"The Three Kings" -- War Film Highness by Homer Yen (c) 1999
There's a terrific scene when George Clooney describes what happens when a person gets shot. The worst part, he says, isn't even the pain that is felt when the bullet enters the body. It's what happens afterwards, as the bullet fragment completely wreaks havoc to the body's internal organs. An unseen chain reaction begins to happen, and its ultimate effect is far graver than anything that can actually be seen.
This scene is especially appropriate to the backdrop of the story, which takes place just after the end of Operation Desert Storm. While many soldiers happily accepted their mission to 'liberate Kuwait' from Iraqi occupation, they didn't necessarily know or understand the ramifications of their actions. When the American bullet pierced the body of Iraq, damage was done in ways that the allied forces probably never knew about. Why might that be? Probably it was because we fought such a high-tech war that, for a large part of it, soldiers never even had to leave their bases. With America's vast array of spying equipment and arsenal of missiles that could accurately hit a stop sign on any street corner, Desert Storm was very much a faceless war.
"The Three Kings" is a fine film about a small group of soldiers who venture out beyond where most soldiers have gone during Operation Desert Storm and see things that others never did. When an Iraqi prisoner of war is searched, a map is found that shows where the Iraqi government has hidden millions in stolen Kuwaiti bullion. But instead of reporting it, the soldiers decide to fetch the gold for themselves. Troy Barlow (Mark Wahlberg) will risk his life because he's a new father and the money will come in handy. Chief (Ice Cube) wants to be a part of it because he feels that God has put the gold within his reach for a reason. And Archie Gates, a Special Forces soldier (George Clooney) is strictly motivated by greed. Also along for the ride is Conrad Vig (Spike Jonze), an extremely naïve boy who idolizes Barlow and wants to see some combat action. They don't tell their superiors what they are about to do and also must dodge an inquisitive and news-hungry reporter at the base (Nora Dunn). But the plan is simple. Locate the bunker with the gold, enter the bunker, take the gold, and leave. By claiming that they were sent to retrieve the gold, the Iraqi guards will probably ignore them while they load up.
As they are about to leave with their booty, they see that Iraqi soldiers have shot an innocent woman. She is one of many citizens who are doing what they can to rise up (as President Bush urged at the end of the war) against the current regime. Other villagers will undoubtedly be executed. A tense standoff between American and Iraqi soldiers occurs. `Stick to the plan,' yells Barlow. But Gates has made up his mind. He can't let these people be slaughtered. He decides to help them, an act that greatly risks his military standing, all of the gold, and even his life.
Like all good war films, the story that drives the movie is not about war, but rather the moral implications that arise as a result of it. `Three Kings' makes no effort to hide its strong political undercurrents and clearly has something to say about how we handled our involvement. There are terrific moments of truth and observation. At the same time, it shows how war is truly Hell. The sunlight has been bleached into an almost hallucinatory effect. Meanwhile gun battles are presented in slow motion to make it shocking rather than some visceral display of pyrotechnics. And thanks to strong performances from the cast, the film continually brims with enthusiasm, energy and intelligence. Korea had M*A*S*H, and Vietnam had Platoon. Now, the Gulf War has `Three Kings.'
Grade: B+
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