Three Kings, written and directed by David O. Russell, is a surreal vision of the aftermath of the Gulf War. The peace treaty with Saddam Hussein has just been signed and four soldiers – Archie Gates (George Clooney), Troy Barlow (Mark Wahlberg), Chief Elgin (Ice Cube) and Vig (the director of Being John Malcovich, Spike Jonze) – think they've accidentally come across the location of the gold bullion stash, stolen from Kuwait by the Iraqis. This is a chance to get out of their day jobs.
This visually inventive, thematically challenging film is a major leap for David O Russell after Spanking the Monkey and Flirting with Disaster. It's exhilarating to see a filmmaker with his talent take on issues like America's role in the Gulf War, war itself, in such an anarchic, funny and confronting way.
Watch 'Three Kings'
Friday 28 April, 9:35pm on SBS World Movies / Streaming after at SBS On Demand
MA15+
USA, 1999
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, War
Language: English
Director: David O. Russell
Starring: Ice Cube, Mark Wahlberg, George Clooney, Spike Jonze, Cliff Curtis, Nora Dunn
