Being the kind of person that I am, I got curious as to what else Russell directed. I opted for Three Kings, which most people call his best work. It's clear as to why. Going against the norms for most war films, Three Kings depicts not the ongoing carnage of war but its harrowing aftermath.
It's weird. When I first read the premise of Three Kings, I was expecting something along the lines of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. What I got instead was a film that captures the raw consequences war leaves behind. The film feels even more unsettling in the aftermath of 9/11.
The cast is interesting. A pretty boy TV actor (George Clooney), two rappers (Mark Wahlberg and Ice Cube) and a music video director (Spike Jonze) are the main actors. And surprisingly they're all great. My favorite of the quartet is Wahlberg, who pretty much proved here that he's a legit actor. (Well, this, Boogie Nights and We Own the Night.)
Three Kings is surprisingly great. Usually I'm not up for war films (too bloody, you know?), but Russell makes it fascinating to watch. Throw in the appealing performances from the actors, and you've got a film definitely worth watching.
My Rating: *****
Interesting. I pretty much have this as my least favourite of the Russell movies but its been many years since I saw it so probably not in the best position to judge it.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that comes to mind about this movie is Clooney apparently punching O'Russell after he was treating an extra badly. I don't even know if that is true, but that's what I think of every time.
ReplyDeleteOoh, this is a good movie to watch to get a sense of pre-SLP O. Russell. It's not the best performances the cast has done ever but watching Spike Jonze act is awesome.
ReplyDelete