7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 4.1 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Three Kings begins when the Gulf War is over. Amid the partying and confusion, four American soldiers, determined to take home more than sand fleas, go off into the Iraqi desert to find millions in stolen Kuwaiti bullion. They are plunged into the heart of a democratic uprising that spins the day and their lives out of control.
Starring: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, Cliff CurtisWar | 100% |
Heist | 77% |
Dark humor | 41% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
German: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 2.0
Russian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, French, German SDH, Italian SDH, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Bulgarian, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Romanian, Russian, Slovenian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
We Three Kings be stealin' the gold.
It's title might not make much sense, but everything else about Three Kings is just about perfect. One of but a handful of pictures to tell a
story set during the Gulf War of 1991, Director David O. Russell's film is a masterpiece of divergent cinema. The film's brilliant structure that
juxtaposes the jubilation of a rapid victory, the horrors of war, man's innate greed, and the power of the heart and soul to supersede the wants and
needs of the body and mind makes Three Kings a War picture that finds much more meaning beyond its generalized action scenes and combat
setting. That's true of all the genre greats, for what better setting to find the very essence of man than on the field of battle where his faith, principles,
and very life are challenged with every step, every breath, every weapon aimed, every shot fired? Three Kings is a film where the defined war
may be over, but the personal war raging in many men's souls is only beginning. What begins in Three Kings as a snatch-and-grab operation
meant to pad the pockets of several soldiers becomes a hauntingly disturbing and all-too-real glimpse into the terrors that lie beyond lines in the sand
and markings on a map; it's a three-dimensional world in war, and that third plane of existence is home to the repercussions of war, the people who
both suffer and benefit through it, and the place where personal decisions and guiding compasses are put to their truest tests. What's even better is
that Three Kings is just as entertaining as it is dramatically elegant and thematically purposeful; as far as all-around films go, they don't come
much better than this.
I one king be stealin' his gold.
Three Kings is a film well-known for its unusual visual scheme. Warner's Blu-ray holds true to Director David O. Russell's intended look, but the transfer isn't without a few blemishes that seem to exist beyond the film's unique façade. This 1080p transfer retains the edgy rough-and tumble visuals nicely; grain spikes at times and occasionally appears rather messy and noisy, though the image is relatively free of its swirling and heavy grain structure in some places. Whites often appear blown out and contrast seems all over the map, both adding their own flavor to the picture's unorthodox presentation. Colors reflect a more earthen quality but appear stable and handsomely rendered throughout the movie, again insofar as they seem to replicate the film's theatrical presentation. Detail is often striking, with uniforms, sandy terrain, and facial structures revealing incredible textures and pinpoint details throughout the film. Additionally, blacks are strong and convincing. Unfortunately, unsightly compression artifacts often lend a chunky appearance to background images, while light banding is also present. Faces occasionally look pasty and flat, though in a more general sense flesh tones appear healthy and natural, even through the film's gritty look. A few pops and scratches are evident as well. Three Kings is a difficult picture to judge; it's certainly not meant to be the most handsome image ever captured on film, and while Warner's transfer delivers it in all its rough-and-tumble glory and graces it with some incredible detailing and a handsome film-like texture, a few various issues that seem to have crept into the transfer and that appear to be separate from Russell's vision drop the score a couple of notches.
Warner Brothers graces Three Kings with a strong DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The boisterous celebratory music that plays near the beginning of the film is loud but suffers from a slightly cramped feel as it seems more confined to the area between the center speaker and front right and left channels; it lacks the spaciousness and pinpoint clarity of the best tracks, but it's certainly a fair presentation. Such holds true through much of the movie; the track never quite opens up fully, though the action scenes do deliver some of exciting sound effects, plenty of surround channel activity, and a fair amount of bass. A grenade fired from an RPG shoots across the soundstage in one scene while a ricocheting bullet seamlessly bounces through several speakers in another. Heavy machine gun fire tears through the listening area at several points throughout the film with a good bit of power and precision. Surrounds are not used as much in the film's quieter scenes; ambience is limited allowing the track's perfectly-realized dialogue to remain front-and-center. The soundtrack finds a nice balance that allows it to play as naturally aggressive but not dominantly so. Music could stand for a bit more space and clarity, but overall, Warner Brothers' lossless soundtrack suits the movie well.
Three Kings features a quality assortment of bonus materials, including two audio commentary tracks. Track one features Director David O.
Russell sharing
his draw to the script, his reworking of it, shooting locations, the picture's themes and contrasts, the performances of the cast, the picture's many
elements that were grounded in realism, the film's visual style, and plenty more. Russell's commentary is highly enjoyable and uniquely informative;
fans of the film need to give this one a listen. The second track, helmed by Producers Charles Roven and Edward L. McDonnell, is also worthwhile but
not up to the level of excellence established by the director commentary. They discuss the film from a slightly less personal and detached perspective
but still speak on their work as producers, the contributions and work of David O. Russell, the casting process, the rigors of the shoot, the film's visual
style, the
themes and the plot, and more. Both commentaries are of a high quality, but Russell's is the one to choose on a time crunch.
Four featurettes are
next. Under the Bunker: On the Set of 'Three Kings' (480p, 21:32) takes viewers to Arizona for a candid glimpse into the difficulties of the
shoot, the basics of the plot, the casts' training for the roles, shooting locations, the film's authenticity, shooting styles, and more; the piece is
constructed by cast
and crew interview clips, behind-the-scenes footage, and scenes from the film. On the Set of 'Three Kings' with Production Designer Catherine
Hardwicke (480p, 10:15) takes audiences into the various locations and set pieces and showcases the work that went into their creation.
The
Cinematography of 'Three Kings:' An Interview with Director of Photography Newton Thomas Sigel (480p, 7:06) features the DP discussing the
picture's unique visual flair. Finally, Director David O. Russell's 'Three Kings' Video Journal (480p, 13:37) features the director at work during
the
pre-production phase of the filmmaking process, ending with a look at the film's premiere. Next up is An Intimate Look Inside the Acting Process
with Ice Cube (480p, 2:21), a brief piece that features the actor preparing for a scene. A selection of deleted scenes (480p, 6:37) with
optional director commentary is followed by the Three Kings trailer (480p, 2:10).
For whatever reason, the Persian Gulf War of 1991 hasn't found favor with filmmakers; perhaps it's the smaller scale, the absence of turmoil at home, or the relative ease with which victory was achieved in terms of sheer military strength and tactics. Whatever the reason, the War hasn't generated the quantity of films born from the Second World War and Vietnam, but that doesn't mean what is available lacks in quality. Indeed, pictures like Bravo Two Zero, Jarhead, and Three Kings are among the best War films of the past several decades. What makes Three Kings so special is that the time and place doesn't make much difference in the grand scheme of the story; the film is constructed around a universal and timeless tale of the human condition that pits man against himself as he weighs his own life and well-being against those of the less fortunate, forcing him to decide if personal satisfaction or morality will guide him through the most difficult of obstacles and most challenging of decisions. Director David O. Russell's picture is smart and meaningful on several levels, but it's also highly entertaining and a technical achievement. It's a near perfect movie and certainly a classic of its genre. Warner Brothers' Blu-ray release of Three Kings delivers some entertaining extras and a fine lossless soundtrack, but the 1080p transfer has some issues that seem to exist beyond the intentionally gritty façade that's the film's intended appearance. It still makes for a worthy high definition presentation, and fans shouldn't hesitate to pick it up. Recommended.
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