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Three Kings (1999)

Rate: 9
Viewed: 8/23

3Kings
8/23: I don't see Three Kings as a black comedy but an action-adventure story in the spirit of The Man Who Would Be King and Walker.

The themes are similar: men travel to a foreign country to make their fortune. That's the plot of Three Kings: get in, get the gold, and get out while the rest is noise. Of course, the plan doesn't work out as expected.

Having never seen the film before, I knew of its reputation, but I was caught off guard by everything: editing, cinematography, and brazen display of ignorance. However, it's a well-made and well-written movie that's fast and furious but slows down in the final forty-five minutes. There were a lot of problems on the set as the director was being difficult with everybody including George Clooney.

The acting is very good, but I don't like the lead characters. They're nothing but common thieves. Hence, there's no rooting interest in them. I was hoping that Mark Wahlberg's character would die, but he didn't. His role seemed perfect for Matt Damon, but he actually turned it down. I think it's because he had gotten out of Saving Private Ryan. To Mark Wahlberg's credit, he allowed himself to be shocked for real. By the way, why is the title called Three Kings when four soldiers were involved in the scheme? They say it's because three survived at the end. I guess.

All in all, Three Kings is a shocking tale of attempted thievery against the backdrop of the Persian Gulf War.