Wild Horse Nine (2026) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

This is a cinema-released black comedy brought to us from director Martin McDonagh. Set in 1973, veteran CIA Agent Chris Carlisle (John Malkovich) and his long-time colleague Lee Chesterfield (Sam Rockwell) are nearing the end of their undercover mission in Santiago, Chile, where they have been secretly laying the destabilising foundations for a US-backed military coup d'état against the democratically elected, socialist-leaning president. It is now time to head to Chris's choice of Easter Island for a break from their covert operations.

Both ready for that vacation, they find themselves in the airport departure lounge when a couple of young local women sit opposite them. After starting a discussion with the students, Chris immediately starts shooting his mouth off, saying, "Well, enjoy your left-wing president while you can, ladies". The young women are shocked, but Lee immediately interjects to say it is a joke. However, Chris cannot stop himself from revealing more of what is in store for Chile. When the flight is called, Lee hurriedly drags him away to the waiting plane, profusely apologising for his friend's inappropriate words.

On board, sitting in their own row, Carlisle continues being a blabbermouth, speaking of his past life as a spy, how many people he has killed, and in which countries. Chesterfield, continuing to be mortified by his colleague's loose lips, tells him to "shut the fuck up"! What is clear is that Chris—now in his seventies and suffering from terminal cancer—not only cares little about what he says, but often forgets what he has said just a few days prior. Is he a liability? Finally, they arrive at their modest hotel on Easter Island, and after a night's rest, it is time to see 'The Heads'—and, incidentally, a small band of wild horses.

Featuring the truly unique backdrop of Easter Island/Rapa Nui for the remainder of this two-hour film, the setting is easily a major highlight of the feature. Malkovich is also at the top of his game, portraying an equally paranoid and confused veteran agent while delivering wickedly sharp dialogue with a wonderfully sardonic yet sinister edge. He is brilliantly supported by Rockwell, who is in just about every scene with him; the viewer is left wondering how the Chesterfield character could have tolerated working closely with someone quite as erratic for so many years in the service.

The other notable performance comes from Steve Buscemi as MJ, the Chief of the CIA South American Bureau and boss to both men. As Chesterfield's telephone reports back to him in Santiago grow progressively more unsatisfactory, his faith in Carlisle as a competent agent diminishes even further from the very low base it was already at. As a result, the wheels of a much darker plan of subterfuge are set in motion.