Can you even spell Czechoslovakia?
Wild Horse Nine tells the story of two CIA agents in the 1970s, Chris and Lee, who work in Latin America, destabilising democracies across the region on behalf of the American government. Chris is a seasoned CIA veteran with dozens of high-profile assassinations under his belt, now in the terminal stages of cancer. Lee, meanwhile, is his protégé: loyal, cheerful, and simply eager to do his job. With Chris's days numbered, the two head off on a little vacation to Easter Island, where Chris hopes to die on his own terms — and asks Lee to help him do so. However, Chris is carrying several extremely important, even historical, secrets, and Lee's superiors secretly instruct him to uncover them before Chris dies. Eventually, an attempt to help a friend while simultaneously carrying out an assignment leads to some rather unexpected consequences.
If you've watched Martin McDonagh's films before, you can probably already imagine what Wild Horse Nine is going to look and feel like, because, essentially, it's a greatest-hits collection of sorts, bringing together elements from his previous films into one new package. Does that make Wild Horse Nine any worse? No. Does it make it something revolutionary, entirely new, or particularly innovative? Also no. However, for such a brilliant director, someone who makes such heartfelt, visually pleasing, and very human projects, none of that stops him from delivering an excellent film armed with a very good screenplay, which he also wrote himself.
And there's something here that will make pretty much any viewer fall in love with the film, regardless of what they're looking for. There's good black comedy, not outright hilarious, but just funny enough to make this a relatively light watch. There's also a political thriller dealing with a rather heavy and complicated subject that hasn't lost its relevance to this day: the CIA and the way it goes about destroying other countries. It's a subject McDonagh only scratches the surface of, but it's there. And then there's a drama about life, friendship, trust, and the value of human life, particularly when you're facing the unfortunate reality of knowing you might not make it to next week. It's also about people hiding their inner pain and regrets behind eccentric personalities, and about secrets that can sometimes quite literally kill. But, on a much bigger level, this is a film about an ordinary little man and his small, yet ultimately important, story. And that's precisely what makes Wild Horse Nine such an incredibly powerful film.
The breathtaking location of Easter Island, Ben Davis's gorgeous cinematography, and a Carter Burwell soundtrack that fits the film like a glove all contribute to the experience. Everything works here, and nothing doesn't work. To be critical about it, there's very little to complain about.
And what helps the film enormously is its leading duo: John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell. Rockwell delivers a terrific performance as this simple, genuinely good guy who loves the people around him and respects his older colleague. He's a bit of a goofball, perhaps not always the smartest person in the room, but he knows what he's supposed to do and, when it comes to crucial situations, manages to make the right decisions in his own understanding of things.
But, of course, Wild Horse Nine is ultimately John Malkovich's show. He delivers what is probably one of the best performances of his career. And considering how well this character is written, it almost feels like it wasn't even particularly difficult for him. Chris is an eccentric, occasionally hilarious, darkly funny, smart, and incredibly ill-mannered old man who would never admit it to anyone, not even himself, but is absolutely terrified of dying. Before he goes, he wants to make sure he does everything he can to leave this world with a clear conscience and with someone he trusts by his side. His razor-sharp jokes, incredible facial expressions, and the way he acts with his eyes are simply phenomenal. This is undoubtedly one of the year's most memorable performances and a wonderful late-career triumph for Malkovich himself.
Ultimately, Wild Horse Nine is a genuine crowd-pleaser that won't disappoint anyone who decides to see it in a cinema. And it really is worth making the trip to the big screen for this one.
Arkansas.
9/10
Thanks to Disney Poland for the advance screening.
