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Three Kings

575 statements
112 feature instances
35 referencing feature instances

Three Kings	type	TVTItem
Three Kings	label	Three Kings
Three Kings	page	ThreeKings
Three Kings	comment	Three Kings is a 1999 film directed by David O. Russell and starring George Clooney, Ice Cube, Mark Wahlberg, and Spike Jonze.It's a war action film with Black Comedy elements, set during the Iraqi uprising at the end of the 1991 Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm. During the surrender of Iraqi soldiers, one Iraqi soldier is found to be concealing a map that ends up showing the location of gold that Saddam Hussein had plundered from Kuwait.The four American soldiers sneak away from the camp, sending their attached journalist on a wild goose chase with another soldier, in order to find and steal the gold. Naturally, wacky hijinks ensue and the four soldiers become involved in the uprising.
Three Kings	fetched	2023-07-26T13:59:28Z
Three Kings	parsed	2023-07-26T13:59:29Z
Three Kings	processingComment	Dropped link to Bowdlerise: Not a Feature - ITEM
Three Kings	processingComment	Dropped link to Dramedy: Not a Feature - IGNORE
Three Kings	processingComment	Dropped link to FacelessMooks: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
Three Kings	processingComment	Dropped link to GenreBusting: Not a Feature - IGNORE
Three Kings	processingComment	Dropped link to PistolWhip: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
Three Kings	processingUnknown	FacelessMooks
Three Kings	processingUnknown	PistolWhip
Three Kings	isPartOf	DBTropes
Three Kings / int_128e4ba8	type	Gatling Good
Three Kings / int_128e4ba8	comment	Gatling Good: The Iraqi attack chopper that shows up near the end has one of these mounted on to it. Cue the Oh, Crap! reaction from the good guys.
Three Kings / int_128e4ba8	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_128e4ba8	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_128e4ba8
Three Kings / int_132d93f1	type	Human Shield
Three Kings / int_132d93f1	comment	Human Shield: Used incidentally by Conrad when a dead Iraqi rebel collapses on top of him. Which coincidentally shields him from enemy gunfire, saving his life. Momentarily at least.
Three Kings / int_132d93f1	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_132d93f1	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_132d93f1
Three Kings / int_18d15922	type	Title Drop
Three Kings / int_18d15922	comment	Title Drop: Happens when the story of the Three Kings (i.e. the Magi who gave gifts to the infant/toddler Jesus; the Bible doesn't say how many there are but tradition holds that there were three of them because of the three gifts given) is recounted, specifically taking on the opening line of the Christmas carol "We Three Kings".
Three Kings / int_18d15922	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_18d15922	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_18d15922
Three Kings / int_20860a0e	type	Punch-Clock Villain
Three Kings / int_20860a0e	comment	Punch-Clock Villain: It's explicitly stated that the Iraqi Republican Guard soldiers are only working for Saddam to provide for their families, and are then Trapped in Villainy because they know full well what will happen to them if they were to fail Saddam.
Three Kings / int_20860a0e	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_20860a0e	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_20860a0e
Three Kings / int_216ca857	type	Not What I Signed on For
Three Kings / int_216ca857	comment	Not What I Signed on For: Played for laughs; when Troy orders Conrad to pull a document out of a man's ass the latter bemoans about how he didn't "sign up to pull paper outta people's asses, no sir not what I signed up for".
Three Kings / int_216ca857	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_216ca857	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_216ca857
Three Kings / int_222dc873	type	Black Comedy
Three Kings / int_222dc873	comment	Black Comedy: The film is absolutely rife with this, from having a cow be blown to tiny pieces by a cluster bomb, to an Iraqi discussing Michael Jackson during an interrogation.
Three Kings / int_222dc873	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_222dc873	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_222dc873
Three Kings / int_22cf536c	type	Chekhov's Gun
Three Kings / int_22cf536c	comment	Chekhov's Gun: Troy's bulletproof vest, which saves him from getting shot minutes later in the movie. Sadly, he's not wearing it the second time he gets shot, resulting in a punctured lung. The Nerf football rigged with C-4. Conrad Vig has an entire bag of them, and Chief Elgin uses one to take out a freaking helicopter.
Three Kings / int_22cf536c	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_22cf536c	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_22cf536c
Three Kings / int_23be181a	type	Patriotic Fervor
Three Kings / int_23be181a	comment	Patriotic Fervor: Repeatedly and relentlessly subverted and satirized. Any and all portrayals of American patriotism are immediately turned on there head.
Three Kings / int_23be181a	featureApplicability	-0.3
Three Kings / int_23be181a	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_23be181a
Three Kings / int_269e82c1	type	Death of a Child
Three Kings / int_269e82c1	comment	Death of a Child: The child soldier is killed by the tank.
Three Kings / int_269e82c1	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_269e82c1	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_269e82c1
Three Kings / int_2745f935	type	Gas Mask Mooks
Three Kings / int_2745f935	comment	Gas Mask Mooks: It's actually the friendly Iraqi rebels who arrive to rescue the Americans from the tear gas attack who are the gas masks mooks. Making it a rare heroic inversion.
Three Kings / int_2745f935	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_2745f935	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_2745f935
Three Kings / int_278a8f2b	type	ChildSoldier
Three Kings / int_278a8f2b	comment	Child Soldier: One young boy (a rebel to be exact who looks no older than 10) was sniping Iraqi Republican Guard soldiers from a tower while the main characters retreated. The tank took care of him.
Three Kings / int_278a8f2b	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_278a8f2b	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_278a8f2b
Three Kings / int_295087bf	type	Non-Indicative Name
Three Kings / int_295087bf	comment	Non-Indicative Name: As per Meaningful Name, the "Three Kings" in question are not the lead characters, of whom there are four.
Three Kings / int_295087bf	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_295087bf	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_295087bf
Three Kings / int_2a195285	type	Revolvers Are Just Better
Three Kings / int_2a195285	comment	Revolvers Are Just Better: All throughout the movie Conrad is seen carrying a non Army issue "Thunder 5" revolver. A deleted scene reveals that he received it as a gift from his parents that was hidden inside a chocolate bunny.
Three Kings / int_2a195285	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_2a195285	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_2a195285
Three Kings / int_2b812abd	type	Going for the Big Scoop
Three Kings / int_2b812abd	comment	Going for the Big Scoop: Taken to ridiculous extremes by Adriana Cruz, who is reporting on a firefight between Saddam's army and the Iraqi rebels while it is going on right behind her.
Three Kings / int_2b812abd	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_2b812abd	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_2b812abd
Three Kings / int_306b9de9	type	Electric Torture
Three Kings / int_306b9de9	comment	Electric Torture: When Troy is captured and held by the Iraqi Republican Guard in an underground bunker. He is hooked up and electrocuted so he may "feel his captor's pain". Unlike most depictions of this trope the scene is shot in a more gritty way as you can hear Troy's teeth chatter as he clenches them in pain while the electric current flows through. Incidentally, Mark Wahlberg was shocked for real during his torture scenes, in order to add an extra layer of realism.
Three Kings / int_306b9de9	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_306b9de9	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_306b9de9
Three Kings / int_33b4e7f	type	Helmets Are Hardly Heroic
Three Kings / int_33b4e7f	comment	Helmets Are Hardly Heroic: The four main characters are hardly ever seen wearing their standard Army issued helmets (save for Conrad and Troy at the beginning of the film, and after that they are never seen wearing them again). This could be justified in that they are going on a "non official" operation to go and steal some gold, and thus figured that they probably shouldn't bother with official uniforms. But still, with them being trained soldiers going in to a potentially dangerous situation you'd figure that they would have enough common sense to bring along their helmets for extra protection.
Three Kings / int_33b4e7f	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_33b4e7f	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_33b4e7f
Three Kings / int_34dd5f3	type	La RÃ©sistance
Three Kings / int_34dd5f3	comment	La Résistance: The Iraqi rebels who are shown ambushing/fighting back against Saddam's army throughout the film. Unfortunately for them much like the aforementioned trope above pointed out, this didn't turn out very well for them in Real Life...
Three Kings / int_34dd5f3	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_34dd5f3	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_34dd5f3
Three Kings / int_35a858b3	type	Cluster F-Bomb
Three Kings / int_35a858b3	comment	Cluster F-Bomb: Most of the movie. Saïd in particular seems to have learned his English from some rather foul-mouthed American soliders.
Three Kings / int_35a858b3	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_35a858b3	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_35a858b3
Three Kings / int_38d02d44	type	Batman Gambit
Three Kings / int_38d02d44	comment	Batman Gambit: The soldiers and their rebel allies play this card on the guards of the Oasis Bunker, which holds Troy Barlow as a prisoner. Arriving in a fleet of luxury cars, one rebel dressed as an Iraqi general yells at the soldiers for their "failures" and claims that Saddam Hussein is coming to personally execute them. It gets most of the garrison to run away, making it easier for the Americans and the rebels to get inside and rescue Barlow.
Three Kings / int_38d02d44	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_38d02d44	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_38d02d44
Three Kings / int_3a95b3cf	type	Instant Drama, Just Add Tracheotomy
Three Kings / int_3a95b3cf	comment	Instant Drama, Just Add Tracheotomy: Troy suffers from pneumothorax (collapsed lung) so his comrades have to puncture his chest to give him tension release.
Three Kings / int_3a95b3cf	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_3a95b3cf	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_3a95b3cf
Three Kings / int_3ac2a3e3	type	Deadly Gas
Three Kings / int_3ac2a3e3	comment	Deadly Gas: Averted; the chemical agent Saddam's army uses in their gas attack against the Americans turns out to be non-lethal tear gas. However it still proves effective enough to derail their escape plan and for Troy to be captured in the ensuing chaos.
Three Kings / int_3ac2a3e3	featureApplicability	-1.0
Three Kings / int_3ac2a3e3	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_3ac2a3e3
Three Kings / int_47fea76b	type	Butt-Monkey
Three Kings / int_47fea76b	comment	Butt-Monkey: Poor old Specialist Walter Wogeman. The laughably inept soldier/buffon who goes through a Humiliation Conga over the course of the movie. In fact his status as the platoons resident Butt-Monkey is the reason that Major Gates chose him to take Adriana Cruz on a false lead.
Three Kings / int_47fea76b	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_47fea76b	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_47fea76b
Three Kings / int_4aa24ad9	type	I Have a Family
Three Kings / int_4aa24ad9	comment	I Have a Family: Troy's excuse to Major Gates as to why he wants to abandon their heist after a botched first attempt. So he can avoid any unnecessary violence and go home to his family in one piece.
Three Kings / int_4aa24ad9	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_4aa24ad9	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_4aa24ad9
Three Kings / int_55232afa	type	Politically Incorrect Hero
Three Kings / int_55232afa	comment	Politically Incorrect Hero: The main characters are heard constantly using various deragotary slurs directed at Arabs (dune coon, sand nigger, towel head etc.) with no one (save for Chief Elgin, and only for those first couple of slurs that use anti-black pejoratives) so much as batting an eye. Which could very well have been Truth in Television, considering the time period and non PC attitude of the military. Conrad seems to be the least racially tolerant of the main characters, and this trait that gets him into a number of heated arguments with his black squad mate Elgin, although his attitude towards race seems to have more to do with ignorance as opposed to any malice.
Three Kings / int_55232afa	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_55232afa	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_55232afa
Three Kings / int_5a8f3057	type	Hand Signals
Three Kings / int_5a8f3057	comment	Hand Signals: In a deleted scene the Americans and Iraqi rebels prepare for the raid on the prison by practicing on a fake bunker. During this exercise they use a combination of hand signals and tactics that thanks to the film-makers' military adviser are all as authentic as possible.
Three Kings / int_5a8f3057	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_5a8f3057	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_5a8f3057
Three Kings / int_5bdffefe	type	Jitter Cam
Three Kings / int_5bdffefe	comment	Jitter Cam: Used to great effect by director David O Russell in an effort to give the film a more journalistic look.
Three Kings / int_5bdffefe	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_5bdffefe	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_5bdffefe
Three Kings / int_5f52cfcf	type	Intrepid Reporter
Three Kings / int_5f52cfcf	comment	Intrepid Reporter: Adriana Cruz. The no-nonsense reporter who Major Gates is forced to babysit. Unfortunately for her, her escort is caught giving away her stories to rival reporter Cathy Daitch in exchange for sex, and is later sent on a false lead by Major Gates in order to keep her off his back. Her rival reporter, the aforementioned Cathy Daitch,is a more sleazy, amoral variation of this trope who isn't above using sex is a tool get what she wants and overall is depicted as being a worse person than Adriana.
Three Kings / int_5f52cfcf	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_5f52cfcf	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_5f52cfcf
Three Kings / int_5fbb8d8e	type	Hollywood Density
Three Kings / int_5fbb8d8e	comment	Hollywood Density: Played straight with the characters tossing and carrying gold bars. Somewhat averted with the suitcases, which rip immediately when picked up (although in real life the other suitcases would not be able to handle the load they did, either).
Three Kings / int_5fbb8d8e	featureApplicability	-1.0
Three Kings / int_5fbb8d8e	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_5fbb8d8e
Three Kings / int_5fe47c0	type	Distracted from Death
Three Kings / int_5fe47c0	comment	Distracted from Death: Conrad dies unnoticed from a shoulder wound while everyone is tending to the seemingly more seriously injured Troy.
Three Kings / int_5fe47c0	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_5fe47c0	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_5fe47c0
Three Kings / int_6023a9bc	type	Bloody Hilarious
Three Kings / int_6023a9bc	comment	Bloody Hilarious: That poor goddamn cow...
Three Kings / int_6023a9bc	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_6023a9bc	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_6023a9bc
Three Kings / int_61f452ca	type	Sinister Shades
Three Kings / int_61f452ca	comment	Sinister Shades: A particularly menacing Iraqi Republican Guard officer is wearing a pair of these when he confronts the American soldiers.
Three Kings / int_61f452ca	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_61f452ca	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_61f452ca
Three Kings / int_680c8fd	type	Outranking Your Job
Three Kings / int_680c8fd	comment	Outranking Your Job: At the start of the film, Major Gates' assignment is to babysit a single reporter. Which he already manages to screw up by trading the reporters stories to a rival reporter in exchange for sex.
Three Kings / int_680c8fd	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_680c8fd	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_680c8fd
Three Kings / int_6bda9a30	type	Meaningful Name
Three Kings / int_6bda9a30	comment	Meaningful Name: "Three Kings" is one of the names given to the Biblical Magi. Conrad is named after Joseph Conrad, author of the anti-colonial novel Heart of Darkness. Chief Elgin is named after the Scottish diplomat the Earl of Elgin, who infamously bought/plundered countless ancient artifacts from Greece and took them to Britain.
Three Kings / int_6bda9a30	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_6bda9a30	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_6bda9a30
Three Kings / int_6d6dfca1	type	Wearing a Flag on Your Head
Three Kings / int_6d6dfca1	comment	Wearing a Flag on Your Head: Ironically enough, one of the Iraqi rebels in the background can be seen wearing a rather jaunty looking American top hat, not unlike the one worn by Uncle Sam.
Three Kings / int_6d6dfca1	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_6d6dfca1	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_6d6dfca1
Three Kings / int_7335ffa9	type	Grey-and-Gray Morality
Three Kings / int_7335ffa9	comment	Grey-and-Gray Morality: Neither the American military nor the Iraqi Republican Guard is depicted as being any more or less nefarious than the other, with both sides having their fair share of bad apples and honest working men who are only trying to do right by their country and/or provide for their families.
Three Kings / int_7335ffa9	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_7335ffa9	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_7335ffa9
Three Kings / int_7815ba15	type	N-Word Privileges
Three Kings / int_7815ba15	comment	N-Word Privileges: The soldiers, Conrad in particular, make liberal use of the word "sand nigger", which annoys Elgin to no end. Amusingly he has no such problem with the equally derisive terms "towel head" and "camel jockey"
Three Kings / int_7815ba15	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_7815ba15	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_7815ba15
Three Kings / int_7969f21e	type	No One Gets Left Behind
Three Kings / int_7969f21e	comment	No One Gets Left Behind: Gates makes sure they get Troy back before they leave with the gold. And although they are successful in their rescue operation, Conrad is killed during the raid.
Three Kings / int_7969f21e	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_7969f21e	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_7969f21e
Three Kings / int_7bed2677	type	Super Cell Reception
Three Kings / int_7bed2677	comment	Super Cell Reception: One character manages to make a phone call to his wife, on a cell phone. In the middle of Iraq just after the First Gulf War. From inside a fortified bunker. Granted, he does go through a few phones before he finds one that works. And he only calls his wife after his first attempt to get an operator to connect him with Army Command works about as well as you would expect.
Three Kings / int_7bed2677	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_7bed2677	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_7bed2677
Three Kings / int_7d34f23a	type	Reckless Gun Usage
Three Kings / int_7d34f23a	comment	Reckless Gun Usage: One of the earliest things we see Conrad do upon his introduction is have him point a revolver point blank at Troy's face. Later on we see him do the exact same thing this time to a pair of Iraqi POW's only to get chewed out by Troy who tells him to act in a more "professional manner". Only for him to immediately go back to pointing his revolver at another group of POW's.
Three Kings / int_7d34f23a	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_7d34f23a	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_7d34f23a
Three Kings / int_7febc23b	type	Establishing Character Moment
Three Kings / int_7febc23b	comment	Establishing Character Moment: Each one the four main characters gets one of these upon their introduction. Troy Barlow exudes an easy laid back attitude that is at odds with his rank. And is later shown addressing a pair of Iraqi POW's in a very calm and reassuring manner. Conrad Vig on the other is depicted as Troy's polar opposite. Bumbling, brash, uneducated, and when dealing with a pair of Iraqi POW's he eschews Troy's more subtle approach in favor of yelling at them while pointing a revolver in their faces. Chief Elgin is by far the most professional of the four leads. His introduction has him sternly chastising his fellow squadmates to clean up their act and stop partying before the captain of the platoon arrives. And lastly we have Major Gates whose establishing moment has him selling stories to a reporter in exchange for sex. Only to be caught in the act by his superior officer.
Three Kings / int_7febc23b	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_7febc23b	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_7febc23b
Three Kings / int_80ed8406	type	Captain Smooth and Sergeant Rough
Three Kings / int_80ed8406	comment	Captain Smooth and Sergeant Rough: Inverted in the case of SFC Troy Barlow and his superior officer Captain Doug Van Meter. It's actually Van Meter who is the stern and hard nose one with Troy being the more laid back and easygoing of the two.
Three Kings / int_80ed8406	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_80ed8406	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_80ed8406
Three Kings / int_81414673	type	AM/FM Characterization
Three Kings / int_81414673	comment	AM/FM Characterization: Conrad Vig wants to listen to heavy metal music while going into battle. Chief Elgin on the other hand criticizes his musical choice and suggest they go into battle with something soothing to calm their nerves and plays an easy-listening song, showing a definite personality clash. They try to compromise by putting on another tape which turns out to be Middle Eastern music. They trade disgusted looks while the two Iraqis in the back seat smile and nod along to the beat.
Three Kings / int_81414673	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_81414673	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_81414673
Three Kings / int_823769b7	type	Night-Vision Goggles
Three Kings / int_823769b7	comment	Night-Vision Goggles: Spoofed; the only appearance of the technology is in the hands of the laughably incompetent Specialist Walter Wogeman.
Three Kings / int_823769b7	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_823769b7	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_823769b7
Three Kings / int_83f0971b	type	Mexican Standoff
Three Kings / int_83f0971b	comment	Mexican Standoff: A tense confrontation between the American soldiers and Saddam's army quickly escalates into this.
Three Kings / int_83f0971b	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_83f0971b	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_83f0971b
Three Kings / int_875615dd	type	Truth in Television
Three Kings / int_875615dd	comment	The main characters are heard constantly using various deragotary slurs directed at Arabs (dune coon, sand nigger, towel head etc.) with no one (save for Chief Elgin, and only for those first couple of slurs that use anti-black pejoratives) so much as batting an eye. Which could very well have been Truth in Television, considering the time period and non PC attitude of the military.
Three Kings / int_875615dd	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_875615dd	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_875615dd
Three Kings / int_8879db82	type	Badass Crew
Three Kings / int_8879db82	comment	Badass Crew: Downplayed with the four Americans. Although they are trained soldiers and they are being led by a Special Forces officer, much of their success comes from the fact that they are going up against an Iraqi army that has already surrendered to them, and thus are no threat to them.
Three Kings / int_8879db82	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_8879db82	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_8879db82
Three Kings / int_8a295a46	type	Cool Car
Three Kings / int_8a295a46	comment	Cool Car: Saddam's stolen luxury cars, which are used in the assault on the prison at the climax of the film.
Three Kings / int_8a295a46	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_8a295a46	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_8a295a46
Three Kings / int_8a296bb2	type	CoolGun
Three Kings / int_8a296bb2	comment	Cool Gun: Not as many examples as in most war movies but the Colt Model 727, Mosin Nagant, SKS, and Mauser Gewehr 98, rifles and Conrad's Thunder 5 revolver are worth noting.
Three Kings / int_8a296bb2	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_8a296bb2	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_8a296bb2
Three Kings / int_95b7c400	type	Faux Affably Evil
Three Kings / int_95b7c400	comment	Faux Affably Evil: The Iraqi Republican Guard officer adopts this persona when he confronts the American soldiers, in an effort to try and persuade them to leave the rebel prisoners with them. Naturally Major Gates sees right through his facade.
Three Kings / int_95b7c400	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_95b7c400	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_95b7c400
Three Kings / int_9788e2b1	type	Black Dude Dies First
Three Kings / int_9788e2b1	comment	Black Dude Dies First: Averted with a vengeance; not only does Chief Elgin survive, he's also the only one of the main characters to not suffer any sort of injury. In fact the only soldier to die out of the four-man squad is a white southerner.
Three Kings / int_9788e2b1	featureApplicability	-1.0
Three Kings / int_9788e2b1	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_9788e2b1
Three Kings / int_984ef9ef	type	"Not So Different" Remark
Three Kings / int_984ef9ef	comment	"Not So Different" Remark: During the interrogation/torture sequence, Saïd talks about how he only joined the army to provide for his wife and child. This visibly shakes Troy, who joined the Army Reserve for the extra cash to support his family. He also tells Troy about what happened to his family, and tells him to imagine his wife at home if they were suddenly hit by a bomb. After he's rescued, Troy is given a handgun to take some vengeance on his torturer. However, he instead just shoots into the wall nearby, showing that he's realized the pain and suffering Saïd went through in his life. Not only that, but Saïd mentions that American special forces operatives came and taught the Iraqis during their war with Iran-including torture techniques such as those he used on Troy.
Three Kings / int_984ef9ef	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_984ef9ef	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_984ef9ef
Three Kings / int_a1d70162	type	I Just Shot Marvin in the Face
Three Kings / int_a1d70162	comment	I Just Shot Marvin in the Face: Semi-lampshaded. Chief Elgin pistol whips an Iraqi soldier and his gun fires a round, which sends everyone diving for cover to avoid the ricochet. Afterward Gates tells him to keep his finger off the trigger.
Three Kings / int_a1d70162	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_a1d70162	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_a1d70162
Three Kings / int_a1e5faab	type	Doomed by Canon
Three Kings / int_a1e5faab	comment	Doomed by Canon: The film hints that the Iraqi rebels could overthrow Saddam shortly after the first Gulf War. Anyone who's studied history should know how well that went...
Three Kings / int_a1e5faab	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_a1e5faab	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_a1e5faab
Three Kings / int_a4c37cbe	type	Mood Whiplash
Three Kings / int_a4c37cbe	comment	Mood Whiplash: Conrad, Troy, and Elgin have become quite cavalier about the whole army thing and are excited to shoot off some rounds as they ride away from the US compound. Archie sets them on a dry run before attacking the bunker. Then a cow steps on a cluster bomb right before they do. Everything was going fine, they got the gold in the truck, then some Iraqi soldier is ordered to shoot some woman in the head. He does. Archie attempts to pump up the Iraqi rebels to get some free vehicles. The cheering man flatly refuses.
Three Kings / int_a4c37cbe	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_a4c37cbe	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_a4c37cbe
Three Kings / int_a5001f7f	type	Chekhov's Classroom
Three Kings / int_a5001f7f	comment	Chekhov's Classroom: Major Gates describes sepsis during a graphic shot of a bullet penetrating internal organs. Later, one character is shot in the chest and another character dies of sepsis.
Three Kings / int_a5001f7f	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_a5001f7f	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_a5001f7f
Three Kings / int_a5a4c9a2	type	Majorly Awesome
Three Kings / int_a5a4c9a2	comment	Majorly Awesome: Subverted to a degree with Major Gates. Although he is a decorated Special Forces officer who is serving with Delta Force, he's also a lecherous, apathetic, and rather crass burnout case who seems disillusioned with both the military and his life. Overall not what one imagines when they think of a fabled officer.
Three Kings / int_a5a4c9a2	featureApplicability	-0.3
Three Kings / int_a5a4c9a2	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_a5a4c9a2
Three Kings / int_a7382a73	type	Imagine Spot
Three Kings / int_a7382a73	comment	Imagine Spot: Used several times in the film, such as with Vig recalling Troy shooting an Iraqi soldier, and later Troy imagining his wife and child at home as a bomb blows up their house.
Three Kings / int_a7382a73	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_a7382a73	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_a7382a73
Three Kings / int_aa42306e	type	Totally Radical
Three Kings / int_aa42306e	comment	Totally Radical: A minor example. During the torture scene, Saïd continually refers to Troy as "my main man," and at one point asks him to "save us the big bummer" before Troy confirms that, no, the US will not be going on to depose Saddam. Both are rather dated slang for a movie set in the first Gulf War. Justified in two ways, first because he learned English during the Iran-Iraq war, (which ran from 1980-88) when it was likely still in style, and second there's a chance that he is deliberately mocking Barlow and the US in general.
Three Kings / int_aa42306e	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_aa42306e	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_aa42306e
Three Kings / int_aaece264	type	Rousing Speech
Three Kings / int_aaece264	comment	Rousing Speech: Hilariously Subverted; in an effort to try and get some free cars off of the Iraqi rebels, Major Gates tries to get them pumped up by telling them that "President Bush needs them", although he does succeed in getting them roused up, the rebel leader still flatly tells him no.
Three Kings / int_aaece264	featureApplicability	-0.3
Three Kings / int_aaece264	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_aaece264
Three Kings / int_abad35b4	type	Soundtrack Dissonance
Three Kings / int_abad35b4	comment	Soundtrack Dissonance: Watching a pair of American soldiers charging into a village with the Beach Boys blaring in the background is quite jarring to say the least. Done once more during the prison raid when amidst all the chaos Chicago's If you leave me now can be heard playing silently in the car radio.
Three Kings / int_abad35b4	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_abad35b4	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_abad35b4
Three Kings / int_acecb17d	type	Chekhov's Skill
Three Kings / int_acecb17d	comment	Chekhov's Skill: Chief Elgin's day job is an airport baggage handler. This comes in handy when he knows which pieces of luggage can handle the weight of the gold.
Three Kings / int_acecb17d	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_acecb17d	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_acecb17d
Three Kings / int_ad1db87c	type	Oh, Crap!
Three Kings / int_ad1db87c	comment	Oh, Crap!: The reaction of Conrad and the Iraqi rebels when they see an enemy attack chopper coming their way.
Three Kings / int_ad1db87c	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_ad1db87c	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_ad1db87c
Three Kings / int_af4d6174	type	Setting Update
Three Kings / int_af4d6174	comment	Setting Update: The basic premise is Kelly's Heroes DURING DESERT STORM!. This also translates to updated stance on military and war in general.
Three Kings / int_af4d6174	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_af4d6174	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_af4d6174
Three Kings / int_b06bbf4b	type	Be Careful What You Wish For
Three Kings / int_b06bbf4b	comment	Be Careful What You Wish For: On their way to the gold bunker Conrad laments how none of them got to see any action during the war. Major Gates then pulls over the humvee to show them the charred corpse of an Iraqi soldier who was killed by a bombing. In order to give the troops a first hand look of what "action" looks like.
Three Kings / int_b06bbf4b	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_b06bbf4b	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_b06bbf4b
Three Kings / int_b1ed00fa	type	Ranger
Three Kings / int_b1ed00fa	comment	Ranger: Along with being a decorated Special Forces officer, and Delta Force operative. Major Gates is also an accomplished Army Ranger.
Three Kings / int_b1ed00fa	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_b1ed00fa	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_b1ed00fa
Three Kings / int_b4a6ae4c	type	Everyone Has Standards
Three Kings / int_b4a6ae4c	comment	Everyone Has Standards: Although the main American soldiers were obviously stealing gold from the Iraqis, after seeing an innocent Iraqi woman executed, even Gates realizes that they probably went too far in their heist. Though the gold is still their ultimate goal, they also do what they can to help the Iraqi rebels as well after this incident.
Three Kings / int_b4a6ae4c	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_b4a6ae4c	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_b4a6ae4c
Three Kings / int_b53077b3	type	Take That!
Three Kings / int_b53077b3	comment	Take That!: When the Americans are apprehending the Iraqi soldiers in their search for the stolen gold we get this exchange between Troy and one of the Iraqis.
Three Kings / int_b53077b3	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_b53077b3	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_b53077b3
Three Kings / int_b707726f	type	Hypocritical Humor
Three Kings / int_b707726f	comment	Amusingly he has no such problem with the equally derisive terms "towel head" and "camel jockey"
Three Kings / int_b707726f	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_b707726f	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_b707726f
Three Kings / int_b77808f2	type	"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
Three Kings / int_b77808f2	comment	"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: The ending shows what each of the surviving characters do afterwards, along with the supposedly missing gold the Iraqis claim they have no knowledge of. Chief Elgin left his job at the airport to go and work with Major Gates as a military adviser in Hollywood. Troy Barlow has returned to his wife and daughter, and decides to leave behind both his office job and the military in favor of opening up a carpet store in Detroit.
Three Kings / int_b77808f2	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_b77808f2	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_b77808f2
Three Kings / int_b9f472b	type	Storming the Castle
Three Kings / int_b9f472b	comment	Storming the Castle: The climax involves the American soldiers and Iraqi rebels launching a raid on a prison in order to rescue Troy.
Three Kings / int_b9f472b	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_b9f472b	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_b9f472b
Three Kings / int_be5d0950	type	Aloof Leader, Affable Subordinate
Three Kings / int_be5d0950	comment	Aloof Leader, Affable Subordinate: Captain Doug Van Meter is the resident hardass, while Sergeant First Class Troy Barlow is the more laid back and easy going one.
Three Kings / int_be5d0950	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_be5d0950	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_be5d0950
Three Kings / int_bffb777a	type	Sawed-Off Shotgun
Three Kings / int_bffb777a	comment	Sawed-Off Shotgun: Conrad is shown using a sawed off Remington in a montage showing the main characters day jobs back home.
Three Kings / int_bffb777a	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_bffb777a	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_bffb777a
Three Kings / int_c10d1dcb	type	California Doubling
Three Kings / int_c10d1dcb	comment	California Doubling: The film was shot in the American Southwest, mostly in Arizona but some in California and Mexico.
Three Kings / int_c10d1dcb	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_c10d1dcb	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c10d1dcb
Three Kings / int_c18c22e8	type	Colonel Kilgore
Three Kings / int_c18c22e8	comment	Colonel Kilgore: The four main American soldiers encounter an exceptionally nasty Iraqi Republican Guard officer whose establishing moment involves him ordering the execution of an innocent woman in clear view of her family. Naturally this does not sit well with Major Gates and his squad.
Three Kings / int_c18c22e8	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_c18c22e8	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c18c22e8
Three Kings / int_c1b2c63f	type	Dull Surprise
Three Kings / int_c1b2c63f	comment	Dull Surprise: Troy's reaction to discovering a map in a man's ass.
Three Kings / int_c1b2c63f	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_c1b2c63f	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c1b2c63f
Three Kings / int_c3585f4a	type	Boom, Headshot!
Three Kings / int_c3585f4a	comment	Boom, Headshot!: Vig claims that Troy did this to an Iraqi soldier when recalling an event that occurred at the beginning of the film. This isn't exactly accurate. How Major Gates deals with a sadistic Iraqi Republican Guard officer, in retaliation for him ordering the execution of an innocent woman. Complete with the man's blood splattering onto his face.
Three Kings / int_c3585f4a	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_c3585f4a	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c3585f4a
Three Kings / int_c45c9fcd	type	Ass Shove
Three Kings / int_c45c9fcd	comment	Ass Shove: How the Treasure Map is hidden. The map is consistently referred to as the "Iraqi ass-map".
Three Kings / int_c45c9fcd	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_c45c9fcd	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c45c9fcd
Three Kings / int_c4b8e2ae	type	One-Woman Wail
Three Kings / int_c4b8e2ae	comment	One-Woman Wail: To be expected in a movie that takes place in the desert; happens toward the end.
Three Kings / int_c4b8e2ae	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_c4b8e2ae	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c4b8e2ae
Three Kings / int_c515d358	type	America Saves the Day
Three Kings / int_c515d358	comment	America Saves the Day: Deconstructed; although the four American soldiers do eventually help out the Iraqi refugees, it was their selfish scheme to steal gold that landed them in trouble in the first place.
Three Kings / int_c515d358	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_c515d358	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c515d358
Three Kings / int_c547cd6d	type	Bulletproof Vest
Three Kings / int_c547cd6d	comment	Bulletproof Vest: Played straight when Troy is shot by an Iraqi Republican Guard in a heated firefight. The vest manages to stop the bullet and save his life.
Three Kings / int_c547cd6d	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_c547cd6d	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c547cd6d
Three Kings / int_c558da6a	type	Gunship Rescue
Three Kings / int_c558da6a	comment	Gunship Rescue: Inverted; the attack helicopter that shows up at the climax is an enemy chopper, and its presence helps turns the tide of battle in the enemy's favor. Momentarily at least, before Chief Elgin blows it to kingdom come with a football rigged with C4.
Three Kings / int_c558da6a	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_c558da6a	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c558da6a
Three Kings / int_c64a7400	type	Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys
Three Kings / int_c64a7400	comment	Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys: Averted with Major Gates' French friend, who is both a decorated Special Forces officer and helps the main characters transport the Iraqi refugees across the Iraq-Iran border near the end of the film.
Three Kings / int_c64a7400	featureApplicability	-1.0
Three Kings / int_c64a7400	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c64a7400
Three Kings / int_c8a8c595	type	Retirony
Three Kings / int_c8a8c595	comment	Retirony: Averted against all odds with Troy Barlow, who throughout the events in the film is shot in the chest (while wearing a kevlar vest), exposed to tear gas, captured by Iraqi soldiers, brutally tortured, shot again (this time without a vest), and still survives to go home to his wife and newborn daughter. In a tragic case of irony it's actually his friend Conrad (who self-admittedly has no family to go home to), who ends up ends up dying. The same goes for Major Gates, whose bio even mentions how he is only two weeks away from retirement, as if to cast doubt over whether or not he will live to see his retirement. He does.
Three Kings / int_c8a8c595	featureApplicability	-1.0
Three Kings / int_c8a8c595	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_c8a8c595
Three Kings / int_ca895242	type	Officer and a Gentleman
Three Kings / int_ca895242	comment	Officer and a Gentleman: Very much averted with Major Gates. The man swears like a sailor, mouths off to his superior officer, and shows not a single ounce of chivalry. Much to the chagrin of his superior officer.
Three Kings / int_ca895242	featureApplicability	-1.0
Three Kings / int_ca895242	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_ca895242
Three Kings / int_ce6555f0	type	Lighter and Softer
Three Kings / int_ce6555f0	comment	Lighter and Softer: To war movies in general. Although the film certainly has it's dark moments, the comedic bits and overall nonchalant attitude the soldiers seem to have about their predicament softens it up compared to the usual War Is Hell type film.
Three Kings / int_ce6555f0	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_ce6555f0	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_ce6555f0
Three Kings / int_d001c42c	type	Anti-Villain
Three Kings / int_d001c42c	comment	Anti-Villain: In contrast to the usual Hollywood depiction of Arab villains. Säid lacks any of the sadistic tendencies that are common in similar films and is instead shown as a family man who only joined Saddam's army in order to provide for his wife and child. Which makes it all the more tragic when we learn that his wife was maimed and his son was killed by a bomb during the war, and makes his hatred of the United States more easy to understand.
Three Kings / int_d001c42c	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_d001c42c	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_d001c42c
Three Kings / int_d1f4d528	type	Treasure Map
Three Kings / int_d1f4d528	comment	Treasure Map: Found in a surrendering soldier's butt, and referred to as the "Iraqi ass map".
Three Kings / int_d1f4d528	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_d1f4d528	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_d1f4d528
Three Kings / int_d29e7760	type	Southern-Fried Private
Three Kings / int_d29e7760	comment	Southern-Fried Private: Conrad Vig. For one, he's easily the dumbest of the four, he calls Iraqis "dune coons", and he repeatedly threatens to shoot Iraqi prisoners whenever he's dealing with them, although he later learns to sympathize with the Iraqi locals as part of his character development. Special mention goes to him rigging a football with C4. Ditto for Walter Wogeman, who is depicted as even more idiotic and hopelessly incompetent than Conrad is.
Three Kings / int_d29e7760	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_d29e7760	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_d29e7760
Three Kings / int_d39e327f	type	What the Hell, Hero?
Three Kings / int_d39e327f	comment	What the Hell, Hero?: The Iraqi refugees completely chew out the American soldiers for the damage that they and their military have done to their country, and demand to know where is "Bush and his great army" now that they need them the most.
Three Kings / int_d39e327f	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_d39e327f	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_d39e327f
Three Kings / int_d54b9eb3	type	Inter-Service Rivalry
Three Kings / int_d54b9eb3	comment	Interservice Rivalry: Notably averted; Major Gates is Army Special Forces and his squadmates are simple Civil Affair soldiers, yet there is never any sign of disparagement between branch members.
Three Kings / int_d54b9eb3	featureApplicability	-1.0
Three Kings / int_d54b9eb3	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_d54b9eb3
Three Kings / int_d5b7a6e3	type	Denied Food as Punishment
Three Kings / int_d5b7a6e3	comment	Denied Food as Punishment: Saddam's answer to the rebel uprising is to punish the villagers by depriving them of food and water so they all starve to death, going so far as to prevent a milk truck from entering a village by blowing it the fuck up with an RPG.
Three Kings / int_d5b7a6e3	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_d5b7a6e3	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_d5b7a6e3
Three Kings / int_d5c7b415	type	Elites Are More Glamorous
Three Kings / int_d5c7b415	comment	Elites Are More Glamorous: Subverted with Maj. Gates, as he is a decorated Ranger/Special Forces officer who is serving with Delta Force for his last month in the Army. Whose establishing moment involves him getting caught trading stories in exchange for sex. Which kinda soils the whole glamorous part. Averted with the rest of the lead cast, who are merely simple Civil Affairs soldiers.
Three Kings / int_d5c7b415	featureApplicability	-0.3
Three Kings / int_d5c7b415	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_d5c7b415
Three Kings / int_d80e9526	type	Sex for Services
Three Kings / int_d80e9526	comment	Sex for Services: Used by sleazy reporter Cathy Daitch in order to get information out of Major Gates.
Three Kings / int_d80e9526	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_d80e9526	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_d80e9526
Three Kings / int_d9cf40fa	type	Screw This, I'm Outta Here
Three Kings / int_d9cf40fa	comment	Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Done by one of Saddam's soldiers after being shot in the hand during the raid on the prison.
Three Kings / int_d9cf40fa	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_d9cf40fa	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_d9cf40fa
Three Kings / int_db33bc7e	type	Ludicrous Gibs
Three Kings / int_db33bc7e	comment	Ludicrous Gibs: The results of a very unfortunate cow stepping on a cluster bomb.
Three Kings / int_db33bc7e	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_db33bc7e	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_db33bc7e
Three Kings / int_dc0ca62a	type	Public Execution
Three Kings / int_dc0ca62a	comment	Public Execution: See Colonel Kilgore above.
Three Kings / int_dc0ca62a	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_dc0ca62a	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_dc0ca62a
Three Kings / int_e061d153	type	Sergeant Rock
Three Kings / int_e061d153	comment	Sergeant Rock: Subverted with Sergeant First Class Troy Barlow. Although he is a trained and capable Sergeant in his own right. He's every bit as fallible as the rest of his squad, and addresses his troops in a more polite, nonchalant manner, as oppose to the more stern and harsh way that is common for this trope. He also isn't exactly gung-ho about going into battle, and is the most reluctant about wanting to continue on with the heist after a botched first attempt. Amusingly, it's actually the lower-ranked Staff Sergeant Chief Elgin who better fits the image of the classic Hollywood type Sergeant. Stern, no nonsense, and hard as a rock.
Three Kings / int_e061d153	featureApplicability	-0.3
Three Kings / int_e061d153	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_e061d153
Three Kings / int_e0789c2a	type	Your Head A-Splode
Three Kings / int_e0789c2a	comment	Everything was going fine, they got the gold in the truck, then some Iraqi soldier is ordered to shoot some woman in the head. He does.
Three Kings / int_e0789c2a	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_e0789c2a	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_e0789c2a
Three Kings / int_e394c5d	type	Color Wash
Three Kings / int_e394c5d	comment	Color Wash: Director David O Russell intentionally gave the film a bleached-high contrast look in an effort to try and reproduce "the odd color of the newspaper images of the Gulf War". Which was one of the many experimental filming techniques that were employed by Russell.
Three Kings / int_e394c5d	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_e394c5d	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_e394c5d
Three Kings / int_e663d3ef	type	Only a Flesh Wound
Three Kings / int_e663d3ef	comment	Only a Flesh Wound: Played with; Both Conrad and Troy are shot within minutes of each other. With Conrad being hit in the shoulder and Troy being hit in the chest. The other characters naturally tend to the more seriously injured Troy first, and thanks to this he survives. Conrad on the other hand dies within minutes, due to being infected with sepsis poisoning.
Three Kings / int_e663d3ef	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_e663d3ef	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_e663d3ef
Three Kings / int_e9454d0f	type	Blood-Splattered Warrior
Three Kings / int_e9454d0f	comment	Blood-Splattered Warrior: Played with; the main American soldiers do get covered in blood out on the field, but it's as a result of a cow stepping on a cluster bomb and having it's guts sprayed all over them. As oppose to being involved in any serious action. When the Iraqi soldiers see them, they naturally assume that they must have committed something truly gruesome in order to have been drenched in blood.
Three Kings / int_e9454d0f	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_e9454d0f	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_e9454d0f
Three Kings / int_e9f79e23	type	Screw the War, We're Partying
Three Kings / int_e9f79e23	comment	Screw the War, We're Partying: Our earliest glimpse into the lives of the soldiers involves us watching them engage in all manner of debauchery. From dancing in broad daylight in the middle of an Army camp, to rocking out to Public Enemy at night with plenty of (unauthorized) liquor. Although to be fair, the war had just ended.
Three Kings / int_e9f79e23	featureApplicability	1.0
Three Kings / int_e9f79e23	featureConfidence	1.0
Three Kings	hasFeature	Three Kings / int_e9f79e23
Three Kings / int_eb8f64a6	type	No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Three Kings / int_eb8f64a6	comment	No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: The four American soldiers have no problem with sneaking off to go steal some gold. But just as they are about to take off with the stolen gold, they witness an innocent Iraqi woman executed in the streets as a result of their selfish actions. It's this moment that convinces them to take a detour from their heist and help out the Iraqi prisoners. Unfortunately for them, it's this one selfless act that ends up getting them into some serious shit.
Three Kings / int_eb8f64a6	featureApplicability	1.0
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Three Kings / int_f1d6144a	type	War Is Hell
Three Kings / int_f1d6144a	comment	War Is Hell: Downplayed example. Although the film takes place after The Gulf War just ended and includes copious amounts of black comedy to offset the otherwise dark subject matter. The film isn't afraid to point out just how horrific some of the events during the war were. Such as when Major Gates shows the troops the charred remains of an Iraqi soldier who was buried alive, and goes on to explain some of the more gruesome tactics that were used by the military.
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Three Kings / int_f511ea9b	type	Product Placement
Three Kings / int_f511ea9b	comment	Product Placement: A Slim Jim shows up strangely enough in the hands of an Iraqi Republican Guard. Unfortunately he doesn't get a chance to enjoy it as the American soldiers/Iraqi rebels soon lay siege to the prison that he is stationed at.
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Three Kings / int_f64a9cf7	type	Earn Your Happy Ending
Three Kings / int_f64a9cf7	comment	Earn Your Happy Ending: By the end of the adventure our heroes have been shot at, exposed to tear gas, with one of them being captured and put through a truly brutal torture process that involves electrocution and being forced to drink oil. Said hero is eventually rescued by his comrades but unfortunately one of the heroes is killed in the raid. And just as our heroes are about to be safely escort the Iraqi refugees across the Iraq/Iran border... they are stopped by the US military who arrest the heroes and have the Iraqi refugees recaptured. Thanks to some quick thinking on Major Gates part they are able to strike a deal with the US military and manage to get the refugees safe passage into Iran. However our heroes are still expected to answer for their crimes in a federal court, but thanks to Adriana's reporting they are cleared of any charges and have more than earned their happy ending.
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Three Kings / int_f8b893e5	type	Get-Rich-Quick Scheme
Three Kings / int_f8b893e5	comment	Get-Rich-Quick Scheme: Major Gate's plans to steal the gold from the Iraqis. Which turns out to be much harder in practice than in theory.
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Three Kings / int_f9f2c33	type	Running Gag
Three Kings / int_f9f2c33	comment	Running Gag: Throughout the movie Elgin and Troy can be heard arguing over which car manufacturer produces convertibles. This is finally resolved when an Iraqi rebel confirms Elgin's belief.
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Three Kings / int_fb7bc4a8	type	Never Trust a Title
Three Kings / int_fb7bc4a8	comment	Never Trust a Title: There are four main characters. Given that one of them dies, maybe that's clever Foreshadowing.
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Three Kings / int_fd32c5a1	type	Don't Make Me Destroy You
Three Kings / int_fd32c5a1	comment	Don't Make Me Destroy You: A variation is said by Specialist Walter Wogeman to Adriana Cruz when she tries to steal his dune buggy. Unfortunately for him she calls his bluff and takes his dune buggy anyways.
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Three Kings / int_ffad4e9f	type	Shown Their Work
Three Kings / int_ffad4e9f	comment	Shown Their Work: Thanks to the help of a military adviser who served during the Gulf War. Many of the details in the film, from the uniforms, gear, squad tactics are all appropriate to the setting and time period, with the filmmakers going so far as to have the actors undergo extensive training in military tactics before filming began in order to ensure maximum authenticity. A few notable details include: Major Gates' patches; Airborne, Ranger, and Special Forces tabs (meaning he completed the Special Forces qualifications course), and overall appearance is exactly what a SF soldier would wear. In one scene Major Gates disarms an Iraqi soldier who was threatening a women with a knife, and the hand to hand combat that he uses is the same technique that is taught and used by real life Special Forces. The strange little cartoon cards that the Iraqis are seen with are accurate representations of the "surrender" cards that the US forces dropped over Iraqi forces during Operation: Desert Storm. Major Gates' description of what a bullet does to the human body is quite possibly the most realistic description of a bullet wound in any Hollywood film. He explains penetrating abdominal trauma accurately; the abdomen has a number of organs with large blood supplies, and several which accommodate normally benign bacterial colonies that can become severe infections outside them. Quite possibly the crowning example of this trope is how the filmmakers hired an actual anti-Saddam dissident who along with his brother had personally defaced over 300 of Saddam's murals during the Gulf War. And in an ironic twist his job was to paint the murals of Saddam that are seen throughout the film. Shown their work indeed.
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The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

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Three Kings	hasFeature	Bribe Backfire / int_892bbfb8
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Three Kings	hasFeature	Do with Him as You Will / int_892bbfb8
Three Kings	hasFeature	During the War / int_892bbfb8
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Three Kings	hasFeature	Instant Drama, Just Add Tracheotomy / int_892bbfb8
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Three Kings	hasFeature	Treasure Map / int_892bbfb8
Three Kings	hasFeature	20 Minutes into the Past / int_892bbfb8

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