2001, 1 hr 50 min., Rated R for strong violence, sexuality and language.�Dir: Demian Lichtenstein. Cast: Kevin Costner (Murphy), Kurt Russell (Michael), Christian Slater (Hanson), Courteney Cox Arquette (Cybil), David Kaye (Jesse), Howie Long (Jack), Jon Lovitz (Peterson), David Arquette (Gus), Ice-T, Thomas Haden Church (Marshall Quigley), Kevin Pollak (Marshall Damitry).

Is a movie formulaic if it incorporates a dozen different formulas into one?

I�m not saying that 3000 Miles to Graceland isn�t groundbreaking (okay, I am), but the only thing missing was a monkey. But since I hate movies with monkeys the film is at least a little entertaining, and perhaps worth a matinee if you�ve been missing the popcorn flicks of the summer. Sex, guns and Elvis is a powerful selling point.

The cast is lively and familiar, all in typecast roles that doesn�t require the audience to use more than .1% of their brains to actually think about the plot or holes wide enough to wedge a fat Elvis. Basically a bunch of ex-cons get Vegas all shook up and then try to screw each other out of their �earnings.� It�s not as if they�re very secret about it, either, as Grissom of �C.S.I.� would have had the evidence to link these guys to the crime in about two seconds flat. But wait, I said it doesn�t matter, because brainpower should be checked at the door.

I was a little disappointed that the movie goes in and out of Vegas in the first half-hour, so precious time spent on having fun with Elvis impersonators and Vegas culture goes by quickly. Too bad, because the rest of the movie could have used that spirit.

The shoot-em-up caper is more fun and worthwhile than last February�s offering, Reindeer Games, and the characters keep it interesting. I just wouldn�t count on remembering anything about the movie, or that you�ve actually seen it, by the end of the year.