by RAF KATIGBAK

From the beginning of time, man has been seeking answers to questions about the meaning and purpose of life. Bubba Ho-Tep is director Don (Phantasm) Coscarelli's attempt to answer the eternal question: what if a geriatric Elvis teamed up with a black JFK to fight an evil soul-sucking mummy?

Based on a short story by cult author Joe R. Lansdale, The film finds Elvis Presley (played by B-movie phenom Bruce Campbell) alive - but not necessarily well - in a dilapidated Texan rest home. Through a series of flashbacks we discover that during the early '70s the King switched places with an impersonator to escape the pressures of stardom. After some misfortune Campbell winds up an embittered old man attempting in vain to convince the few people he comes in contact with that he's the real Elvis. Of course, the only person who believes him is Jack (Ossie Davis), another rest home resident who also believes that he is former American president John F. Kennedy dyed black in a clever conspiracy cover-up. Following a series of gruesome deaths at Mud Creek, Davis convinces Campbell that an ancient Egyptian mummy is loose and using the old-age home as a feeding ground. The stage is then set for a final showdown between these aged American Icons and their ancient Egyptian enemy.

While Spike Lee favourite Davis's deadpan performance as JFK is great, Campbell's portrayal of the ornery old Elvis steals the film. Even when Campbell does bust out a few of the wise-cracking goofy one-liners that he has become known for through his starring role in the Evil Dead films, his portrayal of the decrepit rock icon is surprisingly muted and remorseful, ultimately adding a new depth and humanity to both his and Presley's film legacy. Together Campbell and Davis's straight-faced sincerity and conviction play wonderfully against the storyline's sheer lunacy. Now combine that with a badass mummy that looks like a cross between the Iron Maiden mascot Eddie and Clint Eastwood in a Sergio Leone film and you've got yourself one side-splitting, ass-kicking supernatural buddy flick!

Bubba Ho-Tep opens Friday, Feb. 13 at Cinéma du Parc

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