In “Wild Horse Nine,” two CIA agents from different generations walk through the unusual, scenic landscape of Easter Island and talk about life, death and the unlikely friendship between them. The film, directed by Irish filmmaker Martin McDonagh, reaches Brazilian cinemas on Thursday, November 5, according to the review provided.
The story follows the agents on a final mission shortly before the 1973 Chilean military coup, which the United States financed. The older, ill agent draws the ire of his superiors by speaking openly in public and recording his memories for a planned autobiography—an unwelcome prospect in the world of international espionage.
John Malkovich plays the veteran spy, a politically incorrect, addicted CIA operative involved in coups against democracies. The review says Malkovich balances the character’s charm and repulsiveness, making him an incorrigible but sympathetic figure confronting his own mortality. Sam Rockwell plays his younger counterpart, while Steve Buscemi also appears in the film.
The pairing recalls Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, who starred in McDonagh’s “In Bruges” and “The Banshees of Inisherin.” But the review finds a different tone here: Malkovich and Rockwell’s relationship is more tender and less abrasive, fitting the contrast between the film’s contemplative mood and Easter Island’s sunlit setting.
McDonagh’s familiar approach could have become repetitive, the review notes, but the screenplay’s wit and the performances keep the film engaging. Bright cinematography by Ben Davis and brisk editing by Mikkel E. G. Nielsen also help give it greater urgency. The review describes the film as less profound or transgressive than some of the director’s earlier work, while pointing to the contemporary resonance of its depiction of American political and corporate intervention.
“Wild Horse Nine” is already being discussed as a contender for the 2027 Oscars, according to the review, which also suggests Malkovich could earn his first Academy Award. Rockwell previously won the supporting actor Oscar for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
Sources: G1.