The original Road House was one of those accidental classics that people love and watch over and over. It was an unexpected success like American Graffiti, Dazed and Confused, and more recently Office Space, Fast and Furious (only the first one!), and Napolean Dynamite. Why did they spoil it!!!???

They should have never made a sequel to Road House other than a high budget version with the right actors / director. Sure, you can never top the original (ex: Bad News Bears, The Longest Yard, etc.), but at least if you can do it right it will be presentable as is the case with the examples I mentioned. But to make a low budget, off-network, self production of Road House is criminal.

Man stop making sequels to great movies. The original was a great movie that was over the top with fights,sex,and one of the coolest characters that graced the screen in the 90's. The story is believable as if your been to bars in the outs of the south you would know. But here comes this piece of junk Roadhouse 2 Last Call. Lets just hope they are serious with the title and never make another Roadhouse ever again.It doesn't have the charm of the characters of the original nor is the story really believable. The Story is more of a Steven Segal type action that even though Roadhouse 2 is a B movie it still doesn't click as some B movie action still sales the movie no matter how cheesy it is. The only reason to rent not buy this movie is that we finally find out the one question is left from the original Roadhouse. Patrick Swayze's character Dalton, is Dalton his first name or last name? Well I'll save you the $4.00 rental fee. Dalton is his first name as in Dalton Tanner. NEVER MAKE ANOTHER ROADHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!

The Black Pelican isn't' nearly as cool as the Double Deuce! I am very angry about that. Still, this was a good movie. The fight scenes were better than BLOODSPORT even. There were corny lines, like when Jake Busey says "I'm going to kill you! Just like I killed your Dad!" Yes, the main dude in this movie is Patrick Swazy's son. Jake Busey killed the father for some reason. There were good fight scenes between Tanner and Busey, especially in the last scene. The movie is very strange in that there is a girl who throws knives and gets into a cat fight that never seems to end with a cute girl named Bo. Would I say this is as good as the first one? No way. But it's worth a quick watch. If you trip over your DVD's and this one happens to play on your DVD player, I would give it a chance.

Road House 2: Last Call is set in in a small town in Lousiana where Nate Tanner (Will Patton) owns a bar named The Black Pelican which a violent drug dealer named Wild Bill (Jake Busey) wants as it's in the perfect location to smuggle drugs through the swamps undetected, however Nate doesn't want to sell & stands up against Wild Bill & his gang of dealers. To get Nate out of the way Wild Bill tries to kill him but only ends up wounding him & putting him in hospital, his DEA agent nephew Shane Tanner (Jonathon Schaech) hears about his uncle & decides to visit him. Shane quickly learns about Wild Bill & his drug dealing, Shane take temporary control of The Black Pelican & embarks on an all out war with the dealers to clean the town up...

Directed by Scott Ziehl this is a sequel to the Patrick Swayze action thriller Road House (1989) which I incidentally saw less than a week ago so I can compare the two against each with some authority, I was never a big fan of the original Road House apart from some unintentionally funny moments & I actually think Road House 2 is a better film. The script has Patrick Swayze's character's from the original dead & gone after being murdered sometime between the two films & his son Shane (why is Shane's second name Tanner & not Dalton after his father?) fill his boots & gets to clean up a small town all by himself. There are numerous references to Dalton (the three rules for instance) in Road House 2 but otherwise there's nothing connecting the two films at all. The original delt with extortion while here it's drug dealers, the general plot is similar to the original with a lone man driving into town & getting himself deeper into trouble than he could have expected & eventually takes on all the bad guy's & saves the day. The pace is brisk, it never lets up, there's enough fights & action to keep one satisfied & there's also some funny moments as well with some priceless dialogue especially from Jake Busey as Wild Bill who is a hoot here. The plot is nothing that special, it tells a story I suppose but no-one will be surprised by anything that happens & there's a bit too much of an effort to tie things together & get a really happy ending. While no masterpiece I was actually surprised at how much I liked Road House 2, as a simple & straight forward action film you could do a lot, lot worse.

I really liked the action scenes in Road House 2, thank god the makers didn't go for that horrible machine gun edited shaky camera crap where you can't see a damned thing. Nope, here in Road House 2 everything is clear, well shot, well edited & well choreographed & the fights here are some of the best I've seen in a direct to video flick, seriously there's no shaky camera shots or quick editing anywhere & for that I salute the makers of Road House 2. While not as gay as the original Road House there's still a lot of topless bodies on show here, luckily a lot of them this time around are female so the boy's & girls will both be happy. The character of Wild Bill is great, he sits in a jacuzzi talking drugs while he has a naked girl either side of him, he wears some of the silliest looking shirts ever & he's just a great villain.

Originally to be filmed in New Orleans the location was moved after Hurricane Katrina hit although it was still shot in Louisiana. The acting isn't bad I suppose, it's not great but it's not bad. Jonathon Schaech isn't leading man material, Jake Busey looks like he's having a ball while Ellen Hollman is very cute as the token love interest.

Road House 2: Last Call is a pretty fun violent low budget direct to video action thriller that I liked quite a lot, sure it's predictable & silly & is no classic but what it is it's pretty good.