Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- irreverent
- melancholic
- cult movie night
- halloween party
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film audacious and charming, with Bruce Campbell's Elvis performance and its poignant treatment of aging praised more consistently than its conventional mummy climax.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Elvis and Jack are elderly nursing-home residents whose vulnerabilities become central to their unlikely battle.
The film presents a surviving Elvis, a JFK delusion, and an Egyptian entity as the basis for a sincere heroic adventure.
Elvis's assumed identity and nursing-home existence contrast his legendary cultural status with old age and obscurity.
The long-term care facility becomes the Egyptian entity's hunting ground and the setting for the protagonists' defense.
Films like Bubba Ho-tep, and why
What We Do in the Shadows
Shares absurdist horror comedy, cult sensibility, supernatural menace, and irreverent genre pastiche.
Tremors
Combines deadpan comedy, eccentric characters, supernatural horror, and deliberately offbeat genre conventions.
The Frighteners
Blends grotesque supernatural horror with dark humor, cult appeal, and an affectionate comic tone.
The Bucket List
Features elderly protagonists, macabre comedy, and a warm undercurrent beneath outrageous supernatural peril.
Movie Details
- Director
- Don Coscarelli
- Release Date
- 2002-06-09
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (731)
Cast
- Bruce Campbell
- Ossie Davis
- Ella Joyce
- Heidi Marnhout
- Bob Ivy
- Edith Jefferson
- Larry Pennell
- Reggie Bannister
- Daniel Roebuck
- Daniel Schweiger
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Bubba Ho-tep about?
- An aging Elvis and a delusional JFK join forces in a Texas nursing home to stop a mummy from preying on its residents.
- What is Bubba Ho-tep like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Bubba Ho-tep as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Bubba Ho-tep violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Bubba Ho-tep as moderate.
- What did critics think of Bubba Ho-tep?
- Critics broadly found the film audacious and charming, with Bruce Campbell's Elvis performance and its poignant treatment of aging praised more consistently than its conventional mummy climax.
- Which films are like Bubba Ho-tep?
- Films with a similar feel include What We Do in the Shadows, Tremors, The Frighteners, and The Bucket List.
- How long is Bubba Ho-tep?
- Bubba Ho-tep runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Bubba Ho-tep?
- In United States, Bubba Ho-tep is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.
