War movies have a tendency to either glorify violence in the name of a certain cause or to over-emotionalize about a certain cause. Finding a perfect balance between the two is a definite challenge for a filmmaker. With Three Kings, writer/director David O. Russell (along with co-writer John Ridley, who wrote the original story) not only finds that balance, but dances along the precipice with glee.
The story revolves around four Desert Storm soldiers who set off to find a cache of stolen Kuwaiti gold. The soldiers, played by Ice Cube, George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and Spike Jonez (of Beastie Boys video fame), all bring something to the collective group, with each cast member providing the audience with a little something to relate to.
The search for the gold takes them to a small village just outside the U.S. encampment. All seems to be going well until the soldiers witness a family being torn apart by George Bush Sr.’s policy in the Iraqi conflict, which is, “Stop the invasion of Kuwait, but ignore the anti-Saddam population of Iraq.”
The people of Iraq who do not support Saddam Hussein — which is the majority of the population — are hunted down, tortured and killed by Saddam’s Republican Guard with no interference from U.S. troops, even when common sense would dictate such interference is warranted. The soldiers see this brutality up close and personal, providing their first real taste of combat in a war fought mainly on video screens and computer monitors, and it changes them.
Nora Dunn, from Saturday Night Live, plays a reporter who digs up the story of the soldier’s quest for gold. Her performance is definitely worth noting as she provides some grit to her character, as well as a hint of vulnerability. She’s easy to believe as a CNN-style investigative journalist fighting the public’s demand for glamour over substance. Clooney, Ice Cube, Wahlberg and Jonez all perform well in their roles. Wahlberg, especially, provides some gripping and emotional moments.
The action sequences in Three Kings are shot in a dynamic style that combines over-exposed film stock, slow motion and gore to provide a critical sense of urgency to each and every scene. Have you ever wondered what a bullet does to a person’s internal organs? Three Kings will show you in a way you’ll never forget without making you sick.
I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by Three Kings. I was expecting a standard issue, pro-war action film, but what I got was an intelligent action-based comedy/drama with great performances, thought-provoking issues and a generally good time.
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
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