Sure it’s cool when directors go outside their wheelhouse and try their hand at different genres, but sometimes when it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and that’s clearly how Martin McDonagh operates.
“Wild Horse Nine” stars Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich as two CIA agents tasked with doing recon on Easter Island ahead of the Chilean coup d’état in 1973. Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits, and Parker Posey also star while Martin McDonagh writes and directs.
At this point in his career, you know what you’re going to get when you go into a Martin McDonagh film. It will feature a lot of swearing, some rude characters you still can’t help but find endearing, and a blend of dark humor with a touch of melancholy. “Wild Horse Nine” makes no attempts to shake up his formula, with McDonagh once again writing a script full of laugh-out-loud moments and lived-in characters, while Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich turn in empathetic performances.
I was a fan of Sam Rockwell long before he won the Oscar in McDonagh’s 2017 film “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” including in McDonagh’s oft-overlooked “Seven Psychopaths” (not his best film, but possibly my favorite of his). Rockwell is built for McDonagh’s writing, able to casually deliver f-bombs in a way that is comical but not forced, and his friendly partnership chemistry with John Malkovich here comes through the screen. Malkovich gets to do his normal crash-out routine (this is actually the third time he’s played a hot-headed retiring CIA agent, after “RED” and “Burn After Reading”). Here he adds a layer of vulnerability that makes you sympathetic toward him, even if he is taking part in a plan to overthrow foreign country’s government. Haunted by his past, Malkovich is the heart of the film, and this will likely be cited as one of the more memorable performances of his career.
The supporting cast all turn in solid work too, especially Steve Buscemi as Rockwell and Malkovich’s CIA boss. Buscemi has long been able to have one foot in drama (“Boardwalk Empire”) and the other comedy (a dozen Adam Sandler movies), and here he gets to deliver sinister threats as much as he does amusing one-liners; I enjoyed him in this.
The screenplay is full of dark humor, most of which lands beautifully, but also has some insights into how governments and corrupt officials throughout history have never changed until heads start rolling. Malkovich takes an interest in a young local college student (Mariana di Girolamo), and his relationship and mentor-esque tips with her are some of the best moments of the film. The film, shot on-location in Chile, looks great, and the editing is brisk, with the runtime not overstaying its welcome.
I really enjoyed “Wild Horse Nine,” though that isn’t much of a surprise since Martin McDonagh is one of the most consistent and reliable filmmakers working today. There are plenty of laughs and action scenes to enjoy in the moment, but it’s the themes and humanistic moments that linger with you once the credits roll. I’ll once again be seated for whatever McDonagh’s next feature is, because in a world of forgettable straight-to-streamers and a lack of studio comedies, a tender but humorous drama comes off like a breath of fresh air.
Critics Rating: 8/10
