Wild Horse Nine (2026)
SHOULD I SEE IT?
YES
After seeing Wild Horse Nine, it will come as no surprise when both John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell land Oscar nominations in January 2027.
Sarcastic and biting dialogue has purpose, layers, and gradually reveals an affection beneath the insults.
Martin McDonagh films are pretty much always well-written. Here, gorgeous cinematography complements the film’s exploration of ego and power in a truly powerful way.
NO
Some may find this movie glib and a bit arrogant, as historical suffering occasionally becomes fodder for over-the-top humor.
The ending polarized my screening audience’s reaction and Wild Horse Nine may be too dark and sarcastic for some people’s taste.
Whether it be in Chile or Easter Island, Wild Horse Nine is a movie about two white guys dissatisfied with their life of access and privilege. Some may find it less a form of escapism and more tone deaf to the world it inhabits.
OUR REVIEW
Martin McDonagh movies are not for everyone. His dark, often bleak comedies feature people, often friends, who would rather lash out than admit to any hint of vulnerability, while also making their own misery worse in the process. In The Banshees of Inisherin and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, grief, resentment, anger, and wounded pride take tested relationships and turn them into something easily combustible.
There are always consequences in a Martin McDonagh film. In Wild Horse Nine, McDonagh’s abrasive humor finds an extraordinary pairing in John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell, the latter an Oscar winner for Three Billboards. Their bitter, caustic exchanges are hilarious, then gradually evolve into something revealing and bittersweet.
Set in Chile, circa 1973, two CIA agents, Chris (Malkovich) and Lee (Rockwell) are stationed there ahead of a military coup supported by the United States government. Their bureau chief, MJ (Steve Buscemi), sends them to Easter Island for a ‘vacation.’ To MJ’s considerable concern, Chris has started recording recollections of his life for a potential memoir, threatening to turn his life’s adventures into a possible tell-all book.
For reasons later revealed, Chris is out of F’s to give. He shoots from the hip, says incredibly random things and frustrates Lee, even as Lee appreciates his company. Lee likewise senses a shift in his partner’s demeanor. There are levels to the secrecy at play here and we see layers of trust extended and eroded. As Easter Island offers Chris a chance to finally see “the big heads” he has always wanted to experience, Lee begins to wonder whether Chris’ unguarded behaviors make him the security risk MJ believes him to be.
Malkovich is electric on screen, turning Chris’ increasingly erratic mental state into countless one-liners, startling observations, and unexpectedly bittersweet conversations. As Chris’ body begins to crumble and fail his spirited mind, Malkovich finds a way to give us a character we both can loathe and love at the same time. Chris’ youthful immaturity has formed into relentless cynicism, but he also is unable to hide some physical weakness.
Rockwell plays the straight man opposite Malkovich, but matches him beat for beat and is every bit as good in his performance. The role requires a great deal of reaction, but Rockwell makes those moments matter. Lee subtly pushes Chris to keep his mind firing and focused on things that keep Chris’ spirit alive.
As expected though, McDonagh does not make this a breezy, easy watch. For all the humor at hand, references to actual suffering sometimes become fodder for more punch lines, making this film almost too glib at times. There’s also a slow, suspenseful tightening around the neck that starts to choke off the laughs and leads us to a polarizing conclusion that drew a few comments of frustration from folks I saw the film with. McDonagh has never cared all that much about “sending ‘em home happy,” but with Wild Horse Nine, he leaves you with a lot to contemplate, while perhaps also leaving a small pit in the bottom of your stomach at the same time.
McDonagh anchors his film in friendship, with Buscemi’s antagonism swirling around his agents. They encounter two idealistic young college-aged women, Monica (Mariana di Girolamo) and Alicia (Ailín Salas). Monica develops a connection with Chris and Lee, while she and Alicia bring a younger perspective to two men whose careers have been built around American exceptionalism.
Like McDonagh’s other films, Wild Horse Nine is grounded in relationships, but there is an expansive look to the film that frames these characters at a different scale. Ben Davis’ cinematography repeatedly places Chris and Lee against the island’s large statues and rolling landscapes, making the men appear small despite a history of exhibiting power over others. That’s not to imply that this is a kinder, gentler Martin McDonagh film. Perhaps though, McDonagh is contemplating other ideas than what he has previously shown us.
Forgiveness, redemption, and righteousness are common themes for McDonagh, and Wild Horse Nine revisits those ideas. But it soars on the cadence, sarcastic bite, and rat-a-tat-tat exchanges between Malkovich and Rockwell. There’s a darkness to all of this, sure, but it is also a very funny, thoughtful film. The abrasive final scenes notwithstanding, Wild Horse Nine offers audiences a terrific performance from John Malkovich, with Rockwell matching him beat for beat. Their affection remains strong through the digs and insults, giving this bitter friendship unexpected connection and heart.
CAST & CREW
Starring: John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey, Tom Waits, Mariana di Girolamo, Ailín Salas
Director: Martin McDonagh
Written by: Martin McDonagh
Release Date: November 6, 2026
Searchlight Pictures