By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
"WILD HORSE NINE" IS A WILD RIDE OF INTRIGUE AND DARK HUMOR
Chalk up another win for director, screenwriter, and producer
Martin McDonagh ("The Banshees of Inisherin") with his latest black comedy,
"Wild Horse Nine."
McDonagh once again brings out the absolute best among his leading stars: Academy Award-winning actor Sam Rockwell ("Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri") and the always-dynamic John Malkovich ("Sacrifice"), who makes his first collaboration with the acclaimed filmmaker. Together, the actors deliver an intriguing combination of sharp wit, quirky chemistry, and comedic brilliance.
"Wild Horse Nine" centers on CIA agents Chris Carlisle (Malkovich), a veteran intelligence officer battling terminal cancer, and his longtime partner, Lee Chesterfield (Rockwell). They have worked together for so many years that they practically finish each other's sentences. Their conversations, disagreements, and occasional verbal sparring are among the film's most fascinating and downright hilarious moments.
The pair are handed a major assignment by their CIA bureau chief, MJ (a terrific Steve Buscemi, "The Only Living Pickpocket in New York"). Their mission takes them to Easter Island just before the 1973 Chilean coup d'état. With plenty at stake, this assignment could very well be their last together, especially as Chris's cancer and dementia continue to worsen.
For Chris, however, the mission offers another personal attraction: the opportunity to finally see Easter Island's famous monumental stone figures, the Moai. But MJ has an additional agenda for Lee. He wants him to conduct his own surveillance on Chris, who may possess information connecting him to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Adding another layer of intrigue, Chris is also intent on writing his memoirs, a book that could expose the many secrets of his years as a CIA operative. There's just one complication: with his increasingly unreliable memory, recalling the truth and putting it all down on paper may prove to be quite a challenge.
Meanwhile, Lee has his own personal baggage to contend with, including the inability to completely shake his unfaithful wife, Marge (Parker Posey, TV's "The White Lotus"). Chris, on the other hand, has unfinished family business and is determined to talk things over with brother, Jim (Tom Waits, "Wildwood"), hoping they can finally sit down and talk things over.
As Chris and Lee navigate their assignment, their personal issues become increasingly intertwined with the mission. But their escapade takes a much darker turn when they encounter two young women, Monica (Mariana di Girolamo, TV's "Los Casablanca"), a college student who develops an unexpected friendship with Chris, and her travel companion, Alicia (Ailin Salas, "Sin salida"). Chris's growing bond with Monica threatens to turn their already complicated trip into something neither agent anticipated.
Loyalty and trust are put to the test here even as Chris has one particularly important request of Lee.
Beneath all the dark humor, colorful conversations, and CIA maneuvering, McDonagh explores friendship, betrayal, mortality, and the difficult choices people face when time is running out. Rockwell and Malkovich make a terrific screen pairing, with their contrasting personalities and wonderfully offbeat exchanges giving "Wild Horse Nine" much of its energy.
And what about the film's unusual title?
According to McDonagh, there is no elaborate hidden meaning or secret code behind "Wild Horse Nine." He's stated in interviews that he simply likes numbers and horses. That explanation seems fitting for a filmmaker whose storytelling rarely follows a conventional path.
"Wild Horse Nine" offers audiences another distinctive McDonagh experience, particularly for those who appreciate their comedy served with a healthy dose of mystery, mischief, and a touch of madness.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Watch This Trailer For
"WILD HORSE NINE"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
