Review | Wild Horse Nine (2026)

Wild Horse Nine is nothing short of phenomenal. This is pure cinematic gold, intricately crafted with heart, soul, and bags of rib-tickling humor. Martin McDonagh continues his extraordinary run of cinematic brilliance with another rare gem that deserves serious awards recognition.

Awards season is right around the corner, and the festival circuit is already brimming with heavyweight contenders vying for those coveted golden statues. Wildwood has cemented its status as a rare gem worthy of a place in the Best Animated Feature race. But as we turn our attention to the Best Actor category, the big guns are coming out in force. Whether it’s Matt Damon for The Odyssey, Pedro Pascal for Behemoth, Andrew Scott for Elsinore, Robert Pattinson for Primetime, or even Javier Bardem for The Beloved, the competition is already looking fierce. And this week, another legendary star of Tinseltown throws his hat into the ring, hoping to finally claim the Oscar glory that has eluded him throughout his illustrious career. I speak, of course, of John Malkovich.

Fresh from winning the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival, Malkovich returns to the big screen in Wild Horse Nine, a thrilling black-comedy spy caper written and directed by Martin McDonagh. Co-starring the equally legendary Sam Rockwell, the film promises a wonderfully twisted ride packed with hilariously ill-timed anecdotes, brutally sharp one-liners, and sensational performances from its leading men. So, could Wild Horse Nine do the unthinkable and propel its stars towards Oscar glory? Or should the horses stay in the stable?

REVIEW

Fear not, film fans, because Wild Horse Nine is an absolute triumph! Powered by towering performances from Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich, and driven by a wonderfully somber yet witty, uplifting, razor-sharp screenplay, the film is a tour de force from start to finish. It’s pure, unadulterated cinema, with its darker overtones beautifully balanced by razor-sharp humor and plenty of wicked laughs. McDonagh is firing on all cylinders here, delivering a film that is as deliciously dark as it is irresistibly entertaining.

And make no mistake, the star power is undeniable. I fully expect Rockwell and Malkovich to enter the awards conversation, with the former a serious contender for Best Supporting Actor and the latter potentially in the running for Best Actor. Yes, it’s that good! Whether Wild Horse Nine has enough in the tank to secure a Best Picture nomination remains to be seen, but McDonagh has delivered more than enough to earn himself a place in the awards-season conversation. If the Academy is paying attention, this wild ride could be heading straight for Oscar glory!

THE FILM

For anyone keeping score, Wild Horse Nine follows two CIA operatives, Chris and Lee, as they take a break from their murky world of espionage and head to Easter Island for a supposedly well-earned holiday. The year is 1973, and the pair are actively playing their part in the shady CIA-backed Chilean coup. Lee (Rockwell) is the younger operative, gradually taking over the reins from his veteran mentor, Chris (Malkovich), who is beginning to show signs of dementia.

Naturally, when your line of work involves buried secrets, dirty dealings, and conspiracies that could trigger an international incident if exposed, an increasingly unpredictable mentor is the last thing you need. So, to keep a lid on any potential diplomatic disasters, CIA bureau chief MJ (Steve Buscemi) tasks Lee with keeping Chris’s rebellious streak in check and ensuring their island getaway doesn’t descend into complete chaos. Easier said than done, of course! Amid the island’s iconic moai statues, the longtime partners find themselves grappling with Chris’s worsening cognitive decline while slowly unearthing a much deeper and darker secret buried within the recesses of his memory.

TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION

From the opening moments, Wild Horse Nine plunges headfirst into political satire and never looks back. Perhaps that’s something Digger should have done! Thankfully, McDonagh’s razor-sharp screenplay makes the most of the political intrigue, wasting no time poking fun at the CIA’s involvement in the 1973 Chilean coup d’état. Indeed, the writer-director spends much of the opening act winking mischievously at the audience, inviting us to share in the joke as the sheer absurdity of the situation comes to the fore.

Hindsight allows us to laugh along with the satire, but McDonagh’s biting commentary is never far from the surface. Picking up where The Banshees of Inisherin left off, the filmmaker once again explores his fascination with stories of violence, fractured relationships, and two men sitting around talking their way through an increasingly chaotic situation. And it’s in these wonderfully written exchanges that the real magic happens.

McDonagh throws practically everything but the kitchen sink into the mix, and the screenplay is all the sharper for it. From a hilarious debate about the gayest cheeses in the world to a brutally candid exchange between our leading men and fellow hotel guests over the use of the word ‘indigenous’, the dialogue is rude, crude, provocative, and brilliantly observed. Nothing feels sanitized or artificially polished. Instead, the wonderfully irreverent wordplay gives the world a lived-in authenticity while allowing us to witness Chris and Lee’s complicated partnership in all its messy, dysfunctional glory.

JOHN MALKOVICH

This is where John Malkovich’s brilliance really comes into play. The veteran actor sinks his teeth into McDonagh’s slick screenplay and delivers a character of extraordinary depth. Look beyond the sharp comebacks, witty insults, and argumentative streak, and you’ll find a man whose emotional armor is beginning to crumble. Beneath Chris’s snarky exterior lies someone who is dying, using morphine to keep the pain at bay. Suddenly, his loose tongue is the least of his problems, much to Lee and MJ’s frustration. Here, Malkovich discovers the character’s deeply personal side, peeling back the layers to expose the sadness and vulnerability beneath that hardened façade. It’s a delicate balancing act, but Malkovich handles it with remarkable tenacity, bringing both sides of Chris to life with breathtaking conviction.

Indeed, Malkovich does a wonderful job of concealing Chris’s suffering beneath a multitude of emotional layers, rarely allowing the façade to slip until the moment demands it. This gives the audience something genuinely affecting to latch onto amid all the insults, absurdity, and mayhem. But there’s a solemn undercurrent running throughout the film, hanging over the proceedings like an anvil suspended by a fraying rope. You know it’s going to fall eventually; the only question is when.

SAM ROCKWELL

Sam Rockwell provides the perfect counterpoint to Malkovich’s ailing grouch. As Lee, Rockwell is instantly at home, revisiting the kind of charismatic, quick-witted territory that has made him such a beloved screen presence. I’ve been a longtime fan of the actor, and I hate to sound like a broken record, but he barely puts a foot wrong here. His rapid-fire delivery and boundless energy are utterly infectious, and when paired with Malkovich, the two make for a truly formidable double act. Their chemistry is electric, their comic timing is impeccable, and I could happily watch them trade sarcastic barbs and outrageous anecdotes for hours. Such is the brilliance of their combined performances.

But there’s more to Rockwell’s work here than quick wit and effortless charm. He crafts a character brimming with depth, conscience, and empathy, bringing a wonderfully human dimension to McDonagh’s silver-tongued dialogue. Lee’s relationship with Chris gives Rockwell plenty of room to explore the character’s vulnerabilities, and he rises to the challenge beautifully. In truth, I wouldn’t be remotely opposed to seeing him earn a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for this performance. His boundless energy provides the perfect counterbalance to the film’s poignant undertones, and watching him navigate that delicate balance is an absolute joy. I genuinely hope the Academy gives him the recognition he deserves!

A POIGNANT STORY

Beyond the relentless barrage of abusive quips and hilarious jibes, Wild Horse Nine never loses sight of the story’s emotional heart: Chris’s diagnosis. Watching his condition take its toll is heartbreaking, casting a constant shadow over the narrative. Yet Malkovich’s beautifully measured performance allows Chris to mask his suffering with humor and defiance, rarely letting his circumstances get the better of him. That is, until he finds himself alone with a dictaphone, attempting to piece together his fading memories as he works on a memoir. These moments, often punctuated by his trademark clinical humor, are genuinely devastating to witness. As Chris struggles to make sense of his past, he is forced to confront the frightening reality of his own mortality and, perhaps even more painfully, the gradual loss of his memories.

In doing so, the film offers a thought-provoking glimpse into the realities of dementia, shedding light on its symptoms and the emotional toll it can take on those living with the condition. More importantly, it has the potential to spark meaningful conversations and encourage greater understanding of an illness that deserves far more attention. It’s an admirable achievement, particularly in a film so often driven by outrageous humor and political absurdity.

Yet for all the emotional darkness that hangs over Chris’s story, McDonagh finds a striking visual counterpoint in the extraordinary surroundings of Easter Island. Its vast, rugged landscapes and iconic moai statues provide a breathtaking backdrop to the unfolding drama, offering moments of visual serenity amid the turmoil of Chris’s deteriorating mind. Cinematographer Ben Davis captures the island’s haunting beauty with spectacular flair, creating a wonderful contrast between the tranquillity of the setting and the increasingly heartbreaking reality of the story. It’s a feast for the eyes, and another layer of artistry that elevates this glorious film.

VERDICT

Overall, Wild Horse Nine is nothing short of phenomenal. This is pure cinematic gold, intricately crafted with heart, soul, and bags of rib-tickling humor. Martin McDonagh continues his extraordinary run of cinematic brilliance with another rare gem that deserves serious awards recognition. Sam Rockwell is faultless, delivering yet another sensational performance that ranks among the very best of his career. But make no mistake, this is John Malkovich’s magnum opus. Here, the veteran actor delivers a career-defining performance, bringing to life a wonderfully multifaceted character brimming with poise, vulgarity, bitterness, sarcasm, sadness, poignancy, and tragedy. It’s a remarkable balancing act that defies expectations, and if the decision were mine, I’d hand him the Best Actor Oscar right now! This is a performance for the ages, and I sincerely hope the Academy recognizes the extraordinary work he has delivered here.

Martin McDonagh has crafted a rare cinematic gem that demands to be seen on the big screen. So, pack your bags, head to Easter Island, and prepare to witness Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich delivering an absolute masterclass in screen acting. You won’t regret it!

Wild Horse Nine brings the mayhem to cinemas on November 4th in the UK.