Martin McDonagh's Darkly Comic Thriller 'Wild Horse Nine' Features Malkovich and Rockwell as CIA Operatives

Martin McDonagh’s latest film, "Wild Horse Nine," continues the director’s trademark mix of dark comedy and graphic violence. The story follows two CIA operatives, played by John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell, who arrive in Chile after the democratic election of Salvador Allende and later wander to Easter Island. Their banter masks a grim undercurrent, with Malkovich’s character recalling involvement in historic U.S. covert actions and confronting a terminal illness.

"We are the CIA, actually. We're totally the CIA," Malkovich’s character says, only to be contradicted by Rockwell’s line, "We're not the CIA. Obviously, we're not the CIA."

The dialogue oscillates between crude jokes and moments that hint at the characters’ deeper moral decay. Rockwell’s role, described as the more grounded of the pair, attempts to steer his partner’s erratic behavior while dealing with his own frustrations. The film also features Steve Buscemi in a supporting role as the operatives’ boss, adding another layer of sardonic authority.

Critic Bob Mondello notes that the film’s back-and-forth banter is both amusing and unsettling, illuminating the horrors of American-directed foreign coups while delivering McDonagh’s signature unsettling humor. The setting of Easter Island, with its iconic statues, provides a stark visual contrast to the characters’ chaotic antics.

Malkovich’s performance is highlighted as a blend of eerie charm and amoral swagger, earning him particular praise for embodying a man whose wits are failing yet whose presence dominates the screen. The film’s tone remains unapologetically profane and violent, staying true to McDonagh’s established style.