MovieChat Forums > Road House (1989) Discussion > The final fight with Brad Wesley

The final fight with Brad Wesley

posted a year ago by Mister Babadook (2624)
9 replies | jump to latest

Anyone else think thats one of the lamest final fights with a main bad guy in a movie ever?

We got Dalton this notorious bad ass, whos killed all these young strong henchmen single handedly, he's an expert fighter. Then this old man that has zero fighting ability squares off with him in the final fight of the movie, throws some goofy giant spears at him, swings a stick at him, even gets the upper hand on him for a moment which was ridiculous, pokes a spear at him a few times.

And this whole time Dalton should've been able to dispose of him easily, yet he's having almost a tough time dealing with him. I get he was shot in the shoulder but god damn he could kill Brad with one arm, and i just didn't buy Dalton struggling with him. Dalton kicks his leg, punches him a few times and thinks about tearing his throat out, then the towns people show up and shoot him, just a lame final fight for all the shit Dalton dealt with the whole movie because of him.

And the movie almost tries to make you think Brad is some kind of a fighter and knows how to handle himself, saying lines like "I thought it'd be fun to fight you Dalton" and Brad bullying his henchmen saying "You're a bleeder and have no endurance for pain" and karate chopping him, like who the fuck are you trying to kid? this slow old man aint no fucking fighter and is no match in any way for Dalton.

I feel like they should've cast someone that would pose more of a challenge for Dalton physically for the lead bad guy role instead of a slow old man.

[–] kwestmo (4166) a year ago

I agree. However, this is a trope in Westerns, which Road House is.

[–] Kingswood (1239) a year ago

If they only could’ve gotten David Carradine to take the role of Brad.

It would have damn near been the perfect movie.

[–] Mister Babadook (2624) a year ago

God yes that would've been amazing.

[–] rex (2842) a year ago

[deleted]

[–] Mister Babadook (2624) a year ago

Eh i dunno i don't see Ben Gazzara being able to do much more than he did even with a healthy Swayze. Thats why we needed another actor that would've made for a better final fight for Dalton, someone just as tough as him and just as skilled.

Like another poster said David Carradine would've been perfect for the role, he at the time was also an older guy, looked similar to Ben Gazzara but could be more of a physical challenge for Dalton than Ben Gazzara.

And i know the old trope of a main bad guy whos weak but uses his money and power to protect himself and make things tough for our lead guy, but this movie also tried to present Brad Wesley as someone who could fight and present a challenge to Dalton, but it didn't match up with the actor.

[–] TheArgentinian (6513) a year ago

He was powerful in the money sense. He wasn't buildup to be a big boss.

[–] Mister Babadook (2624) a year ago

And again like i said above i get that old trope, but Yeah he was kind of built up as a big boss, he talks down to his henchmen who failed him and beat him up saying "You're a bleeder, you got no endurance for pain" and punches him out cold, as if to say he had all those things. Has lines to Dalton saying he thought it would be fun to fight him, as if he's some skilled fighter and salivated at the thought of going 1 on 1 with Dalton to test his skills.

Dalton struggles with him in the final fight, struggles more with him than he did with all his henchmen. if Brad was truly the weak lead bad guy whos only powerful in the money sense Dalton should've annihilated him in that fight. To me it just felt like they couldn't make up their mind with his character, a part of him felt like the weak guy who uses money and power as his way of ruling, but they was also trying to present him as some kind of threat physically as well, and it just didn't match up for me with the actor.

[–] TheArgentinian (6513) a year ago

I'm familiar with Ben Gazzara's work so I never expected one last big fight. He's not that kind of physical actor.

[–] PittPanthers47 (237) a year ago

I get it it that Brad Wesley was an older man, but let's not forget his backstory. He fought in the Korean War (which was a much more bloody affair than most would know) and that he came up on the streets of Chicago. Wesley was likely a tough killer in his day both in the war and in the Chicago mob. He certainly worked over O'Connor rather easily. Though O'Connor would not have dared to fight back against him for fear of what he would get.

But Wesley was likely not someone to take very lightly. If not an outright pyschopath then certainly someone who was more than willing and capable of killing all his life.