DVD Movie Rating for: 3000 Miles to Graceland

3 out of 5

Movie Plot of: 3000 Miles to Graceland

It was an ingenious enough plan: rob the Riviera Casino's count room during an Elvis impersonator convention. But Thomas Murphy decided to keep all the money for himself and shot all his partners, including recently-freed ex-con Michael Zane. With $3.2 million at stake, the Marshals Service closing in, and single mom Cybil Waingrow and her son Jesse constantly confounding things, Michael must track down Murphy.

DVD Production Details of: 3000 Miles to Graceland

Starring: Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner

Director: Demian Lichtenstein

Format: Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby

Studio: Warner Studios

DVD Release Date: August 7, 2001
DVD Features:
Theatrical trailer(s)

Widescreen anamorphic format

DVD Easter Eggs

Kurt Russell Singing plus Outtakes
You can either watch the entire movie or skip it to credits. After a while you'll see Mike (Kurt Russell) in his Elvis jumpsuit and the actor will start singing Such A Night. Then, after that, you'll see an outtake with Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell.

Cast of the movie: 3000 Miles to Graceland

• Kurt Russell .... Michael Zane
• Kevin Costner .... Thomas J. Murphy/Jonathan Liebling
• Courteney Cox .... Cybil Waingrow
• Christian Slater .... Hanson
• Kevin Pollak .... U.S. Marshal Damitry
• David Arquette .... Gus
• Jon Lovitz .... Jay Peterson (owner, Peterson Antique Refurbishing/money launderer)
• Howie Long .... Jack (gang pilot)
• Thomas Haden Church .... U.S. Marshal Quigley
• Bokeem Woodbine .... Franklin
• Ice-T .... Hamilton (gunman hired by Jack)
• David Kaye .... Jesse Waingrow
• Louis Lombardi .... Otto Sinclair (lawyer in Boise)
• Shawn Michael Howard .... Roller Elvis
• Mike Kopsa .... Jefferson (as Michael Kopsa)

Photo Gallery of the movie: Movie_Name_

Click on one of the thumbnails to see the full size, high resolution photographs

Reviews of the movie: 3000 Miles to Graceland

Opening with metallic computer-generated scorpions battling in a scorching desert wasteland, 3000 Miles to Graceland announces itself as one helluva nasty movie. A comedic wallow in antiheroic violence, the movie vomits off the screen, as if director Demian Lichtenstein--obviously a veteran of music videos--had mainlined amphetamines before stepping behind his oh-so-busy camera. In a futile attempt to out-Woo John Woo, Lichtenstein goes to extremes to achieve a kind of absurd in-your-face exhilaration, and for additional thrills, the movie gives second-billing to Kevin Costner in the most vile role of his career. As leather-clad Elvis impersonator and Presley bastard child Thomas Murphy, Costner's like a black-sheep brother to Raising Arizona's biker from hell.

With four accomplices including a fellow Elvis worshipper named Michael (Kurt Russell), Murphy storms a Vegas casino for a $3.2 million robbery that turns into a haywire bloodbath. Partners are eliminated, double-crosses abound, and Michael connects with a trashy sexpot (Courteney Cox Arquette) whose preteen son (David Kaye) is a precocious criminal in training. Murphy's on their trail, FBI agents are on Murphy's, and gradually things get really nasty. We're supposed to laugh at the blackness of it all, and sometimes the ballsy humor scores a bull's-eye. The road-movie action accommodates several twists of plot, and while Russell's enjoying a semireprise of his performance in John Carpenter's Elvis, there's something perversely thrilling about Costner's deadpan ruthlessness. But really, how amoral can one movie be without wearing out its welcome? Frenetically depraved, 3000 Miles to Graceland is like exotic roadkill: morbidly fascinating until you get a whiff of its stench.

Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell, Christian Slater and Courtney Cox are far from their destination as they try to reach Graceland. Films such as "3000 Miles To Graceland" make me question the screenwriters ability to come up with an entertaining script. Two hours of non-stop gratuitous action and four high profile actors cannot make up for the lacking elements of "3000 Miles To Graceland." This film fails to reach the potential it had with the original concept.

There is nothing new about "3000 Miles To Graceland" because a similar plot was created to entertain audiences a year earlier called "Reindeer Games." Since I enjoyed "Reindeer Games," I thought I would enjoy this film; however, I was sorely disappointed to learn that this movie was nothing more than four men with a desire to play dress up in Elvis costumes. If I wanted to see Elvis impersonators, I would travel to Memphis during the time of year the Elvisa convention is held.

The biggest problem I found with "3000 Miles To Graceland" was understanding the reason why this film was made. Four men parading around in Elvis costumes is so uninteresting I felt like walking out of the theater and asking for my money back; something I rarely find myself doing. Another problem I had was the lack of focus and commitment showed by the actors. With each passing scene, it became painfully obvious that the actors were more interested in the concept of prancing around in costumes playing cowboys and indians.

Though there was a plot somewhere scattered among this mess; however, I failed to see the connection and relevance of most of the scenes. The scenes seemed to be slapped together and forced for the purpose of making another Elvis film. If I earned a nickel each time I pointed out an irrelevant scene, the bank would go broke and I would be a rich man.

Costner has been one of my favorite actors since I was a kid. "Field Of Dreams marked the first time I saw this tremendous talent at work and I knew he had the ability to draw the audience into the film. Since this release of this film, Costner's career has been a roller coaster. With box office failures such as "Waterworld" and successes such as "Dances With Wolves," he has proven he is only human. So, when the outcome of this film was revealed it came as no shock because Costner was as flat as a one dollar bill. Most of his films have been character-driven, thought-provoking or a movie that brought out emotions. "3000 Miles To Graceland" is Costner's first film that truly disappointed me. As much as it pains me, I can't recommend this film to my friends because. "3000 Miles To Graceland" is a flat, one-dimensional and disorganized film that contains more negatives than positives. I can't believe so many fine actors signed on to participate in this atrocious film.

On the other hand, Russell stars in his worst movie since "Soldier." His character and performance is flat as cardboard and extremely one-dimensional. It hurts to see an actor who has had a successful movie career make a huge mistake choosing to make this movie. I could only wish and hope he can rebound from this movie and get on track once again.

"3000 Miles To Graceland" is far from its destination and drives itself into the ground as it strives to entertain viewers. Even with the firepower of Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell, "3000 Miles To Graceland" could not overcome its over-glorification of Elvis Presley. Two Thumbs way down. "3000 Miles To Graceland" has joined movies such as "All The Pretty Horses," "American Beauty" and "Battlefield Earth" to share the honor being called the worst of the worst.