In Wild Horse Nine, Martin McDonagh continues with more of the same. And when “the same” is hilariously dark comedy, geopolitical drama, amazing acting performances, and emotionally complex friendships, there is nothing wrong with that at all.
The short, spoiler-free version of the story is two veteran CIA agents (Chris and Lee, played by John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell, respectively) head to Easter Island for a vacation. You can tell from the beginning something is a bit off (why are these two CIA guys vacationing together? Do they not see enough of each other on their espionage escapades?). Some drama ensues.
Thankfully, the film doesn’t leave you in the dark for too long with exactly what the dynamics are here. It’s a better film for that decision. Rather than leaving their backstory until a third act reveal, it reveals to the viewer early on about the stakes and motivations for the characters, which informs their interactions in little ways that give the film more weight and emotional clarity.
Given that the film is set in 1970s South America and featuring CIA agents, there’s an inevitable political commentary component. This part is a bit less interesting than the character study of the film’s two protagonists, though. After all, in retrospect, it’s pretty obvious that the United States’ secretive exploits to destabilize democracies wasn’t the most morally upstanding decision, and commentary to that effect therefore isn’t terribly interesting (even if correct).
What is fascinating about this film is Malkovich’s character, Chris. A Best Actor win for Malkovich would be deserved. There’s a lot of stories that do the “older man grappling with the terrible things he’s done” examination, but Wild Horse Nine and Malkovich take a unique approach. Chris has done some horrible things, but it’s not clear that he truly regrets them. Yes, the state of the world and the role he has played in it do weigh on and sadden him. But he carries a sense that all these horrible things would have happened anyway. Whether Chris can be “redeemed” is not really the question Wild Horse Nine is after.
Instead, the movie, and Chris, carve out this space where, on one hand, one’s actions on a global scale don’t matter whatsoever. Democracies will fall, and the bad guys are going to win no matter what. But the little interactions you have—saving the one person in front of you, or even setting a trapped moth free—matter immensely. In Wild Horse Nine, that tension isn’t hypocritical. It’s kind of beautiful.
Rating: 4.5/5 (not quite as funny as In Bruges, and, criminally, no Colin Farrell)
Recommended For: Any Martin McDonagh fans. Fans of dark comedies that lean a little more take. Anyone looking to see a likely-Oscar-winning acting performance.