Three Kings 1999

In the aftermath of the Gulf War’s triumphant conclusion in March 1991, a sense of revelry permeates the American military camp. Army Reserve Sergeant First Class Troy Barlow (Mark Wahlberg) and his comrades, including Private First Class Conrad Vig (Spike Jonze), are still riding high on their recent victory, treating the war like one long, raucous frat party. Amidst the jubilation, a seemingly surrendered Iraqi Regular Army soldier is taken down by Troy after attempting to point his weapon at him. The American forces’ exuberance is tempered only slightly as they begin to disarm and search the surrendering enemy troops.

As the soldiers rummage through the Iraqis’ belongings, a surprising discovery is made: a mysterious document tucked away in an unexpected location. The map-like document sparks intense curiosity among Troy and his colleagues, including Chief Elgin (Ice Cube), who’s enjoying a four-month paid vacation from Detroit. Rather than reporting their find to their commanding officer, Troy decides to keep the information under wraps and share it with Chief instead. Meanwhile, Specialist Walter Wogeman (Jamie Kennedy) stands guard outside the tent, blissfully unaware of the excitement brewing within.

Meanwhile, Major Archie Gates (George Clooney), a seasoned Special Forces soldier, is indulging in a flirtatious game of cat and mouse with journalist Cathy Daitch (Judy Greer). Their playful repartee is interrupted by Adriana Cruz (Nora Dunn), a driven television reporter with a reputation for being a five-time Emmy runner-up. Archie’s imminent retirement from the army in two weeks adds an air of urgency to his interactions with Adriana, who desperately needs a story that will finally secure her the elusive Emmy.

As rumors swirl about a secret map supposedly hidden in the possession of an Iraqi soldier, Cathy confides in Archie about the whispers. Unbeknownst to them, Troy and his friends are hot on the trail of their own discovery, working tirelessly to decipher the cryptic document’s secrets. The stakes become even higher when Archie is ordered to collaborate with Adriana to find her a story on base.

With Archie avoiding Adriana at all costs, he tracks down Troy and his companions, who are huddled around a table, meticulously matching landmarks and locations on their makeshift map with those on an actual map of the region. Archie’s persuasive abilities convince the trio that the document is actually a treasure map leading to Saddam Hussein’s bunkers, which allegedly contain gold bullion pilfered from Kuwait during the war.

The tantalizing prospect of scoring a life-changing windfall drives Troy and his friends to decide that stealing the gold is the perfect way to fund their retirements. With Archie’s guidance, they set off on a daring adventure, leaving the military camp behind in search of Saddam’s hidden treasure.

Conrad’s eagerness for action is tempered by Archie’s harrowing experience of war, which has left him wary of conflict. Instead, Archie yearns to acquire the coveted gold without resorting to violence. Meanwhile, Walter remains behind at base, tasked with ferrying Adriana around and keeping her insulated from the gold’s sordid tale.

In a remarkable display of restraint, American forces utilize President Bush’s cease-fire orders to seize control of bunkers held by Iraqi troops, who had been eagerly awaiting rescue by the US army. The bunkers, previously guarded by the Iraqi Republican Guard, are now free for the Americans to explore, as the villagers emerge from their hiding places, sensing that the US has come to liberate them from Saddam’s tyranny.

However, this period of relative calm is short-lived, as a misinterpreted oil tanker turns out to be an innocent milk truck, blown up by the Americans in a precautionary measure gone awry. As the team delves deeper into the bunkers, they uncover deplorable conditions that attest to Saddam’s brutal treatment of his own people, who refused to rise up against the invading US forces.

It is amidst these ruins that they stumble upon the gold, guarded by the Iraqi Republican Guard, yet oddly cooperative in light of the cease-fire. They even lend a hand to Archie as he loads the precious metal into their Humvee. As they depart, they witness the poignant interrogation of Amir Abdullah (Cliff Curtis), whose wife pleads with them not to abandon the anti-Saddam dissidents.

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Amir’s wife is executed by the Iraqi Republican Guard, prompting the group to free the imprisoned Iraqis, which sparks a firefight. They narrowly escape just as reinforcements arrive on the scene, fueled by the knowledge that Saddam will exact brutal revenge upon their families for releasing the gold.

As they attempt to evade a CS gas attack, the Americans blunder into a minefield, becoming separated in the process. Iraqi soldiers capture Troy, while a group of rebels rescues the other American soldiers and whisks them away to an underground hideout. There, Conrad, Chief, and Archie agree to aid the rebels and their families in reaching the Iranian border, where they hope to find safety from Saddam’s wrath.

The rebels argue that if left behind, they will be slaughtered in Iraq, with Saddam’s soldiers never permitting them to cross the border. Their only hope lies in the American soldiers’ assistance, which would enable them to reach the border and start anew.

As Adriana and Walter navigated the treacherous terrain of Karbala, they were confronted with a hail of bullets from Iraqi forces ravaging local villages. Despite being robbed and coming under intense fire, they managed to emerge unscathed, their determination unwavering in the face of adversity. Meanwhile, Troy found himself trapped in an underground bunker, surrounded by the hum of Kuwaiti cell phones. With his wits about him, he seized the opportunity to call his wife, instructing her to alert his local Army Reserve unit of his location before being dragged away to an interrogation room.

There, Captain Said (Said Taghmaoui), a ruthless Iraqi intelligence officer, subjected Troy to a barrage of electric shocks and humiliation, exploiting the American’s deep-seated guilt over the country’s involvement in the region. As the torture continued, Troy was forced to swallow a foul concoction of motor oil, a painful reminder of the devastating consequences of war on innocent civilians like Said, who had lost his family during the American bombing of Baghdad.

The trio eventually reunited with a band of Iraqi Army deserters willing to aid their quest by supplying them with a fleet of luxury cars plundered from Kuwait. These prized possessions proved instrumental in their mission to rescue Troy and demoralize the defenders of the bunker by spreading a chilling rumor: Saddam himself was coming to exact brutal vengeance on his perceived enemies.

With this clever ruse, they stormed the bunker, liberating not only Troy but also numerous Shi’ite prisoners from its depths. As they made their way back out into the open, they were ambushed by an Iraqi helicopter gunship, which Chief promptly dispatched with a cunningly rigged Nerf ball packed with explosives.

As the battle-hardened group navigated the treacherous landscape, Conrad and Troy fell prey to a hail of bullets from returning Republican Guards. Despite their valiant efforts, Conrad succumbed to his wounds, while Troy’s punctured lung required a flutter valve to be implanted in his chest, allowing him to breathe despite his grave injuries.

As they regrouped and planned their next move, Archie orchestrated transportation for the group, offering the drivers a handsome $100,000 each. With the Shi’ite refugees safely aboard, he distributed gold bars among them before burying the rest, his ultimate goal being to facilitate their escape across the heavily guarded Iranian border.

However, their hopes were dashed as they were intercepted by American soldiers and taken into custody. Archie, ever the pragmatist, offered the remaining gold to his fellow Americans in exchange for allowing the refugees passage, a stark reminder of the moral complexities that arise when national interests collide with humanitarian concerns.

As the credits roll, the curtain closes on a triumphant note, with the military personnel finally cleared of their dubious allegations thanks in large part to the tireless efforts of investigative journalist Adriana Cruz (no specific actress mentioned). The ripple effects of her exposé are far-reaching, as Archie and Chief - those erstwhile protagonists of controversy - pivot towards a new career trajectory, utilizing their unique blend of military acumen and media savvy to advise action-packed film productions. Meanwhile, Troy has traded in his combat boots for a life behind the counter, now proudly helming his own carpet emporium.

In a satisfying coda, the long-lost treasure is finally restored to its rightful owners in Kuwait, albeit with a hint of disappointment as the authorities concede that not all of the gold was recovered - a tantalizing reminder that even in victory, there can be lingering shadows of uncertainty.