In March of 1991, the United States and Iraq signed a peace treaty ending the Persian Gulf War. According to the new action flick, Three Kings, this cease-fire hardly put an end to all troubles that could possibly occur thereafter. Directed by David O’Russell (Spank the Monkey), Three Kings is a somewhat political commentary on the United States’ neglect of the Iraqi people. O’Russell makes his point with an excellent script, edge-of-the-seat action, and stellar performances.
With edgy humor and graphic visuals, Three Kings is the story of four (four, not three) American soldiers on a quest to find stolen Kuwaiti bullion. George Clooney (Out of Sight) plays Archie Gates, whose finely tuned perception and sharp thinking lead the quartet to the ultimate stash of stolen goods. By his side is a trim-fit Mark Wahlberg (Boogie Nights) as Sergeant Troy Barlow. His calm demeanor and quirky smile are complimentary to his white trash opposite, Conrad Vig (Spike Jonze). Also adding dimension to the foursome is Ice Cube (Friday) as the muscular Chief. All four men play off of each other with complete believability and perfect rhythm. In their own special way, they each contribute to kicking some major Iraqi ass. From exploding Nerf footballs to a major milk truck spill, Three Kings is full of high-energy action and delightfully dark humor. Besides being entertaining, it is also a thought provoking and hauntingly realistic look at life for Iraqi citizens after the U.S. was ejected from the War. Against orders and in danger of being arrested, our four heroes not only try to score the Kuwaiti gold, they also end up helping a band of terrorized commoners, who are next on the Iraqi chopping block, make it safely to the Iraqi border.
Filmed with light, grainy color and unique camera angles, Three Kings takes on the realistic look of a CNN-type documentary. Hard-hitting visuals of bullets entering a stomach and a cow literally being blown to pieces are just a few examples of the graphic realism used. Also adding to this realistic portrayal is the nose-butting reporter, Adrianna Cruz (Nora Dunn). Her strong nasal voice and abrupt personality make her the perfect story-chasing character you just want to slap. Together, these elements make Three Kings look like a believable and fairly factual story.
Guaranteed to be a box office success, Three Kings offers a hardy dose of everything: heart-stopping action, compelling drama, comic relief, and an intriguing story line. Full of controversial undertones, it can also be viewed as a ballsy attempt by O’Russell to slam the United States for its desertion of the Iraqi people. All in all, Three Kings is a brilliant tour de force, one that shouldn’t be missed.
+ Ashley Adams
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.