Analysis:
I was part of a test screening of 3000 Miles to Graceland in September in Hollywood after having met Kevin Costner on the set. A lot of hard work went into this filmI saw it going on.
Right after the screening, after everyone had filled out their forms, the starsincluding Costner, Kevin Pollack, Courteney Cox and Christian Slater had been ushered quietly out the backthe rumors began about their being two versions of the film. The one I had just seen was the one the director, Demian Lichtenstein, and Costner liked and another Warner Bros. had allowed Russell to put together. The director and Costner's version, I was told, was more violent and bloodyRussell's more touching and sweet.
I'm not sure how Russell's film would have turned out had it made it to the big screen instead of Costner and Lichtenstein's. But elements of romance are key to the plotjust as vital as the ammo expended.
During my screening I was very aware of the music and its role in the film. Lichtenstein, after all, was debuting in film after a very successful career in music video. When the scene calls for it, the music responds in a way that draws you in, gets your heart pumping. Nitro is the word that comes to mind.
There's a lot of speed, cut-throat treachery and villainy in this film. Costner, who may have left more than a few people with a bad taste in their mouths with Postman, is an consummate evil man who believes himself to be Elvis' illegitimate son. He lords over his gang in a way that belies a deep sense of personal need for control. His character is an ex-con, cast out of heaven 'Graceland' by a father (or his father's estate) which didn't recognize him. And he's ready to take it out on anyone in his path.
Russell, his acquaintance and business partner from prison, is not much better of a man but stops short of homicide to gain his goals. It's a part that no doubt appealed to the actor's Libertarian political philosophy. Michael is the living embodiment of self-interest but seeks his success without stepping on the heads of others. After all, it's just a casino that gets robbed.
In the style of Pulp Fiction and its ugly stepsister 2 Days in the Valley, there's cameo shots galore including Jon Lovitz, Kevin Pollack and Wings's Thomas Haden Church as well as Paul Anka as a Rat Pack-style casino floor boss.
Speaking of the Rat Pack, the Elvis-Sinatra debate is the hip subtext for the dialogue. Every movie since Reservoir Dogs has to have some sort of pop culture disagreement going on to make the audience connect more solidly with the characters. The comparisons of Elvises robbing Las Vegas to Oceans Eleven are overt and intentional but don't overpower the plot.
Two acting performances surprised me with the reverse effect of what I expected. Courteney Cox, who went all Calista Flockhart with her figure recently, was a real turn-on in this film and her character was believable throughout even during one scene where she breaks down uncontrollably. However, Christian Slater, the best actor to inherit the mantle of Jack Nicholson's raised eyebrow bad-boyness, fell flat. He could have been played by a cardboard cut out or by David Duchovny for that matter.
If you like cars, action, plot twists, romance and bullets slip on your cape and shades and roll on into the theater for this one.
Rating: three Fandom rings out of five
3000 Miles to Graceland review
Cast:
Kevin Costner .... Murphy
Kurt Russell .... Michael
Christian Slater .... Hanson
Courteney Cox .... Cybil
Howie Long .... Jack
Jon Lovitz .... Peterson
David Arquette .... Gus
Ice-T
Bokeem Woodbine .... Franklin
Shawn Michael Howard .... Roller Elvis
Raoul Ganeev .... Taxi Driver
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