Martin McDonagh’s feature Wild Horse Nine has debuted at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival with a 13-minute standing ovation. Set in Chile in 1973 ahead of the military coup, the dark comedy pairs John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as two CIA operatives traversing Easter Island.
John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell Lead a CIA Spy Story in Chile
The feature film Wild Horse Nine follows two CIA agents navigating political upheaval in South America shortly before the coup against Salvador Allende. The production features John Malkovich as Chris, an aging, morphine-addicted mentor suffering from terminal cancer and memory lapses. Alongside him is Lee, played by Sam Rockwell, a younger and more ruthless operative.
According to festival reporting, Chris has spent decades executing high-profile operations across Guatemala, Indonesia, the Bay of Pigs, and Dallas. With his days numbered due to illness, Chris asks Lee to accompany him to Easter Island to see the monolithic stone heads, while harbouring a darker final request involving a self-inflicted gunshot wound upon hearing a specific trigger word.
A Secret Mission Involving the Kennedy Assassination
While the journey is framed as a final sightseeing trip, Lee carries a covert directive from Santiago-based CIA section chief MJ, portrayed by Steve Buscemi. The agency fears that Chris’s deteriorating health and loose lips will lead to the exposure of classified state secrets.
MJ tasks Lee with extracting Chris’s remaining memories and locating the original rifle used in the assassination of John F. Kennedy. As Chris begins casually disclosing impending geopolitical plots to local students on the island, the mission turns into a delicate balancing act for his younger partner.
Critical Acclaim and Early Oscar Momentum at the Lido
The premiere at the Venice Film Festival drew an enthusiastic response, culminating in a 13-minute standing ovation. Reviewers and festival attendees immediately positioned the project among the frontrunners for festival prizes, with critics singling out Malkovich’s performance as a candidate for the Volpi Cup for best performance.
When I wrote the screenplay, in my head it was everything tied to what happened in the 70s and the involvement of the CIA in destabilizing and overthrowing the elected government. Martin McDonagh, Director and Writer, via La Stampa
Director Martin McDonagh noted that while the script initially focused on historical events from the 1970s, the finished film mirrors contemporary political dynamics. At film finished, I realized that the connections with today are very palpable, the director remarked, adding that audiences must find ways to prevent history from repeating itself.
An Ensemble Cast and Thematic Ambition
Alongside Malkovich, Rockwell, and Buscemi, the cast features Mariana Di Girolamo, Ailin Salas, Parker Posey, and Tom Waits as Jim, the estranged brother with whom Chris severed ties in his youth. The film blends buddy-movie mechanics with espionage and Western tropes against the stark landscape of Rapa Nui.
The production maintains a dark comedic tone while addressing themes of state violence and political hypocrisy. Festival audiences embraced the blend of sharp dialogue, tragic elements, and absurd encounters, solidifying the film’s position as a major talking point of the Italian film calendar ahead of its theatrical release.
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