Bubba Ho-tep (2002)

Elvis & JFK, 13 February 2005

This movie answers the age old question - what would happen if Elvis were still alive and living in an East Texas nursing home that was under attack from a mummy? It's up to Elvis and his friend, a black man who is convinced he is John F. Kennedy, to save the other residents of the rest home.

Bubba Ho-Tep is billed as a "comedy/horror". While it has it's moments of both comedy and horror, I see it as a very touching drama. While the whole concept of the movie may have a certain camp appeal, it is so much more than that. It's the story of a man who realizes that most of his life has been wasted. It's the story of a man who wonders if his life has any meaning. It's the story of a man who is looking for a reason to live again. And, it's the story of how disposable older people in our culture are. Elvis realizes that if he can save the other residents, he can create something positive in his life before he dies. It is these moments in Bubba Ho-Tep that touched me deeply.

This may have been why I didn't rate the movie higher, though. I was expecting something I could laugh and have a good time with. And while the scenes of Elvis in a wheelchair going face-to-face with a mummy certainly meet this criteria, these scenes are few and far between. Instead, we see Elvis laying in the bed for half the movie, reminiscing about his life. And although interesting, it's not what I was expecting, or hoping for for that matter.

Don't watch Bubba Ho-Tep expecting a laugh a minute or a scare around every corner. But if you want to see a nice examination of one man's struggles as he grows old (mixed with a healthy does of camp), it may be the movie for you.

7/10