10 Underrated Films From 1999

There are few war films out there like Three Kings. Where else can you find a movie that’s one part dark satirical comedy, part harrowing war drama, and part entertaining heist adventure?

As the Gulf War winds down to a close, a group of soldiers who have barely seen any action discover a map to Saddam Hussein’s hidden cache of gold. The four soldiers pull off a daring heist to steal the gold but become sidetracked when they decide to help a group of oppressed, anti-Saddam dissidents to safety.

Three Kings does an excellent job satirising the stupidity of war and how American idealism clashes with the grim reality of what armed conflict does to innocent people. The American soldiers are trigger-happy morons who believe they’re in this war for a good reason, but once they see the damage this war has done to the Middle East and its people, their empathy wins out.

Though its anti-war messages ring clear, Russell pulls off some impressive, well-choreographed fight scenes. The climactic battle is thrilling and intense but still throws in some dark humour with C4-laced footballs. The shocking violence never clashes with the wacky comedy; they both work in sync to mock the pitfalls of war and excess wealth.