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3000 Miles to Graceland (2001)

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384 comments in total

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30 out of 36 people found the following comment useful :-
Crap but great crap, 8 March 2001

Author: mm-39 from Winnipeg

Like True Romance, and Pulp Fiction this film is movie junk food that I love to eat. Film purest will classify this film as crap, and so it is; but this is crap that the masses want and the movie elite hates. For action films this is great, a few slow parts, and the action scene at the end got a little predictable, with the high kill counts, but rebounds with a great ending. An old western show down, and being a road movie it gives the junk food escapism I love and need. The acting is great, Costner plays such a great jerk in this film, his attitude makes the viewer dislike him, like a bad guys in wrestling. Costner should keep playing bad guys. I believe this is his strong point. Russell plays the hero or the not too bad bad guy. Russell character is the all American type he acts too the tee. Stay at the end of this film for they have a bonus with the credits, an Elvis video and a funny out take from the film. Taker easy, and give yourself a break and watch this film.

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25 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :-
Costner and Russells' Revenge, 13 August 2001

Author: artzau from Sacramento, CA

Scrolling through the 135+ comments, I'm amazed at how outraged so many viewers are at the "excessive violence," "explicit sex," "foul language," etc., etc., etc. C'mon. A film is advertised as Elvises robbing a Las Vegas casino during an Elvis convention. How much more lead in do you want? You expect, action, thrills and ... content? Amazing. Listen. This is one of the funniest, outrageous films I've seen in a long time. Yes. The story's incredible. But, in any film, we have to consider the level at which we're willing to "buy in." I mean, some people were outraged at the farting scenes in Shrek. Now, they're complaining because Russell and Costner-- especially the latter-- are too violent. Well, let's go back a year or so when Russell and Costner both made Wyatt Earp films, playing the title roles. From my view, both vehicles were ghastly but entertaining. So, I submit that what we have here is the COSTNER and RUSSELL Revenge vehicle. Costner is always on the leafy edge, whether he's dancing with wolves, building baseball fields for ghosts or water-skiing as bait for sea monsters. Russell, whose track record in shoot 'em-ups is no less than Stallone or Arnie, is likewise coming off some hound dog roles, such as being an automated soldier, a remake of his Escape from New York (LA? Why'd anyone want to go there in the first place?) and the sci-fi Stargate. Now, we get these two guys in a mindless, black comedy, full of S&V-- the most since the cult film Thursday-- with quirky twists and turns. Mindless violence? Yes. Gratuitious sex? Yes. Entertaining? Yes-- but only if you don't take it too seriously. I loved it.

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19 out of 26 people found the following comment useful :-
flawed but somewhat interesting, 4 August 2001
Author: Roland E. Zwick (magneteach@aol.com) from United States

`3000 Miles to Graceland' isn't quite as dopey as the cover art featuring Kurt Russell and Kevin Kostner clad in Elvis regalia would suggest. Although it breaks little new ground in its already overworked genre, the film does emerge as an efficient crime drama thanks to a gallery of interesting characters, some impressive performances and Demian Lichtenstein's flashy directorial style.

After a shaky first half hour or so, in which the film seems to be struggling to establish its direction and tone, the movie miraculously hits its stride and, thereafter, never really lets up. The story centers around a band of ex-cons, united by their almost obsessive love for the King of rock'n'roll, who decide to knock over a Las Vegas casino dressed as Elvis impersonators. Predictably, the heist serves merely as the pretext for one of them, the obviously psychotic Murphy (Kostner), to cold-bloodedly eliminate his accomplices. The fly in his ointment turns out to be Michael Zane (Russell), the most principled one of the group, who survives the holocaust and spends his time, along with a pretty single mother and her precocious child, trying to keep out of Murphy's way.

In terms of plotting, the film follows a pretty traditional route for this kind of film. However, the characters here seem a bit more fleshed out than they often do in some of those other films, particularly Zane, who seems caught between his criminal inclinations and his innate goodness as a human being. Cybil, the single mother played by Courteney Cox, likewise seems conflicted between genuine love and emotion and the excitement of easy wealth and a life lived on the edge. But it is Kostner as Murphy who sets the real tone for the film. His portrayal of a steely-eyed psychotic killer literally sets the teeth on edge, as he callously mows down scores of policemen and innocent bystanders who happen to get in his way. He makes for a truly soul-cringing villain. Russell, who played the actual legend back in his own younger, more halcyon days, makes a fascinating subtle counterpoint to Murphy's unbridled ruthlessness.

The film is not, however, a total success. For one thing, the violence often seems excessively brutal, graphic and mean spirited for a movie that seems to want to be a lark of sorts (after all, a movie featuring robbers dressed as Elvis impersonators can't be bidding to be taken too seriously). Moreover, the plotting, which far too often relies on unlikely coincidences to keep it rolling, also borders frequently on the incoherent. Finally, the morally ambiguous ending doesn't really sit well with those of us who find a couple of thieves, no matter how charming they may appear to be, unlikely candidates for heroism in the context of a `happy' ending.

All in all, however, `3000 Miles to Graceland' will probably appeal to those who like their crime dramas offbeat, quirky and filled with interesting characters.

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14 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
decent film, you might find something you like in it, 15 September 2001
Author: mattkratz (themattk@hotmail.com) from Richardson, TX

I saw elements of "Out of Sight" and "Honeymoon in Vegas" in this action movie. The film deals with a heist pulled off by thieves posing as Elvis impersonators during a convention, and their following dillemas afterwards. The film becomes fairly predictable and unbelievable in the ensuing chaos, as most of the action takes place in showdowns between Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner's characters, the latter of whom claims to be an illegitimate child of Elvis. I thought it was a pretty good movie, and you might find something you like in it.

** 1/2 out of ****

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25 out of 41 people found the following comment useful :-
Costner is King!, 27 February 2001

Author: Queequegfilms from Kissimmee, Florida

Directed with a slightly overused yet still very affective "artsy" style by relative Hollywood virgin Demian Lichtenstein, GRACELAND starts with a bang. Judging from the television spots and theatrical trailers one would assume the film revolves around the slowly bubbling brewing plan to knock off a Vegas casino dressed as Elvises on International Elvis Night. But that is where you would be wrong. The ten minutes of nonstop action that are a result of the casino robbery (and in a weird dimension almost mirror the bank robbery scene in HEAT)happen in the first ten minutes of the movie; the other 120 minutes, revolve around the aftermath and repercussions of the bloodbath.

Costner, who I swear to God will never do wrong in my eyes, does well for himself departing from the usual character and plays a bad guy. The great thing about this film is that all the characters are bad guys, we just have to decide how bad they are and how much we want to let ourselves care about them. Costner, is the baddest of them all, and eventually it becomes clear that the bad guy we are supposed to care about is the one played by the best "Average Guy" actor of all time---- Kurt Russell (remember BREAKDOWN?)

In any case we have the romance, Courtney Cox and Russell. We have the bloody, cold hearted illegitimate (possibly) son of Elvis, Costner. We have the two cops chasing them, Kevin Pollack and Thomas Haden Church who compliment each other with wonderful chemistry. And we have the slew of supporting actors that plug up any possible holes the film might (but doesn't) have; Howie Long, David Arquette, Bokeem Woodbine (a Black Elvis), Ice-T, Christian Slater. Blah Blah Blah.

This film on the whole becomes the first film in quite some time that I know I will see multiple times in the theater, and one that I am sure I will eventually know all the words to. Making it the fourth of the Costner Movies I can recite word for word (Robin Hood, Tin Cup, Postman)

The relatively young director also made a unique decision in the editing of the film, allowing both of its stars, (Costner and Russell) cut their own version of the film. Costner's version concentrated more on the action, the blood, the guts, the death, the explosion, the "F" word with a strange annunciation of the "G". And Russell's focused on the budding, and slowly blossoming love between Cox and himself. Costner's cut won, but I can't see anywhere that film lacks because of it. overall this is one of the most fully fleshed, well rounded films I have seen in quite a while.

I loved it.

A-

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12 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Rest Of Film Can't Match The Wild Beginning, 25 October 2006

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

This started with such great style, color and pizazz, I thought I had discovered a real "sleeper," a film I didn't expect to be good that was turning out to be very entertaining.

Well, after the big Las Vegas heist and shortly thereafter when we got a full look at the wild characters and even wilder action scenes, the film settled down and the dialog took over. Unfortunately, that was the film's downfall as the dialog is either incredibly stupid and-or annoying in the second half of this movie. Most annoying was this young kid, you know - the smart-ass kind that says things NO kid his age would say in real life. He also had a foul mouth, and I don't like to see that from young kids.

All the characters in here are pretty much low-life people, the worst being the one played by Kevin Costner, who seemed to relish this role. If you like low-class people, you'll like this story. I gave it points for the style and the fast-moving story, but it's too unpleasant overall for me.

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9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Overwrought, entertaining actioner that pleases, 1 February 2006

Author: fertilecelluloid from Mountains of Madness

Costner's best bad guy role since Eastwood's "A Perfect World". He is an Elvis-loving criminal who robs a casino with his buddies and proceeds with plans to annihilate them all before they can collect their share of the loot. Simple set-up, heavy-handed execution. The thing is, though, it works as mindless, forgettable trash. Director Demian Lichtenstein is clearly churning out his Boys Own Gun Movie and he does so with unapologetic enthusiasm and not a single concession to political correctness. Which is refreshing. As usual, Kurt Russell is fine as the guy Costner underestimates and gets a world of trouble from. The climax is predictable, unfortunately, and doesn't leave us with much to chew on, but the overwrought stylings are the thing. The shoot-outs are big and brassy, and there is much collateral damage to be had. The Elvis angle is misleading because it suggests a lighter movie in the "Honeymoon in Vegas" mold; but there is no lightness here, just nihilism and firearm fetishism.

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6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
You know the golden rule: f*ck the gold. He who has a nickel-plated makes the rules., 15 June 2007

Author: lastliberal from Florida

OK, it a piece of trash. It is one of those guilty pleasures of mine. You know, the movie you are not supposed to like, but can't resist every time it comes on.

I mean, look at this cast: Kevin Costner from The BodyGuard, one of my favorites; Kurt Russell from Grindhouse; Christian Slater and Howie Long from Broken Arrow; Kevin Pollak from Hostage; Ice-T as the token rapper; and the best part of all, Courteney Cox, in a role that is so far from Friends that it is a classic.

This film is funny (Jon Lovitz), sweet (David Kaye), and has more action than you could ever ask for in a heist film. It has showgirls, an Elvis convention, and, I don't care if people diss Costner, Russell, and Cox, the film is just fun to watch.

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6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Fun action movie with a lot of style, 11 March 2002

Author: ian-262 from Cape Town, South Africa

After hearing a lot of bad reports on this movie I was pleasantly surprised when I finally saw it. The acting is good, Kevin Costner's bad guy is great, it's well filmed with a lot of excellent cinematography, combined with absolutely perfect use of the soundtrack from minor audio cues right through to the explosions. This is not a sophisticated movie, but in its genre it is excellent.

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10 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Intelligently Conceived Drek, 14 October 2001
Author: tedg (tedg@FilmsFolded.com) from Virginia Beach

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Spoilers herein.

This is drek because the actors are lousy, the director doesn't have a center, and the narrative is unfocused. But you knew that.

But if poorly written, it is pretty intelligently conceived. Think about the problem of the poor writer. Most film genres are going through a period of accelerated evolution. Copying old formulas in the sense of copying the essence of the whole film doesn't work anymore: if a specific film hits, the studios copy it exactly as a `sequel' until it burns out.

Tarrantino was the most self-promoting of a breed of `samplers,' who changed the game of formula. Samplers copy elements of prior films in an overtly self-referential way: the quote is supposed to be obvious. The problem is not a lack of riches to quote, rather a challenge of novel composition.

So the race for intelligent artifice is on. `Moulin Rouge' was a masterful combination of self-reference, satire and straightahead manipulation. Lots and lots of different solutions are appearing, many rather clever. So here we have a first time writer who starts from first principles: what are the basics of artifice to build on?

Elvis himself was a serial impersonator who spawned a whole cult of impersonators. So that's a possibly rich skeleton, especially if the director is someone from the music video world, which is nothing but cinematically-enhanced posturing of celebrities. Add in the familiar device of thieves who are constantly revealing their motives to have been impersonations. Add in Las Vegas, which has cinematically rich gaudy, fake frippery, and some balletic shootouts. Finally add in some Tarrantino insurance: all the characters should be lowlifes.

I think this could have been made to work. Parts of it have elsewhere. The lowlife transit of violence was painted well in `Kalifornia, ` even in `U Turn.' The choreographing of shootouts as an effect of random fate was recently done well in `Way of the Gun.' Elvis. Las Vegas, robber doublecrosses many times.

So while this was a failure, and even though it had poor Kevin, it is an interesting failure. If you are like me and are interested in how societies mature, drift, evolve or get buffeted, you'll be interested in this. Its like watching the news. You expect it to be mostly bad, but you watch anyway.

Side comment: wasn't the abused daughter at the gas station wonderful? The credits confuse on who she is. It is a small part, and she cheated by playing Julianne Moore. But she was great in her three minutes.

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