What is a Martin McDonagh movie if not a scrumptious balance of drama and comedy? Over the years, the British-Irish filmmaker and playwright behind In Bruges (2008), Seven Psychopaths (2012), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), and The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) has cemented himself as one of the kings of dark comedies. For better or worse, his latest offering, Wild Horse Nine (2026), feels like a culmination of his broader portfolio. Set in 1973, the black comedy-thriller is told through the eyes of Chris Carlysle (John Malkovich) and Lee Chesterfield (Sam Rockwell), two American CIA agents stationed in Santiago, Chile.
At some point in their almost full year spent aiding the efforts of a future military coup, Chris was given six months to live following a cancer diagnosis. Given his time lost to this mission and the considerable amount of morphine injected, the 72-year-old is feasibly more of a rogue agent than ever. Once operating in the shadows and now knowing that his days are numbered, Chris wrestles with the secrecy of his job title. In service of his alleged dying wish, the pair board a flight to the remote island of Rapa Nui (commonly known as Easter Island) to visit what Chris plainly calls “the big heads.”
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As it turns out, Chris’ true lifelong dream was to traverse the canals of Venice aboard a gondola, but having omitted that detail, the two jaded CIA agents learn to embrace the island’s rolling emerald hills and roaming wild horses.
Going Rogue with a Sense of Déjà Vu
MJ (Steve Buscemi), the director of the intelligence agency’s South American branch, catches wind of Chris sharing classified information with two leftist students, Alicia (Ailín Salas) and Monica (Mariana di Girolamo), in an airport waiting room. Already on thin ice for continually expressing a desire to pen a memoir, MJ orders Lee to break his long-standing friendship with Chris and take him out. Though he isn’t as on the ball as he once was, Chris isn’t naive about the threat of a double-cross. At heart, he is a paranoid conspiracy theorist, but having dwelled within the machine for most of his life, why wouldn’t he be?
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At every twist and turn, Wild Horse Nine possesses writer-director Martin McDonagh’s razor-sharp wit and compassionate sensibilities. With all the right ingredients at hand, he follows a recipe he’s used for nearly two decades now. While the film is predominantly amusing, moments pass that conjure an unshakeable sensation of déjà vu. In terms of substance, Wild Horse Nine can be seen as a spiritual successor to In Bruges, paired with the remote island location that mirrors the isolation of The Banshees of Inisherin. To some, this might simply play like a greatest hits compilation. That’s not to say it cheapens its successes, but it certainly feels like a safe bet coming from this storyteller.
John Malkovich Delivers the Performance to Beat
Veteran actor John Malkovich fully disappears into his character, wading through Chris’ lethal past and late-stage Catholic guilt to find humanity despite his often questionable politics. His comedic astuteness effortlessly meets the high expectations set by McDonagh’s script and delivers what is surely one of the performances to beat this year. Similarly, Sam Rockwell once again proves that his finest work comes through McDonagh’s text. The rickety yet delicate chemistry between the leading duo sells the emotional resonance despite their unethical practices and roles in the CIA.
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Though sparsely present, Mariana di Girolamo (Ema) grounds the repercussions of the CIA’s actions in a silent but deadly style of performance. When things start to go south, Mariana is the one who reorients the reality of the situation. Indie icon Parker Posey, on the other hand, stays far removed from the main events of the plot and is given a considerably smaller role than her co-stars. Still, she rises to the task of injecting Wild Horse Nine with a touch of more eccentricity.
An Undeniable Crowd Pleaser
It would be taxing to pretend that there are no kicks to be had from Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine. It’s the kind of movie that will truly get a strong reaction from everyone, whether through biting humor, streaks of action, or even political undertones. Wild Horse Nine possesses the makings of a bona fide crowd-pleaser and showcases one of McDonagh’s most beguiling protagonists to date. Frankly, its only glaring setback is the near-uncanny resemblance to its cinematic predecessors. Sure, one can say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” on this occasion. How many more times, however, can McDonagh tread this path before it needs some revitalization?
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
‘Wild Horse Nine’ premiered at the 2026 Venice Film Festival and hits theaters on November 6!
Release Date: November 6, 2026.
Directed by Martin McDonagh.
Written by Martin McDonagh.
Produced by Martin McDonagh, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, & Anita Overland.
Executive Producers: Farhana Bhula, Ben Knight, Peter Kohn, Juan de Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín, Ollie Madden, & Diarmuid McKeown.
Main Cast: John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits, Parker Posey, Mariana di Girolamo, Ailín Salas, Paola Giannini, & Samuel Wayt.
Cinematographer: Ben Davis.
Composer: Carter Burwell.
Editor: Mikkel E. G. Nielsen.
Production Companies: Blueprint Pictures & Film4.
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures.
Runtime: 118 minutes.
Rated R.
