Three Kings

Troy Barlow: 'Hey, I don't know if I can do this. I got a family. If I'm gonna shit in a bag for the rest of my life because I got shot after the war was over, that would pretty fucking stupid wouldn't it, Major?


Three Kings (David Rssell, 1999), is a comedy war film with a hint of western genre, set in the aftermath of the Gulf War. It is a film where the audience want the 'baddies' to succeed, it is strange that no matter how much we personally would never steal or conduct acts of violence, yet we find entertainment in watching it and back up the bad guys.


As with Bonnie and Clyde who basically were two people doing the wrong thing and are glorified for their actions. Maybe it is a good thing as although we sympathize with their characters we are not so disheartened when they eventually are killed and their is a lesson to be learned, that you will be punished for your wrong doings.

Clooney, Wahlberg and Cube steal a map to lead them to the treasure and find themselves caught up in the war.

Though a comedy there is an underlying message against war. Russel heightens the reality in the film with use of slow motion as bullets enter actors as with Bonnie and Clyde which was the first film to show such violence so graphically after the censorship rules were loosened. Lets just say that violence in film has come along way to those earlier works, with directors having a lot more leniency with violence such as rape and murder being shown in almost too much detail, audiences today have become desensitized to the brutality of violence. I believe cinema has had a major influence on the violence of the world.

CAST:
George Clooney
Mark Wahlberg
Ice Cube
Spike Jonze
Nora Dunn
Jamie Kennedy
Mykelti Williamson
Cliff Curtis
Said Taghmaoui
Judy Greer
Liz Stauber
Holt McCallany

Director: David O. Russell