But there has been a steady stream of pictures that go a different route. "M*A*S*H" made us laugh, "Apocalypse Now" confused us and "Platoon" made us angry, but not at those who fought.

"Three Kings" isn't on the same level as some of those movies, except maybe "M*A*S*H" because, in spots, this movie will make you laugh. But it will also make you think. Quick, when was the last time an Arab or someone of the Muslim faith was not depicted as a bomb-wielding maniac?

Yes there's some violence, and even some racist remarks about Arabs at the beginning of the film, but it's a prelude for what comes later - a shifting of attitudes that plays a major role in the film's conclusion.

And we get to see Arabs caring for their own and a brief insight into their religion.

George Clooney ("Batman & Robin," "Out of Sight") gives his best performance to date in a feature film. He's Archie Gates, a special forces captain who concocts a plan to steal Kuwaiti gold which was stolen by Saddam Hussein. He enlists Troy Barlow (Mark Wahlberg), Chief Elgin (Ice Cube) and Conrad Vig (Spike Jones) to help. It's a simple plan, raid a village to get the gold and get out.

But things backfire. He didn't expect to care about the Kuwaities being slaughtered by Hussein's army.

But he does. He makes a decision to help, which, ironically, is actually against army policy.

The surprise is Ice Cube. He hasn't been this good in a movie since his debut in "Boyz 'N' The Hood.

His Elgin character is deeply religious, not too unlike the character LL Cool J played in "Deep Blue Sea."

And like that character, Elgin is critical to the film's outcome.

David O. Russell, director and writer of the film, does a marvelous job of letting the actors do their thing. The excellent script allows them to get into the characters, to make the audience care for them and what they are about to do. It's a script that doesn't preach - you decide what's right or wrong.

But it does give the people of Kuwait and even Iraq a face.

Even in the brief scenes of torture, it's clear the Americans, Kuwaitis and Iraqis are cut from the same cloth and have the same desires ­ freedom.

"Three Kings" is gritty, funny and joyously entertaining. Talk of a best picture Oscar nomination isn't out of line. This is a good film with strong performances. Let the race begin.

Rating: ***** Classic; **** Excellent ; *** Good;
** Fair; * Why?; No stars - A mess