Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 28 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 39 Ratings

  • Starring: Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis
  • Summary: Based on the Bram Stoker Award nominated short story by acclaimed author Joe R. Lansdale, Bubba Ho-tep tells the "true" story of what really did become of Elvis. (Silver Sphere Corporation)
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 28
  2. Negative: 2 out of 28
  1. Reviewed by: Pete Vonder Haar
    100
    I loved this film; from the opening “Ben-Hur” nod to the hieroglyph subtitles, it's simultaneously hilarious and poignant, with great performances.
  2. Reviewed by: David Hunter
    80
    A zinger-filled crowd-pleaser that open-minded Elvis fans (but by no means all) will have fun with.
  3. 60
    Based on a short story by Joe R. Lansdale, this low-key oddity stresses character over broad laughs and shock effects, allowing Campbell and Davis to develop a quirky rapport that's a real pleasure to watch.
  4. The film stars Bruce Campbell of the "Evil Dead" series as Elvis in a touching, funny and at times grotesque performance that is actually the best thing about the movie.

See all 28 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 27
  3. Negative: 3 out of 27
  1. This is one of my all time favorite films. From the subtle horror to the warm and genuine relationship that the two main characters develop this movie has more heart in it then just about anything you see today. Many think it's a horror film about about a mummy but the real horror is just what we as a society do to our older generations. Fantastic film. Expand
  2. BillS.
    10
    Outrageous plot. Crazy characters. Delicious dialogue. How could you not love this movie? Although it is not very scary (for a horror film, that is), it sure is entertaining. Don't rent it, buy it. You won't be sorry. Expand
  3. Considering the title, you'd expect the film to truly bloody awful. In fact, it's weird, wonderful, funny and surprisingly tender. Bubba Ho-tep is the best, and only film about an elderly Elvis Presley (Bruce Campbell) defending his retirement home from an Egyptian mummy wearing a stetson, with a little help from a black JFK (Ossie Davis). The first half of the film is well-paced, funny and rather deep and emotionally compelling for a film with such a seemingly lowbrow premise. Campbell is absolutely captivating as The King, who swapped lives with an impersonator (who was the one who eventually died on the toilet) to escape the increasingly suffocating attention of his fans. He lives out his twilight years in obscurity, regret and extreme depression in an isolated nursing home in Texas, until something odd begins to happen. The film explores mortality and memory in an unexpectedly intelligent and sensitive way (it's ultimately left to the viewer to decide whether Campbell's character is really Elvis or just some old codger with mental health problems), but at the same time it's not above the odd crude joke and some brilliantly trashy comic horror set pieces. The final few minutes of the film are admittedly a bit of a drag, and are appear to have been put together rather hastily, but you'll hardly care when you've had such a good time throughout. Bubba Ho-tep is a superb, surprisingly clever and heartfelt A-quality B-Movie, with Bruce Campbell's best performance outside his Sam Raimi collaborations. Expand
  4. LennyS.
    3
    Bleegh. Cute idea goes off the rails, bores you stiff.

See all 27 User Reviews

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