Bubba Ho-Tep has been chugging along in the hype machine for a long time now. Initially released to the collective spooging of horror fans almost a year ago, this dream collaboration starring Bruce Campbell, scripted and directed by Don Coscarelli (Phantasm), and based off a short story by eclectic east Texan author Joe R. Lansdale, it received high, often times absurd accolades. People squealed that it was Campbell’s finest performance, even demanding that it receive Oscar nomination. Of course, with a movie of such pedigree, an over-the-top reaction from fans is to be expected. However, when one peels away all the layers of fanboy frothing, does the film really live up to its monumental expectations?

After a brief linguistics lesson (you’ll see), we catch up with an elderly Elvis Presley, bemoaning his waning days and nursing a potentially cancerous growth on the end of his penis. When a young woman comes to collect possessions after the death of her father (and Presley’s roommate), we are told his story. Tiring of his life of fame and fortune (yeah, I’d hate that too), he trades places with a talented impersonator with the stipulation that at any point if Elvis wishes to return, he can do so. Unfortunately, the thread of fate slices off that avenue of hope, leaving Elvis (believed to be the impersonator Sebastian Haff) performing shows as a tribute to himself. After a hip-shattering nosedive off of the stage, he is bedridden in the nursing home to live out his days considered to be a senile old man, mourning the loss of his wife Priscilla, his former life, and his erectile function.

All of that changes when a ravenous scarab beetle (amusingly referred to by Elvis as a "big bitch cockroach") turns up to take a big hunka flesh (sorry) out of our hero. Teaming up with another resident claiming to be JFK, right down to a Kennedy memorabilia obsession (played with beautiful sobriety by Ossie Davis), they discover that the recent rash of deaths have been perpetuated by a soul-sucking mummy who scratches hieroglyphic graffiti on the bathroom wall while evacuating the last dregs of ectoplasm from his devoured souls. This is no ordinary mummy either: this is a snakeskin boot and Stetson brim mummy, a grotesque amalgam of rodeo superstar and undead pharaoh. A Bubba Ho-Tep.

Given the near fever pitch of the hype surrounding this movie, it’s almost impossible for me to not turn an extra critical eye towards it. While it’s definitely a great movie, it’s not as flawless as everyone makes it out to be. For one, the two subplots, of the iconic octogenarians taking control of their lives and the redneck mummy never quite gel into a cohesive film. If anything, the mummy aspect of the film could be almost entirely removed without dire consequence. The creature itself is merely a catalyst for the two friends to change their ways, not a true antagonist. While the mummy itself does lend itself to some interesting ideas (including a great sight gag where he speaks in subtitled hieroglyphics), and some fun action shots, it never really seems to mesh with the true story.

That true story is the extra tasty meat of Bubba Ho-Tep: a commentary on the elderly being left behind in our society. Instead of elders being respected for their accomplishments, they are thrown aside as doddering old fools. When the Presley’s roommate’s daughter happens upon her father’s Purple Heart and war photos, she merely throws them away like worthless baubles, not the medal of her father’s heroism for his country. Not subtle, but the point definitely hits home. Even the friendship between Elvis and Kennedy is genuinely sweet, as they put aside their differences to stop Bubba Ho-Tep not for glory, but simply because they need to help their fellow men. Regardless of whether or not they are the real deals or not, they take responsibility. Certainly a more satisfying way to go out than being gunned down in Dallas or dying on the toilet, I'd say.

The performances by our two stars are great, but not Oscar-worthy. While Campbell does portray a wholly convincing Elvis, he is still a blatant caricature. His distressed internal monologue is well done, and he plays the part wonderfully (easily the best acting he has done), but he is still playing a cartoony King. Davis’ JFK impressed me the most, as he simply plays the part without a hint of mania. He acts his part very straight, which made it more convincing. There was no eye-rolling craziness, no forced Massachusetts accent, just a straight laced performance.

Being Don Coscarelli’s first film in four years (his last was Phantasm IV: Oblivion), Bubba Ho-Tep shows that Coscarelli still has the writing and directing chops that make him so enjoyable. He adapts Joe R. Lansdale’s "grandpa whittling on the front porch" storytelling style admirably, from having Elvis speak out those delightfully silly lines that seem so fake, yet so real, to visualizing the Texan landscape down to the last heat-baked dust particle. Couple that with Brian Tyler’s amazing rockabilly score, and you’ve got a movie that looks and sounds wholly unique, and very effective.

MGM’s DVD treatment for Bubba Ho-Tep is simply phenomenal. The picture quality is a little grainy (given the low-budget roots, it’s to be expected), but the colors are gorgeously vivid, and blacks are rock-solid. Sound is exceptionally crisp and clean, with great surround use (especially during the Phantasm-esque scarab beetle attack). Extras are great as well, with Audio commentary by Coscarelli and Campbell, a second commentary by Campbell in full-on Elvis mode (it gets annoying, trust me), a fistful of featurettes, a photo gallery, deleted scenes, a music video, and trailers. Best of all, we’re given the first chapter of the novella Bubba Ho-Tep (which the movie was based on...duh!) read by Lansdale himself. It did two things to me: it made me appreciate Coscarelli’s accurate treatment of the source material, and it made me want a full audio book of Lansdale reading his written works. His Texas twang and spirited reading almost made me wish the entire movie had been narrated by him!

While it is a very good film overall, Bubba Ho-Tep didn’t quite stand up to its towering hype. It’s a solid effort, and a great performance by both Davis and Campbell, but it’s not the infallible film everyone made it out to be. However, it still comes highly recommended.