This Doug Liman film revolves around Elwood Dalton, a former MMA fighter with some heavy baggage from his past fights. One day, he gets a five grand a-week job cleaning up a rowdy bar in Florida called The Road House, a palace that is, as of late attracting all kinds of violent clientele. If the film’s action sequence and penultimate fight left you craving for similar flicks, here are our ten best suggestions.
The Transporter (2002)
The Transporter chronicles the story of Frank Martin, a once-active Special Forces soldier turned professional courier: “The Transporter.” Never open the gift, never modify the deal—those are his rigorous regulations.
When Frank finds out that his most recent shipment is a captured lady, he resolves to violate his own rules in order to save her. It sets off a chain reaction of violent confrontations between him and the lawbreakers who employed him, culminating in a high-speed pursuit, brawls, and detonations.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Mad Max: Fury Road takes place in a dystopian future when the last surviving resources are under the power of the despotic tyrant Immortan Joe. A subordinate of Joe’s, Imperator Furiosa, deserts him by helping his five spouses in escaping from his incarceration.
Eventually, Max, an escapee whose past continues to haunt him, breaks from captivity and strikes a friendship with Furiosa. He had been abused as a “blood bag” by Joe’s insane soldiers. Joe and his troops are hot on their heels, so they hit the road in a huge war rig and try to end the evil reign of Immortan Joe.
John Wick (2014)
A former hitman who is still reeling from the loss of his beloved spouse is the protagonist of John Wick. His bereavement is shattered when a team of Russian thugs storm his house, take his 1969 Boss 429 Mustang, and butcher his dog—a memento from his wife who passed away. John goes on a murderous spree after the dog’s death, which summons back his violent history.
Bloody skirmishes break out as John revives his standing as a feared assassin in his search for all of them.
Road House 2: Last Call (2006)
After Dalton’s story ends, the nephew of the main character, Shane Tanner, takes the helm in Road House 2: Last Call. As part of his investigation into his uncle’s murder, DEA agent Shane goes back to his homeland and takes over the family tavern, The Double Deuce. His inquiry into the town’s violent and corrupt underbelly leads him to learn that a local tycoon and his goons are plotting to seize control of the town.
With the help of his uncle’s former acquaintances and a romantic interest, Shane defends the town and learns the reason for his uncle’s death. Although the plot and characters are unique, the film’s themes of honor, atonement, and powerful action scenes are all present.
Tango & Cash (1989)
In Tango & Cash, a strong cocaine kingpin frames two competing Los Angeles detectives, Gabriel Cash and Raymond Tango, for something that they didn’t do. So, in order to repair their reputations, Tango and Cash end up working together, ignoring their enmity towards one another. Corruption within the justice system and murderous maniacs are only two of the many problems they face.
While investigating a plot that extends further than they had anticipated, the two protagonists deliver many intense action scenes, including vehicle pursuits and gun battles.
The Equalizer (2014)
The Equalizer stars Denzel Washington as Robert McCall, a former black operations agent who now works as an electronics store clerk and lives a low-key existence. His violent history comes back to haunt McCall when he meets Teri, a little girl being abused by Russian thugs. The thugs have Teri admitted to the hospital, and McCall decides to get reprisal by meticulously eliminating the crooks using his CIA expertise and experience.
First Blood (1982)
Scenes from the 1982 film First Blood depict Vietnam War survivor John Rambo’s painful reunion with a long-lost friend in a sleepy little village. Rambo is placed under custody for vagrancy by Sheriff Will Teasle. When the cops harass him, it brings up memories of the war, and he runs away to the highlands, sparking a massive manhunt that Rambo tries to fend against with his guerrilla tactics and his propensity for violence.
Taken (2008)
Long-time CIA agent Bryan Mills experiences every parent’s greatest fear in the film Taken when his daughter Kim is kidnapped while she’s vacationing in Paris. What follows is an enthralling account of a father’s dogged will to save his kid. Bryan follows those who kidnap Kim and leaves a path of devastation behind him, thanks to skills he picked up in his line of work.
The suspense builds as Bryan fights his way through the sophisticated criminal organization that markets women in the search for his daughter, killing many along the way.
Death Warrant (1990)
“Death Warrant” (1990) features Jean-Claude Van Damme as the tenacious police officer Louis Burke, who penetrates a corrupt jail in order to probe a string of homicides. Burke, in his guise as a prisoner, confronts savage convicts and cruel keepers while hearing about a dark underground fighting club organized by the unscrupulous warden of the institution. Burke is targeted as he draws nearer to the truth, forcing him to make use of all his combat talents to stay alive while bringing the crooks to heel in a climactic fight.
Bird on a Wire (1990)
In Bird on a Wire, Mel Gibson plays Rick Jarmin, a former FBI information who blew the whistle on his old boss and then disappeared off the grid. He’s living under a new name, living life, but suddenly, his past comes back to haunt him. Goldie Hawn is Marianne, Rick’s old flame who thought he was dead after a car crash years ago. When she discovers he’s alive, she drags him into a wild chase to escape the FBI and some seriously ticked-off drug dealers.
So there we have it, our 10 movie alternatives to watch when you’re finished watching Road House.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!