Bubba Ho-Tep (2003)
Starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis
Written and Directed by Don Coscarelli
92 minutes.
Rated R
Bubba Ho-Tep is one of those rare films that come along. Made for almost nothing, the film’s creators and stars thought it would be direct to video, but they all worked hard to get this into the theaters. Their work has paid off. Bubba Ho-Tep is one of the most fun films I have seen in a long time.
Set in a retirement home in Texas, problems start to arise when some of the clients start dying off in the middle of the night. In come our heroes, Elvis (yes, Elvis) and JFK (played by Ossie Davis, yeah you heard me!). Now it doesn’t really matter that they’re both supposed to be dead, because they both have well thought out stories as to why they’re alive. Well, at least Elvis does. Anyway, the pair discovers that an ancient mummy has somehow found its way into their Texas community and is feeding off the souls of their friends. Needless to say, Elvis and JFK don’t take that laying down, and they jump into action and devise a plan to kill the mummy.
This might have been advertised as a horror film, but from the opening credits you will find yourself laughing. The film is goldmine of clever dialogue and situations that will have you on the floor. There really aren’t any scary parts, so if you go into it looking for that you might be disappointed. But at the same time, what you find will be well worth it.
The great thing about the film is that it’s not really about a mummy that kills old people. It’s not really about Elvis and JFK. It’s more or less about old people, although Elvis does have very deep thoughts that get you thinking (as much as one can during a film like this). The story takes its time to unfold. The pacing is great as we get to really learn about the characters and try to decide if they’re really nuts or not. The fight with Bubba Ho-Tep himself doesn’t take too long, but it doesn’t matter. The film has paid off long before that.
Like I said before, the film is pure fun. Fans of Bruce Campbell will love his performance as the King, as it really makes the film what it is. Overall, I would recommend this film to anyone who is looking for a good time. It’s not deep, it’s not scary, and it’s frankly pretty ridiculous at times, but it’s all in good fun.
Grade: A
Written by David Bohnert
Copyright 2004.