Customer Reviews

Three Kings

5 star:		(173)
4 star:		(86)
3 star:		(35)
2 star:		(28)
1 star:		(38)

 

 

Well, actually I do need to say more. The fact of the matter is this is one of the greatest movies ever made. To begin with there is an amazing cast. Stars include George Clooney, Ice Cube, Mark Whalberg, Spike Jonze, Mykelti Williamson, Nora Dunn, Jamie Kennedy, and most notably is Cliff Curtis. Cliff Curtis is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood today. The man is a chameleon. With looks that enable him to play roles for Latinos, Caucasian, or in this case Middle Eastern. The man is magnificent. The single most remarkable thing about this movie is that it was made at he peak on Clinton's administration with no way to imagine how history would repeat itself once Dubya took power.

If one were to watch this movie and only take away from it the political ideas it communicates they will see the immense value in this film. There are many items in this movie that were suppressed from the American public and the media at the time of the first Gulf War that this movie sheds light on making our actions over their reprehensible.

Perhaps what makes this movie so enjoyable is the combination of several different aspects of genres. That is, this movie features a great story, action, relevant political content, and some really cool movie special effects (e.g. "bullet cam" or following the electricity up the wire in the torture scenes).

Truly a remarkable movie.

At the first instance, what are striking about this movie, is its cinematography, its camera-work, and the computer graphics used, to create certain scenes. Considering these elements, the movie almost certainly 'appears' superficially like a Chemical Brothers video. From the beginning to the end, the movie is chaotic. Now, the movie is most certainly a two-hour Chemical Brothers video. As a matter of fact the movie is full of contemporary music-artists: Ice Cube, Marky Mark, and a prominent music-video director, Spike Jonze. Moreover, Spike has infact directed a couple of Chemical Brothers videos. So, there is a definite connection between Chemical Brothers and Three Kings.

Actually, the slick and sleek look of the movie makes it very interesting to watch and to be studied. But, there is a lot more to this flick, than merely its skin-deep look. There is much beyond to this flick than its masterfully created outward façade. Three kings is a brilliant satire. Mainly during its first half, the movie shows American soldiers act like Hollywood heroes, frivolously doing things as they please, at the expense of the hapless people, who they actually are supposed to protect. In point of fact, this very first half is funny as well as grossly heartless. One can either laugh one's heart out during the first half, or at the same time one can feel really sick in the gut, for some of the really gruesome scenes, treated humorously and with aberrant detachment. But, herein lies the sarcasm of the flick.

The second half of the movie is more hearted and thought-provoking than its first half. If 'satire' is the word for the first half, then 'irony' is the word for the second half. In the second half, the four protagonists set out to selfishly search for gold, actually end up doing just the opposite of what they intended to do, leading to the very warm-hearted end.

This movie is definitely not the quintessential war movie. It stresses on frivolity of the human nature, with war just as a backdrop. A humorous, satirical, thought-provoking movie like Three Kings, shot brilliantly using fresh, new cinematographic techniques is very much a movie worth watching, more than once.

I came upon this quite by accident and found it smart and witty. Well shot, acted and edited, this film is not your run-of-the-mill Hollywood blockbuster. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys cinema as an art and means of creative self-expression as opposed to assembly-line entertainment.

"Three Kings" starred the ultra-liberal George Clooney in a convoluted story of U.S. soldiers trying to get rich in war torn 1991 Iraq, possibly re-creating the theme of Clint Eastwood's 1970 film "Kelly's Heroes". "Kings" is not a highly political story, but leaves little doubt that it views the first President Bush's war in Iraq, particularly the Kurdish uprising that he encouraged and did not back, as a cynical American lie.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

fortunately, i don't need a movie to tell me people are human. They are different kinds of people and not everyone is the same.
I was shocked at some of the reviews when people all of a sudden assumed "all" soldiers were greedy when this is a fictitous plot after all. As for some of the other actors, really well played.
I hate to portray a film as anti-this or pro-that unless the director wanted it so.

George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube and director Spike Jonze (who gives a chance at acting here) star in this twisted, offbeat war movie where four american soldiers try to survive in Iraqi while searching for some gold hidden by Saddanm`s army.
The plot mixes a bit of everything, going from drama, dark comedy, action and satire, and while it isn`t always sucessful it still works for the most part (the ending, however, could be much more surprising). It`s certainly unconventional and dares to try something different, which is something rare nowadays, especially in the tired war movie genre.
Director David O. Russel offers an experimental, dazzling cinematography, creating some unique and weird visual scenes. Although the mix between a serious and an absurd tone doesn`t work as well as it could, "Three Kings" is nonetheless an interesting picture worth watching, making for an entertaining and innovative trip.

"Three Kings" tries hard to be artistic. In fact...it tries too hard.

Its basically a modern day take on "Kelly's Heroes." The latter is one of my personally favorite war-film...so I am offended that people would compare this movie to that! "Kelly's Heroes" knew what it wanted to be and didn't try to break that: it was a comedy/caper film set in World War II about a tired squad moving out to find German gold and then go lead the good life. "Three Kings" tries to be a lot of things: political statement, anti-war film, dramatic character study...but the style is far too corny and overdramatic for it to really have any affect on me. In fact, I found myself bored, offended, or downright disgusted by this film at many times.

I will stick with my "Kelly's Heroes," thank you very much, when I want to be entertained or "touched" in any way.

Three Kings, writer-director David O. Russell's darkly humorous and offbeat heist movie, does to Operation Desert Storm what Kelly's Heroes did to World War II.

Starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze, this 1999 film tells the story of four GIs who, at the end of the first Gulf War in 1991, cross the Kuwaiti border into Iraq in search of a stash of gold stolen from Kuwait City by the retreating Iraqi Army. On their way to Karbala, where the gold is stored in a hidden bunker, the motley group of Americans stumbles upon the Shi'ite revolt against Saddam...and what began as a treasure hunt becomes a rather sobering experience as the GIs watch Saddam's forces crush the short lived revolt.

Russell's film mixes dark humor, witty dialog, and social commentary with some extreme photographic tricks, making Three Kings one of the weirdest -- yet effective -- films to come out of Hollywood in recent years. The performances from the leads and such supporting actors as Nora Dunn (who plays a veteran cable news reporter), Jamie Kennedy and Mykelti Williamson are top-notch, and Russell keeps things going at a rapid pace.

Alex Diaz-Granados

This's one of my favourite war films all the time. The story's well told, and the actors George Clooney, Mark Wahiberg, Ice Cube and Spike Jonze were just shining. Said Taghmaoui, the french actor who played the Iraqi soldier who tortures Wahlberg, are also did a impressive job. The visual is breathtaking with so many "quirky" little techniques in it.
I would recommend this to all those who's seeking a impressive funny but meaningful and kind of touch film.

awesome looking movie with very great characters and villians. theres a lot of comedy, action and great moments in this piece. Ice Cube is really good in one of the leads. Clooney has never been better. Wahlberg's character you gotta care for in this one. he gets tortured and shot at. poor guy. Spike Jonze is really cool in this one as well. as you might now Jonze directing Adaptation and Being John Malkovich. all in all its one of those movies you cant miss