Three Kings (1999)

reviewed by
Michael Elliott


Christian Critic's Movie Parables - http://www.christiancritic.com

THREE KINGS
* * * out of * * * *
=====================
DIRECTED BY:      David O. Russell
STARRING:         George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze,
                  Nora Dunn
WRITTEN BY:       David O. Russell
RATED:            R for graphic war violence, language, and some sexuality.
SCRIPTURE
REFERENCES:       James 4:1, James 3:14-17, 1 Timothy 6:9-11

Wars simply don't make godly sense. Hype and political propaganda aside, the Persian Gulf war was no exception. THREE KINGS, in using Operation Desert Storm as its setting, pulls no punches when depicting the confusion, political duplicity, and moral dilemmas engendered by that conflict.

Writer/director David O. Russell (FLIRTING WITH DISASTER) researched heavily before embarking upon this project and his preliminary efforts have paid off handsomely. He has crafted the most irreverent war story since M*A*S*H hit the silver screen in the 1970's. The opening scene also had definite traces of CATCH-22 influence.

Archie Gates (George Clooney, OUT OF SIGHT) is a Special Forces captain who has been relegated to the sidelines during this high tech, computerized engagement. His current assignment involves nothing more than baby-sitting the media faces who are swarming the area looking for stories, all of which have long been done and overdone.

With the discovery of a map secreted in a captured Iraqi soldier's anal cavity, (said hiding place serving as the butt for many a joke), Archie gives himself a new "assignment." The map indicates the position of Iraqi bunkers where it is rumored Sadaam Hussein has hidden an obscene amount of gold bullion stolen from Kuwait.

With the war now over, Archie and a small band of American GI's decide to liberate the gold from Sadaam's forces. Of course, their intentions are purely self-serving. But as they travel deeper into Iraq to collect their spoils of war, they begin to witness firsthand what American policy has done for and to the people of Iraq.

The film slowly takes a serious turn, pointing an accusative finger at the Bush Administration which was allegedly responsible for the lies and false hopes that were fed to the Iraqi people. Encouraged to rise up against Sadaam Hussein with promised support from the American government, the Iraqi people were left "twisting in the wind" as Sadaam's army brutally put down the internal rebellion with no interference from the US forces who stood idly by. Seeing this, Archie and the others are forced to question their own principles and character.

Mr. Russell continues to shift the story from seriously comic to comically serious, the emphasis changing as frequently as the political winds of favor.

Mr. Clooney again displays the sardonic humor we've seen from him in the past. His Archie is a grizzled combat veteran who doesn't have the faintest idea why he is in the midst of a barren and desolate desert with a bunch of know-nothing volunteer reservists, but as long as he is, he figures he might as well profit from the experience.

Mark Wahlberg (BOOGIE NIGHTS) is surprisingly effective as Sgt. Troy Barlow, new father and genuinely decent guy. In perhaps the most riveting sequence, Troy is tortuously interrogated by an Iraqi soldier. During the experience they learn how closely their lives parallel.

The film has a distinctive stylized look about it. Alternating between a realistic look, a bleached-out, "shaky-cam" documentary look, and a jazzed-up, special FX look, the visual style of THREE KINGS is just disconcerting enough to keep us on edge.

The film does include some scenes of which the easily squeamish should be aware. After all, this is a war setting. In war, bullets are fired. This movie, more than most, shows in graphic detail the devastating damage a bullet can do to a human body.

The salient point of the movie is that even in the midst of a devilish, hellish environment, it is available to maintain one's morality and compassion. As individuals, we always have a choice. As believers, our view of right or wrong is based upon a standard that is unmovable. As we commit ourselves to the upholding of that standard, our actions and decisions will reflect the goodness of the One Who created it.

Archie claims that the most important thing in life is necessity. That is only true if we define "need" properly. The greatest need that any of us have is a knowledge of truth. Armed with a knowledge of truth and the conviction to act upon that truth, our decisions become sound and our lives have impact and meaning.

Michael Elliott
http://www.christiancritic.com

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