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THREE KINGS (R)

Reviewed October 2, 1999 - Check out the Three Kings Website.

Studio Synopsis: The Gulf War is over, and three soldiers want to go home rich. Sergeant Major Archie Gates retires in two weeks. Sergeant Troy Barlow is a new father. Chief Elgin is on a four-month paid vacation from Detroit. Saddam Hussein stole a great deal of gold from Kuwait, and these soldiers have no problem with stealing it from him. But on their way to collect their booty, they bear witness to the the disturbing results of the war effort. President Bush has encouraged Iraqi citizens to fight back against Saddam and pledged to support them, but when they rise up, they get NO American support, and they're getting slaughtered. As the soldiers realize the true situation in Iraq, they're confronted with their own humanity, and they're forced to rethink who they are and what they're doing.

Fuzzydog Review: Three Kings is one of those films that seems to want to be everything all at once.  An energetic and fast-paced action picture, it also serves up healthy doses of humor, violence, social concern and political cynicism, all in the dry heat of a post-Gulf War desert setting.  If nothing else, it's definitely a film with originality, and one that takes enough risks to prevent it from being boring.  Still, there's something about Three Kings that somehow feels just slightly amiss, making it very hard to consider it a "great" picture.  Written and directed by David O. Russell, this is a film that too often feels overly cartoonish (particularly in its earlier half), making the more serious socio-political lessons at the end of the movie seem heavy-handed and forced.  Is Three Kings entertaining?  Yes.  Is it thought-provoking, enlightening or profound?  Not really...or perhaps more accurately, not as thought-provoking or profound as its creators obviously want it to be.  Mind you, this doesn't make Three Kings a bad film...far from it.  However, it does give you the feeling that this film does not quite achieve everything it hopes to, leaving us with a piece of work that is, when all is said and done, pretty good but not great.

Responses from cyberspace--thanks for writing!

darth_davo@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "I definately agree with Fuzzydog on this one. but I have to give Three Kings a better rating because it was in my viewpoint, an outstanding story that has depth and an array of great characters (not to mention performances). Yes, Three Kings is not a perfect film. As Fuzzydog said, it seems to lack something. After viewing I didn't really know what to think. But I still know that it did not really hit a spot in the audience that maybe it should have. Nevertheless, it is an outstanding picture. The vivid cinematography will most likely get an Oscar nomination, because some of the shots were just fantastic. The cutty camera mixed with a slow motion feel in certain ponts was really different. In their first visit to Kawait (excuse the spelling) when they start shooting the troops it is brilliantly shot with great sound effects - the "fizz" of the bullets are just as real as Saving Private Ryan. Then showing the inside of the body when hit by the bullet is not all that 'gross', but it is different, and rather good at that. The camerawork here works best as it zooms in and out of certain situations. It really creates the essential mood to what the movie is trying to achieve in a way. It is very energetic, and the driving force behind it is not only a change to this kind of genre, but the characters themselves. Clooney, Wahlberg and Ice Cube were all good in their roles, as was many of the supporting characters especially Spike Jonze. And, surprisingly, this film is extremely funny. It has the wit of a political satire but also has a delightful tone added by the characters who are naturally funny. I have read many reviews that have said that it is very slow - that it never achives anything. On the contrary. Three Kings delivers a crash hot look at a war that hasn't been told much, that delivers war, action, drama and comedy all into one. There is some supurb music used, and has some classic moments that are memorable. Three Kings is not a masterpiece, but it comes close. It is a very different and often refreshing look at war, and has a heart-warming story filled with everything you could want for your outing. " (1/14/00)