Grade: C
Synopsis: A young boy recruits his idol, B-movie star Bruce Campbell, to help rid his town of a vengeful Chinese demon.
My Name Is Bruce is a movie for Bruce Campbell fans. If you’ve never heard of The Chin, this is not the film for you, as it’s littered with references, in jokes, and parodies that only work if you’re familiar with Campbell’s career.
That said, the film delivers on its premise. Campbell’s parody of himself as an egotistical lughead is fun and holds up through the 86-minute running time, though you’ll likely be left with the nagging feeling that this could have been better.
The first problem is the script by Mark Verheiden is too tame, lacking the sheer maniacal, over-the-top glee that the premise allows. There are glimpses, such as when Campbell shoots several townspeople as he blindly flees the monster, but there’s room for much more. The same criticism applies to Campbell as a director.
Unlike his frequent collaborator Sam Raimi, Campbell doesn’t seem to derive as much fiendish joy in dispatching his cast members. Again, there are moments, such as a choice hand severance early on, that are inspired, but here again, there’s room for much more.
In the end, even though it’s not perfect, My Name Is Bruce is sure to entertain fans of Campbell, even if they’ll no doubt be left wishing Sam Raimi had been behind the camera.
