WILD HORSE NINE Scores a 10 with John Malkovich/Sam Rockwell/Steve Busceme

WILD HORSE NINE {WH9) is an insanely outstanding film of two anti-hero buddies. The pair, John Malkovitch and Sam Rockwell as CIA operatives are sure to ingratiate themselves with their wit, disarming charm and assassinator skill sets. Malkovich and Rockwell are American actors known for por- traying awry characters along with their co-star Steve Buscemi.("The Sopranos.") The trifecta of award winning actors have compiled an array of acting awards and noms. including Emmys, Golden Globes, Actors Guild Awards, Oscars, BAFTAs and Laurence Olivier Awards. Their combined talents make this original off-beat black-comedy come alive with humor, INTRIGUE in an eccentric, espionage /buddy picture. Malkovitch ("Places in the Hearth" and "In the Line of Fire") plays Chris an old time CIA agent whose health and memory are rapidly declining. Chirs' younger, CIA partner Lee is played pitch perfectly by Rockwell who won an Acad. Award for his role in "Three Billboards...". The film "Three Billboards...was written and directed by Martin McDonagh (b. England 1970) the written/dir. of "Wild Horse Nine."  McDonagh has written The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) and "In Bruges". McDonagh earned an Academy. Award nom. for "In Bruges" for best original screenplay about a guilt ridden assassin. Parallels can be drawn between "Bruges" and WH9 with the use of sensitive, anti-heroes . In WH9 and "Bruges" the locations become a vital character establishing an emotional tone evoking solitude and reflections. The natural beauty of the Easter Islands are captured in natural light. The scenic cinema- tography enhances the movie's mystique and Chris' despondency. The CIA duo are taking a requested ciesta from Chile to Easter Island for a respite among the Island's iconic, indigenous heads properly referred to as Moai. While on "break" Lee is in constant contact with their boss MJ at the CIA, (played by the irrepressible Buscemi. MJ is rightly concerned Chris is running off at the mouth about their covert operations and his insistence of writing his memoirs containing highly confidential info. While Chris and Lee are waiting to board their plane to Easter Island, they encounter two Chilean ingenues whom Chris tries to impress with his prowess as a foreign political subversive. "What are you CIA agents?" One of the two young ladies snarkily asks. "Yes, we are." Chris answers cooly which Lee does his best to back- pedal. MJ gets informed of Chris' lack of discretion and heads to the Islands to take matters in hand. Add- ing to the chaos is Lee's wife back in the states (a hilarious Parker Posey) who calls with distressing news she believes she's in peril. In more tender moments, Chris forms heartwarming bonds between himself and one of the young women (a luminescent Mariana di Girolamo) and a feral horse. WILD HORSE NINE is as funny, clever and fine a movie to find anywhere. Come awards season, WILD HORSE NINE should score big time for its brilliant, original screenplay and ingratiating performances by all four stars: Malkovich, Rockwell, Buscemi, Posey and one for the best performance by an animal; the horse of course.