Three Kings

Three Kings (1999)

  • 94% of critics liked it
    (129 reviews)

  • 70% of users liked it
    (161,410 ratings)

Three stars team up for this unusual look at America's role in the war against Iraq. In 1991, as the Gulf War winds to a close, three American servicemen find themselves happy to have achieved victory but wondering about the ultimate importance of what they've done (especially since Saddam Hussein… More

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R, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By
David O. Russell, David Russell
Written By
David O. Russell
Genres
Action & Adventure, Comedy
In Theaters
Oct 1, 1999 Wide
On DVD
Sep 4, 2001
Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader

    A damning yet idealistic satire about the motives behind U.S. foreign policy.

  • Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

    No, Three Kings is not a great picture, but it is a very good one, perhaps the first feature of merit to come out of the Gulf War.

  • Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

    Russell's edgy pacing here and the assorted styles he's adopted create an exciting, restless immediacy.

  • Peter Rainer, New York Magazine

    Ultimately, instead of drawing us in, his swagger and the dazzle of his pyrotechnics keep us at a remove from the savagery. They become abstractions, too.

  • Steven Rosen, Denver Post

    Exciting.

Read all 23 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

  • paul o


    Ehhhh, its alright. The acting isn't amazing and the story has no real depth but still, its entertaining.

  • xGary X


    When a group of US soldiers find a map to Saddam's horde of stolen Kuwaiti gold during operation Desert Storm, they decide to go rogue and steal it. Kind of like a cross between Ocean's Eleven and Jarhead, Three Kings is the Iraq "war"'s answer to Kelly's… More

  • Emile T


    A widely imaginative direction from David O. Russell supports a witty screenplay that manages to put comedy, drama and action all in the same piece. It all fits and succeeds at being entertaining as hell while it also makes you morally think about all of this.

  • Steven C


    David O. Russell's "Three Kings" is a masterpiece. I mean this honestly. It's a triumph of vision, cohesion and observation. The performances are human yet scathing caricatures. The film has a lovely juxtaposition between fact and fiction that extends to history,… More

  • Dean !


    A decent action film set at the end of the Iraq war. Three soldiers learn the location of some stolen Kuwaiti gold and plan to help themselves. On their mission they encounter the harsh reality of the current state of the country. It has a fine cast and is well made, without feeling… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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