Is the Three Kings a true war story?

In the 1999 film Three Kings it takes you to the aftermath or the Persian Gulf War.  This movie is known for its unorthodox take on war, trying to present to the viewer how insane modern warfare has become.  But is this take on a war story considered a true war story?  In the novel The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien he explains how to tell a true war story.  According this criteria from O’Brien Three Kings is a true war story because he states “a true war story is never moral.  It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things men have always done.(p.65)”  He also tells us “and in the end, of course, a true war story is never about war.  It’s about sunlight.  It’s about the special way that dawn spreads out on a river when you know you must cross the river and march into the mountains and do things you are afraid to do.(p.81)”  

Three Kings is a true war story according to O’Brien because he states  ““a true war story is never moral.  It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things men have always done.(p.65)”  In the beginning of this film a soldier shoots an enemy's head off.  They’re are cheers and a soldier exclaimed “ take my picture with the dead guy!” This act of disrespect to the dead is immoral.  I believe the soldier reacted that way as a kind of survival mechanism.  Seeing the true horror of war everyday and really trying to cope and process it can drive you insane.  Laughing it off and ignoring how awful everything going on around you makes you numb to situations like these.  Another example of this numbness is when the soldiers throw a party with a lot of guns and someone is wearing a turban.  This is an immoral act and back in the states they would be personally attacked by it.  But in their army camps it is like their own world, doing whatever they can so they don’t go crazy. Also when the American soldiers are working on getting the gold and the civilians go crazy and a mother is killed right in front of her daughter.  The woman was not carrying a gun, not an immediate threat but was still killed right in front of her young daughter.  Taking an innocent life is “never moral” but according to Tim O’Brien that’s war.

Furthermore Tim O’Brien states “and in the end, of course, a true war story is never about war.  It’s about sunlight.  It’s about the special way that dawn spreads out on a river when you know you must cross the river and march into the mountains and do things you are afraid to do.(p.81)”  When the soldiers have the idea to go to Kuwait to take the gold it is for the sole purpose of personal gain.  They are not doing it as a army mission they are doing it so they can buy their Rolex watches and convertibles.  This example makes the story about greed and not war.  On this risky mission Troy Barlow is about to be tortured in a hidden cell he finds a phone and calls his wife and tells her how much he loves and misses her.  This scene makes the viewer take a step back from the action and chaos happening in the small town and realize he is here for his family and wants to return to his family.  The story isn't about war is it about all the soldiers desperate attempts to fight for their country so they can go back to it.  Another example of this in the film is in the end of the film when the soldiers were discharged back to America.  This was not a story about war but a story about love and teamwork that landed them back into their homes.       

The playful and humorous tone of this movie made it stand out from the other war movies I have seen.  Being a teenage kid who has never been to war the movie kept me engaged with the jokes and stunts, but, I could imagine veterans being taken aback or even offended by the insensitive content.  Another touchy subject this movie touched on was the role of women in the military.  The only women you see in this movie are newscasters who are very dramatic and one of them is sleeping with an officer.  This film definitely tries to break the barrier of war movies but I did not enjoy it.  Even though personally I did not enjoy the movie or what it symbolized it is still a true war story according to O’Brien's criteria.