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Grade
Content Grade:
A
Sound Grade:
A
Picture Grade:
A
Specs
Directed by David O. Russell Warner Home Video/MSRP-$24.95 Widescreen-Subtitles in English, French Dolby Digital Sound 5.1, 2.0 115 minutes-Color-1999 Rated R for violence, language
Review
Operation Desert Storm is over and amidst the celebration, soldiers want to return with more than what they left. George Clooney, Ice Cube, and Mark Wahlberg give credibility to their roles as the three soldiers who go out on their own secret mission to "enrich" themselves. The disc from Warner is a great value- a good movie, a decent price, and a lot of extras for that price. But what really shine here is the film itself, one of 1999's best.
Four soldiers start out to discover where Saddam has hidden the Saudi gold he has confiscated under the guise that they are going to return it to the Saudis. Their intentions are less than honorable, as they hope to go home rich. Pursued by a hungry network reporter, played by Saturday Night Live alumnist Nora Dunn, they soon learn much more about the people living on this harsh land then they really wanted to know and slowly, their cause turns to a rescuing of a comrade and to bury another while helping the rebels escape over the border, away from Saddam's persecution. It is told well, with a lot of subtlety and emotion and this 1999 movie could well be the definitive Desert Storm war movie.
Picture and Sound
Picture- Crystal clear picture and sharp details are present on this disc. Presented in Widescreen format, the desert colors are rich and striking. Action scenes are powerful and caught on the widescreen presentation. Sound-Dolby Digital 5.1 is offered along with Dolby Surround 2.0 for a choice but 5. 1 is great on this disc. Bullets whiz by your ear while viewing and the overall balance of sound is superb. Technically, this disc absolutely shines.
Extras
There are two commentary tracks offered, by the director, David O Russell, and by producers Charles Roven and Ed McDonnell. They give new perspectives into the making of this film throughout. We are also treated to a behind the scenes documentary, production notes, and cast / crew bios, a typical Warner extra. These extras make the disc an excellent value with a street price of around $20.00. Hats off to Warner for including them with this excellent film.
Summary
Three Kings is a good bet for either renting or buying. It has a great cast, excellent story and tremendous re-viewing possibilities. It also delivers a humanitarian message that stays with you long after its viewing. With all the extras this disc includes it is a real bargain.
