LOS ANGELES, Posted 2:17 p.m. September 30, 1999 -- "Three Kings" could have been a simple story about a group of disenchanted Gulf War soldiers out to steal some gold from Saddam for their personal use. But very little about this darkly comic action flick is simplistic -- from its characterizations to the film's direction.
As our band of merry men venture forth to collect their bounty, they encounter a small band of Iraqis being bullied by Saddam's men. The Western servicemen are then faced with the moral dilemma of simply getting what they came for, adhering to the cease fire and leaving, or using their influence as U.S. troops to help the villagers escape.
The choice isn't as simple as it may seem, nor are the consequences so cut-and-dry.
George Clooney stars as the wise but cynical "king" Archie Gates. A Special Forces major on the verge of retiring from the Army, Archie sees taking the gold as his ticket to the upper management of life.
Essentially, Clooney is playing the same maverick character that made him famous on "ER" -- a sort of Dr. Ross meets G.I. Joe.
"King" Troy Barlow (rapper-turned-actor Mark Wahlberg) is the sensitive soldier who looks forward to trading in the war-torn desert for the promise of suburbia with his wife and baby.
Our third king is played by another rapper-turned-actor Ice Cube. As Sergeant Chief Elgin, Ice Cube is the pious, rock-steady one of the bunch. As the group's simple plan of covert thievery unravels into a complicated mess, more of Chief's "Pulp Fiction" brand of righteousness is revealed.
Complementing the royal trio is court jester Private Conrad Vig (Spike Jonze). Vig's Southern neck is so red, he cries pink tears. But his backwardness is needed for the story, not only to provide comic relief and dramatic tension, but to highlight how clueless a Gulf War soldier could be when deciphering between America's Arab allies and its enemies.
As far as the action sequences go, "Three Kings" was pretty run-of-the-mill; There are a few car chases of sorts, and a truck gets blown up (though its contents are a bit of a surprise). Plus an inept helicopter gunman fires off a zillion rounds per second from a high-powered rifle, only to hit his target once every 45th bullet. You'd think after all the action movies made in Hollywood, the stunt people would have better aim by now ...
What makes this movie stand out is David O. Russell's creative visuals and provocative screenplay. By highlighting the deeply personal effect Operation Desert Storm likely had on both U.S. and Arab troops as well as civilians, Russell makes a movie set nearly ten years ago seem relevant and fresh.
The same political dichotomies could have been discussed in a movie about Bosnia, but Kuwait's desert landscape provided more mystery and a sense of covert danger.
Overall, "Three Kings" provides the right mix of action, comedy, interesting plot and star power to make it worthwhile.
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