^{Credit: Wild Horse Nine (Searchlight Pictures)}

At Cartoon Contender, we mainly discuss animation and awards, but also everything in between. Nick’s Flick-Reel is that in-between, reviewing live-action films and more!

Martin McDonagh has made one great film after another, although his debut feature, In Bruges, remains my favorite. That film centered on an older hitman and his protege going sightseeing. Little does the younger hitman realize that his friend and mentor has been tasked with killing him. Wild Horse Nine is like a companion to In Bruges, again centering on two killers on a holiday that turns deadly. McDonagh isn’t beating a dead horse, however. The biggest difference between these two films is where McDonagh was almost twenty years ago vs. where he is now. This gives a new perspective in a spiritual successor that’s less quotable but feels more intimate. 

The film is set just before the 1973 Chilean coup d'état, which resulted in the death of socialist president Salvador Allende. CIA officers Chris Carlisle (John Malkovich) and Lee Chesterfield (Sam Rockwell) know what’s coming, with the wheels already in motion. Just as Allende’s fate is inevitable, Chris has an incurable disease. His mind isn’t what it once was either, both due to his age and substance use. So, Chris shows little restraint when he casually lets a couple of traveling college students (Mariana di Girolamo, Ailín Salas) know that their president will soon be dead. 

While Chris and Lee are bound for Easter Island, they aren’t just there to see the Big Heads, or the “moai,” as a couple tells them. Before leaving, Chris told Lee that he wanted him to kill him before his illness takes its toll. Lee agreed, although he isn’t sure if Chris remembers making this request. Either way, Lee is also under orders from their boss (Steve Buscemi) to take out Chris before he shares any more CIA secrets with civilians. Lee may be committed to pulling the trigger, but he’s just as committed to giving Chris a proper last hurrah in a bittersweet story of friendship. Malkovich and Rockwell’s chemistry is integral to the film’s success, but the former delivers a career-best performance. 

Despite being a great actor, it seemed like Malkovich may never be able to top playing himself in Being John Malkovich. Wild Horse Nine gives Malkovich the role of a lifetime as a man who’s spilled his fair share of blood and burned numerous bridges. He can’t undo the past any more than he can cure himself. As Chris approaches the last stage of his life, he might be able to find some form of redemption. Malkovich masterfully balances humor and pathos, garnering sympathy for someone who clearly did more bad than good over the decades. Sometimes, though, your final actions on Earth can eclipse what came before. 

When McDonagh made In Bruges, he probably identified the most with Colin Farrell’s Ray, the young hitman whose fate hangs in the balance. Now that McDonagh’s older, he likely sees more of himself in Chris. They may not be a mirror reflection of each other, but mortality and regret were surely on McDonagh’s mind while writing Wild Horse Nine. This might not be McDonagh’s funniest film. It’s not his most complete either, with a few characters, namely Parker Posey as Lee’s wife, feeling underutilized. We do see McDonagh’s growth as an artist and person in these characters, however. Although the backdrop seems political, Wild Hose Nine is a personal film above all else. 

Awards Potential:

Best Picture (Oscars)

Martin McDonagh: Best Director (Oscars)

John Malkovich: Best Actor (Oscars)

Sam Rockwell: Best Supporting Actor (Oscars)

Best Original Screenplay (Oscars)

Best Editing (Oscars)

Best Cinematography (Oscars)

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!