‘Wild Horse Nine’ turns CIA dirty work into a tiresome tale of bickering tourists
Martin McDonagh’s 118-minute film follows CIA agents from Santiago to Easter Island before Chile’s 1973 coup, with John Malkovich earning Venice’s Best Actor prize.
By StoryBreak
Published November 6, 2026 at 5:01 PM EST
Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine” places two CIA agents, Chris and Lee, on a journey from Santiago to Easter Island before Chile’s 1973 coup. The film was written and directed by McDonagh and has a reported runtime of 118 minutes.
John Malkovich plays Chris, with Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Mariana di Girolamo, Ailín Salas, Tom Waits and Parker Posey also in the cast. The Associated Press review identifies Malkovich’s character as a CIA agent and notes that the film includes a Western told from a horse’s perspective.
That combination of espionage, travel and McDonagh’s offbeat storytelling gives “Wild Horse Nine” an unusual setup. The supplied critical angle sees the result as a tiresome exchange between unpleasant travelers rather than a sharp political thriller.
Malkovich’s performance nevertheless received major festival recognition: He won the Coppa Volpi for Best Actor at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival for the film.
“Wild Horse Nine” is listed as a United Kingdom, United States and Chilean production. Searchlight Pictures has scheduled it for a theatrical release on Nov. 6, 2026.
Sources & Further Reading
- Searchlight Pictures PressPrimary source
- La Biennale di VeneziaPrimary source
- La Biennale di VeneziaPrimary source
- Associated Press
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