Summary

• Four Patrick Swayze movies have been remade
• Some, such as Point Break (2015), take a misguided approach to beloved classics.
• Others, such as Road House (2024), arguably improve upon the original

Although Patrick Swayze starred in some of the 80s and 90s most iconic action, drama, and romance movies, remakes of the actor's many hits haven't always lived up to expectations. In a career that spanned four decades, Swayze featured in more than 30 films, as well as many more television shows and specials. Given this record, it's understandable that some of his more iconic projects have been revisited over the years – irrespective of the success the reboots have enjoyed. However, while many of Swayze's movies explore themes that warrant further exploration, some remakes have been better than others.

Following the release of Channing Tatum-led Ghost remake supposedly in the works alongside a reimagining of the 1986 sports movie Youngblood. Thus far, each Patrick Swayze movie remake has had clear ties to the original. However, despite this shared connection, some have undoubtedly been more successful.

4 Point Break (2015)

Remake of Point Break (1991)

Considering its budget and cult source material, Point Break must rank as one of the most misguided action remakes of the 2010s – irrespective of Patrick Swayze's role in the original. The 2015 movie, which stars Édgar Ramirez as Swayze's replacement, was made for a budget of $105 million and follows a gang of ecoterrorists as they jet set across the globe, determined to complete a series of stunts. The group is infiltrated by FBI agent Johnny Utah, who soon becomes disillusioned about his purpose and seduced by the charismatic, daredevil behavior of the gang.

...the Point Break remake exists as a series of disted action set pieces, with no meaningful story to connect them

Although the remake's globetrotting story is a departure from the original film, the basic beats are not dissimilar. As in the Reeves/Swayze version, Utah feels conflicted about his role in bringing Bodhi to justice, providing the central drama of the story. Unfortunately, while the Katherine Bigelow original played up the chemistry between Reeves and Swayze, turning their relationship into something more than macho respect, the Point Break remake exists as a series of disted action set pieces, with no meaningful story to connect them. While some scenes are impressive, the characters and narrative are a shadow of the original.

3 Red Dawn (2012)

Remake of Red Dawn (1984)

Much as Point Break completely missed the subtle undercurrents of the original, the 2012 Red Dawn remake utterly misunderstood the cultural commentary that made the original an interesting, if misguided 80s action flick. Starring Chris Hemsworth as the head of a guerrilla gang of American insurgents trying to stave off a North Korean invasion, Red Dawn 2012 is as subtle as its provocative premise suggests. Unfortunately, while the original had the helpful backdrop of the Cold War to make its somewhat convoluted cultural argument, the remake lacked any sense of relevancy or credibility.

Issues that affected the film included changing the antagonists during post-production so as not to offend the Chinese market, sub-par special effects, and a questionable script that failed to adequately make sense of the movie's alternate universe. However, despite Red Dawn's difficulties, the film was not a total disaster. Audiences generally enjoyed it more than critics – typified by the film's comparatively impressive 50% Rotten Tomatoes score – and the action sequences ensure that the movie remains watchable, if never completely coherent.

2 Dirty Dancing (2017)

Remake of Dirty Dancing (1987)

In some ways, the Dirty Dancing remake represents the right approach to updating a classic movie. Instead of offering a straightforward retread in slightly different packaging, or failing to update a once-topical idea for a modern audience, the film has a radical yet completely understandable approach to the source material – turning the original Dirty Dancing movie into a musical. In different circumstances, this spin might have paid dividends. However, despite the movie's best efforts, Dirty Dancing 2017 still comes up short.

The 2017 Dirty Dancing was made directly for TV and did not receive a theatrical release.

Starring Abigail Breslin and Colt Prattes as stand-ins for the iconic combination of Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, the film's musical sensibilities should be perfectly suited to the inherently over-the-top story. Unfortunately, subpar songs and script-writing leave the film feeling melodramatic and hollow, while Breslin and Prattes lack the notoriously combustible chemistry that helped the original succeed. However, Dirty Dancing does have some redeeming features that elevate it above other Patrick Swayze movie remakes. Nicole Sherzinger gives an electric performance, and some of the songs do enhance the on-screen action.

1 Road House (2024)

Remake of Road House (1989)

Although Doug Liman's Road House takes one of Patrick Swayze's more divisive movies as its source material, the movie undoubtedly ranks as the most successful of the star's remakes. Not only did the film sur the original's reputation with critics, but it also succeeded in crafting a largely original story that stayed true to the spirit of the 1989 cult classic. As a result of this combination, Road House 2024 must be considered a somewhat surprising success.

Whereas other Swayze stand-ins, such as Édgar Ramirez and Colt Prattes, have failed to capture the actor's signature swagger, Jake Gyllenhaal does a pretty reasonable job of updating Dalton for a 21st-century audience. Road House 2024 also dispenses with many of the original's less-successful features, such as the inexplicable fame of bouncers, or dialogue that feels like it belongs in a Tommy Wiseau film. Although the movie still features some deliberately bombastic elements, especially thanks to Conor McGregor's maniacal villain, the story feels more cohesive than the 1989 version.

Given the original Road House's status as a cult action flick, remaking the movie was always going to be a risk. The lack of success enjoyed by previous Patrick Swayze movie remakes further highlights that the film had every chance of failure. The fact that Road House 2024 has been such a success – certainly relative to what came before – both proves good Patrick Swayze remakes are possible, and augurs well for future projects.