Three Kings
3.5/4
Starring: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, Cliff Curtis
Rated R for Graphic War Violence, Language and Some Sexuality
The Gulf War has just ended. The troops are celebrating when one day a man is arrested with a map sticking out of his rear end. Three soldiers, average guy Troy Barlow (Wahlberg), the rule abiding Elgin (Cube) and high school dropout Conrad (Jonze) realize that the map leads to bunkers where Saddam Hussein is stashing the gold that he stole from the Kuwaiti sheikhs. Along with Major Archie Gates (Clooney), who stumbles in on their plans, they decide to take it for themselves. Of course, when they realize what is going on now that the Americans are leaving, things change considerably.
"Three Kings" is to war movies as what "Nurse Betty" was to crime thrillers. It's a legitimate entry, but it's an offbeat one. Writer/director David O. Russell takes a number of political jabs, such as when following the rules comes into conflict with one's humanity and common sense, and the military's relationship with the media (this leads to a very funny subplot featuring "Saturday Night Live" alum Nora Dunn).
The acting is great. George Clooney, who clashed with the director (they got into a fistfight over him taking his anger out on the extras), is effective as Gates. Clooney, well-known for being a liberal and humanitarian (and this film fits in with his ideology), plays the character as a thief who grows a conscience. He understands the concept of comic timing and more importantly, what Russell is trying to achieve. Mark Wahlberg, a decent actor himself, is also very good as the "heartthrob" (Russell has some fun with him being worshiped by Conrad), although his character is more of an archetype. Still, Wahlberg makes it work. Ice Cube is also good in a surprisingly subdued role as the religious Elgin. The rapper turned actor has typically been cast as a version of Samuel L. Jackson at his most profane and hilarious. Here, he proves that he's got solid dramatic chops as well. The funniest performance goes to Spike Jonze (yes, the director of "Being John Malkovich") who plays the dim-witted Conrad. It would have been easy to make him a dumb hick caricature, but while Conrad is a dumb hick, Russell uses him wisely and intelligently.
The best performances don't come from the three biggest names (or four, for that matter). Instead, they are given by New Zealand actor Cliff Curtis and Said Taghmaoui. Both are underrated character actors, and they do terrific jobs. Curtis plays the unofficial leader of the group of Iraqi refugees that Gates and his guys end up saving almost by default. He's intelligent and knows how to appeal to Gates' humanity in a surprisingly real way. Taghmaoui, whom I've been a fan of for a while, is very good in what is a small but important role as an interrogator. He's not a bad person, he's just desperate and angry. The character gives voice to our "enemies" who are being labeled as one-dimensional zealots by the conservative media.
Roger Ebert said that "'Three Kings" is some kind of weird masterpiece, a screw-loose war picture that sends action and humor crashing head-on into each other and spinning off into political anger." I couldn't have put it better myself.
Starring: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, Cliff Curtis
Rated R for Graphic War Violence, Language and Some Sexuality
"Are we shooting?"--Troy BarlowThat's the first line of the film. If that quote, in the context of a war movie, makes you laugh, then this is a movie for you. Actually, David O. Russell's "Three Kings" is more a political satire than something like "Saving Private Ryan" or "The Hurt Locker." It's twisted, bizarre and occasionally hilarious.
The Gulf War has just ended. The troops are celebrating when one day a man is arrested with a map sticking out of his rear end. Three soldiers, average guy Troy Barlow (Wahlberg), the rule abiding Elgin (Cube) and high school dropout Conrad (Jonze) realize that the map leads to bunkers where Saddam Hussein is stashing the gold that he stole from the Kuwaiti sheikhs. Along with Major Archie Gates (Clooney), who stumbles in on their plans, they decide to take it for themselves. Of course, when they realize what is going on now that the Americans are leaving, things change considerably.
"Three Kings" is to war movies as what "Nurse Betty" was to crime thrillers. It's a legitimate entry, but it's an offbeat one. Writer/director David O. Russell takes a number of political jabs, such as when following the rules comes into conflict with one's humanity and common sense, and the military's relationship with the media (this leads to a very funny subplot featuring "Saturday Night Live" alum Nora Dunn).
The acting is great. George Clooney, who clashed with the director (they got into a fistfight over him taking his anger out on the extras), is effective as Gates. Clooney, well-known for being a liberal and humanitarian (and this film fits in with his ideology), plays the character as a thief who grows a conscience. He understands the concept of comic timing and more importantly, what Russell is trying to achieve. Mark Wahlberg, a decent actor himself, is also very good as the "heartthrob" (Russell has some fun with him being worshiped by Conrad), although his character is more of an archetype. Still, Wahlberg makes it work. Ice Cube is also good in a surprisingly subdued role as the religious Elgin. The rapper turned actor has typically been cast as a version of Samuel L. Jackson at his most profane and hilarious. Here, he proves that he's got solid dramatic chops as well. The funniest performance goes to Spike Jonze (yes, the director of "Being John Malkovich") who plays the dim-witted Conrad. It would have been easy to make him a dumb hick caricature, but while Conrad is a dumb hick, Russell uses him wisely and intelligently.
The best performances don't come from the three biggest names (or four, for that matter). Instead, they are given by New Zealand actor Cliff Curtis and Said Taghmaoui. Both are underrated character actors, and they do terrific jobs. Curtis plays the unofficial leader of the group of Iraqi refugees that Gates and his guys end up saving almost by default. He's intelligent and knows how to appeal to Gates' humanity in a surprisingly real way. Taghmaoui, whom I've been a fan of for a while, is very good in what is a small but important role as an interrogator. He's not a bad person, he's just desperate and angry. The character gives voice to our "enemies" who are being labeled as one-dimensional zealots by the conservative media.
Roger Ebert said that "'Three Kings" is some kind of weird masterpiece, a screw-loose war picture that sends action and humor crashing head-on into each other and spinning off into political anger." I couldn't have put it better myself.
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