Three Kings

Originally shot action scenes, an interesting story, great cast lead by Mark Wahlberg, whose performance, especially in the second half is Oscar worthy, all that make Three Kings a must-see film. (02.06.2002)

The formal aspects, relying on the now standard games with camera filters and editing, are very impressive, but the main trump card of Russell's film is the script. The initial comedic overtones (the cow on the mine) turn into a direct indictment of the whole Desert Storm operation. Moreover, it is told from the perspective of ordinary soldiers who actually confronted the civilian Iraqi population. Russell avoids unnecessary moralizing and inserts plenty of truths into the dialogue, both from the Iraqis themselves, who are demanding clarification of the American invasion, and from the American soldiers, whose every other word is a learned phrase of army propaganda in the background. Yet the film strictly moves away from the patriotic outcome, but at the same time does not put the Arab world in the position of a helpless pauper. This precisely-dosed mixture is then embellished with several exemplary action scenes that prove that Russell is a very skilled craftsman who simply knows what he is doing, and thanks to the perfect compactness of the film, it can be watched several times. (15.06.2006)

David O. Russell is a director with a style of his own and Three Kings is by far the most stylish of all his films. Formally very interesting and provocative in content, but quite true filmmaking that elevates American jingoism to the level of pop culture self-ironic entertainment. Russell has a very good handle on both the direction and the script, which may look like a feeble-minded orgasm over the American flag and freedom, but the biting irony works ingeniously, and in the final analysis I can't think of a better way to fit the words "God bless America" and "Americans are selfish, power-hungry bastards" into a single sentence. In addition to the premise, we can also praise the cinematography, the excellent cast and the great sound, which at times gave me goosebumps (where are the seventies..). The final impression is marred only by a few minor flaws in the script, which make it quite difficult for the film to fully break its serious face through the mask of a smug, indifferent moron. But still, God bless Hollywood :) 80% (11.08.2014)

I've never really given this movie a chance in the past, so I'm glad I got to it now. It definitely has something in it that you'll simply enjoy. It is its complexity, its strength in both humor and being a war movie. But David O. Russell primarily shows the strength of his characters, which are simply well-written. (20.11.2015)