IMDb > Three Kings (1999)
Three Kings
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Three Kings (1999) More at IMDbPro »

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Three Kings (1999) -- In the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, 4 soldiers set out to steal gold that was stolen from Kuwait, but they discover people who desperately need their help.
Three Kings (1999) -- hv post
Three Kings (1999) -- AllTrailers.net - Trailer (Flash)

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Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   65,948 votes
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Down 10% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
John Ridley (story)
David O. Russell (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Three Kings on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 October 1999 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
In a war without heroes they are kings more
Plot:
In the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, 4 soldiers set out to steal gold that was stolen from Kuwait, but they discover people who desperately need their help. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
6 wins & 13 nominations more
User Reviews:
overlooked gem shows what a modern war really is more (537 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

George Clooney ... Archie Gates

Mark Wahlberg ... Troy Barlow

Ice Cube ... Chief Elgin

Spike Jonze ... Conrad Vig

Cliff Curtis ... Amir Abdulah

Nora Dunn ... Adriana Cruz

Jamie Kennedy ... Walter Wogaman
Saïd Taghmaoui ... Captain Said (as Said Taghmaoui)

Mykelti Williamson ... Colonel Horn

Holt McCallany ... Captain Van Meter

Judy Greer ... Cathy Daitch
Christopher Lohr ... Teebaux
Jon Sklaroff ... Paco

Liz Stauber ... Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife
Marsha Horan ... Amir's Wife
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Spoils of War (USA) (original script title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for graphic war violence, language and some sexuality.
Runtime:
114 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Archie Gates' uniform indicates that he is a Special Forces-qualified, Ranger-qualified member of the Combat Applications Group (CAG), formerly known as the Special Forces Operational Detachment "D", but more commonly known as "Delta Force." He is referred to as having been "with Delta." He also wears on his uniform the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Master Parachutist badge, the Pathfinder badge, and the SCUBA Diver qualification badge. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: On the cars captured from Kuwait in the bunker, they all have Saudi Arabian license plates. Those plates all state S.A. Priv. (Saudi Arabia Private Vehicle) and are white in color. HOWEVER, those plates were used from the 70's until 1982 in Saudi Arabia and were a blue/green color. more
Quotes:
Capt. Said: What would you feel if I bombed your wife?
Troy Barlow: Worse than death!
Capt. Said: Yes my friend... worse than death
more
Soundtrack:
In God's Country more

FAQ

Did George Clooney really hit David O. Russell on set?
more
73 out of 90 people found the following review useful.
overlooked gem shows what a modern war really is, 29 March 2000
9/10
Author: Rick-34 (rick_desper@yahoo.com) from United States

It's hard to really adequately describe this movie. Let me try.

For starters, in spite of the advertisements, it's not merely a remake of "Kelly's Heroes". Yes, we are in a postwar situation, where a bunch of Americans are trying to "recover" gold stolen by the enemy, but that's the end of the similarities.

"Three Kings" does an excellent job of showing just how gonzo modern warfare has become. You've got unemployed reservists going to the Middle East for kicks fighting Saddam, who uses gas attacks, electric shock torture and other atrocities to fight the rebels. Thrown in the mix are a U.S.-educated Iraqi whose businesses were destroyed by the Americans, a bunch of rebels and refugees living in bunkers, a CNN-type correspondent facing the threat of younger reporters, and Mark Wahlberg's character finding a cell phone in the Iraqi bunker and using it to call his wife in the U.S.

The movie is extremely funny at times, graphically violent at times, but always on target. It provides a lot of insight into how non-Americans view the U.S. I cannot think of another major movie which showed people in a third-world country as modern people without patronizing. Even the soldiers shooting at our heros, gassing the refugees, and torturing Mark Wahlberg's character are shown as human beings.

Somehow this movie got lost last year amongst all the hype for "American Beauty". "Three Kings" looks to have much more staying power. George Clooney continues to shine in yet another under-appreciated performance. For somebody with a Hollywood legacy, he really seems to have pushed some of the wrong buttons in Hollywood. I cannot think of any other explanation for why he has yet to achieve the acclaim his performances deserve.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Three Kings (1999)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
I don't understand.. maellereita
Tom Berenger Ram_Bowen
Okay, so how did they get the gold home? viking73
I had no idea it was so long ago iggypeck
Funniest Scene vlechtja
Why is the title 'Three Kings' texmexmartin
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