Bubba Ho-Tep

August 30, 2005

Rated: R Runtime: 95 min Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

As a big fan of both Elvis Presley and B-horror movies, I’d been looking forward to seeing Bubba Ho-Tep for quite some time. Come on… Elvis as an ass-kicking action hero? This movie should be the cinematic equivalent of a slam dunk!

Bubba Ho-Tep Unfortunately, this movie is a big ol’ brick that bounces off the rim. In fact, I nearly fell asleep twice!

The basic premise is that in the mid-1970’s, Elvis Presley (Campbell) trades places with an Elvis impersonator. Elvis would get a normal life, and the impersonator would get all the fame and fortune that comes with being the King of Rock and Roll. Long story short, the real Elvis is unable to “trade back” with the impersonator. And due to a hip injury and his old age, he’s stuck in an East Texas rest home.

One of the other residents at the rest home (Davis) claims to be John F. Kennedy. Unlike the Elvis switcheroo, the explanation as to why JFK is an old black man made no sense whatsoever. But I just suspended disbelief and went with it.

Anyway, strange things have been happening at the rest home. Apparently, an ancient Egyptian mummy was being transported through Texas, but there was an accident, allowing the mummy to escape his cursed tomb. (The cursed tomb kept the mummy powerless.) The mummy set up residence at the rest home, living off the souls of the elderly residents. It’s up to Elvis and JFK to put a stop to this soul-sucking mummy by kicking its ancient ass.

Great set-up, right? Too bad it takes 75 minutes (the movie is 95 minutes including credits) to get to the point of Elvis and JFK gearing up to go mummy hunting. That’s right, 75 minutes of old men talking, and an occasional scene of a mummy sucking an old person’s soul. Very, very boring. And when the big fight scene goes down, it’s pathetic. Sure, I know this is supposed to be a comedy, but it’s not GRUMPY OLD MEN vs. THE MUMMY. This story is about two of the most iconic Americans of the past century, ELVIS PRESLEY and JOHN F. KENNEDY. They should be kicking that mummy’s ass all over East Texas. Sadly, the fight scene ends with a whimper.

Sure there were a few laughs here and there, and overall the script seemed very funny, just poorly executed. I’m sure in the original short story this concept is very entertaining. But on screen, it just didn’t work for me. Ossie Davis is wonderful as JFK. And while Bruce Campbell shows signs of perfection as Elvis, his performance is uneven.

This disc is packed with extras, but I didn’t spend too much time on them. There are a lot of Evil Dead fans who love this movie, so if you’re a big fan of Campbell, it might be worth your while to check it out. (Chances are you already have.) But if you don’t worship at the alter of Ash and you’re seeking an entertaining B-movie, look elsewhere.

Posted by Chris Terranova | Filed Under 2 Stars, Action, Bob Ivy, Bruce Campbell, Comedy, DVD, Ella Joyce, Heidi Marnhout, Horror, Ossie Davis, R