Wild Horse Nine, in theaters November 6, follows CIA agents Lee and Chris on a trip to Easter Island, where they hope for a break from their work connected to the lead-up to Augusto Pinochet’s coup in Chile. The setup may recall Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges, but the film takes the director into different territory by placing its characters’ misadventures against a backdrop of political violence and foreign interference.
The film’s central pleasure is the friction between its leads. Sam Rockwell plays Lee, whose loyalties are divided between his partner and the agency, while John Malkovich’s Chris is an experienced, unpredictable operative. Their exchanges move between insults, absurd observations and sharp comic timing, giving the story the feel of a companionable hangout movie without losing sight of the consequences of the characters’ work.
McDonagh’s screenplay is a major strength. Its jokes often build through small contests for control between the characters, with early lines returning later as punchlines. The review also highlights Parker Posey as Lee’s wife, Margie, and Steve Buscemi as MJ, the CIA official who considers Chris a liability.
Malkovich gives Chris a layered performance, balancing his provocative behavior with a search for redemption. His encounters with Monica, a young progressive Chilean woman played by Mariana di Girolamo, push him to reckon with his past and his remaining capacity for empathy. Rockwell and Malkovich’s chemistry makes their bickering feel effortless, while the performances give the film’s moral tensions a human focus.
The story shares In Bruges’ interest in guilt, loyalty and redemption, but its historical setting broadens those themes. By linking the agents’ island trip to the events surrounding Pinochet’s coup, Wild Horse Nine asks viewers to consider the wider impact of political meddling while keeping its comedy intact.
The cinematography, by Ben Davis, evokes the film’s 1970s setting with grainy, saturated imagery and occasional Super 8-style framing. Easter Island’s moai and other vistas are given room to register, while the camera moves into closer shots as the story grows more intimate. The review’s verdict: Wild Horse Nine is a funny, engaging film, elevated by McDonagh’s script and the nuanced performances of Rockwell and Malkovich.
Sources: IGN.