{"id":2241008,"date":"2026-11-06T07:14:45","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T04:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2241008"},"modified":"2026-11-06T07:14:45","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T04:14:45","slug":"euronews-cultures-film-of-the-week-wild-horse-nine-guns-coups-and-suicidal-birds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2241008","title":{"rendered":"Euronews Culture&#8217;s Film of the Week: &#8216;Wild Horse Nine&#8217; \u2013 Guns, coups, and suicidal birds"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/14\/83\/1200x675_cmsv2_d7ebad7b-cb8e-5f3f-b5d3-246674aa8b7c-9981483.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2939723-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1\" data-nid=\"2939723\" data-cid=\"9982052\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939723-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/20\/52\/189x106_cmsv2_a475ca2c-ac60-5b9e-8c15-80257fef9cf4-9982052.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"a destroyed warehouse after a Russian drone attack in Sofiivska Borshchahivka, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    One killed and three injured in strikes on Ukraine\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939726-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1\" data-nid=\"2939726\" data-cid=\"9982067\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939726-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/20\/67\/189x106_cmsv2_c7edd78c-9ffa-5221-8be9-b3d72f6ed5c6-9982067.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"European Council President Antonio Costa and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Cracks emerge over Europe\u2019s fragmented approach to Ukraine peace talks\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2938071-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2938071\" data-cid=\"9974120\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2938071-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/41\/20\/189x106_cmsv2_2896fcb9-97e6-5e64-8a96-7a2cf587e2e8-9974120.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Europe Today\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \"><span class=\"c-article-title__prefix--red\">Live.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>    Trump weighs Iran strikes as Ukraine talks head to Abu Dhabi\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939725-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1\" data-nid=\"2939725\" data-cid=\"9982066\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939725-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/20\/66\/189x106_cmsv2_0311bcd4-6ebb-5740-8ae6-7037a2e1b7b8-9982066.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"TV cameraman films near the screens showing the foreign exchange rates at the Korea Exchange in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, 6 Nov. 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Markets<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Global stock rout deepens after worst US chip sell-off since 2020\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Culture<\/p>\n<p>                          Culture Series<\/p>\n<p>                          Cinema<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Euronews Culture&#8217;s Film of the Week: &#8216;Wild Horse Nine&#8217; \u2013 Guns, coups, and suicidal birds<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"js-playercontrols u-height-full u-position-absolute u-width-full is-autoplaying\" data-translations=\"{&quot;error&quot;:&quot;This video could not be played.&quot;,&quot;geoblocked&quot;:&quot;Sorry, this content is not available in your country&quot;,&quot;slow&quot;:&quot;This is taking longer than usual&quot;}\">\n<div class=\"js-loadtrigger js-loadtrigger__button c-loadtrigger__button\" role=\"status\"><span class=\"js-loadtrigger__label c-loadtrigger__label u-visually-hidden\">Loading the video<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/14\/83\/1536x864_cmsv2_d7ebad7b-cb8e-5f3f-b5d3-246674aa8b7c-9981483.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Film of the Week: Wild Horse Nine\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Film of the Week: Wild Horse Nine<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Searchlight Pictures<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Searchlight Pictures\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspDavid Mouriquand\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1793949285\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-11-06T08:14:45+01:00\">6 November 2026 &#8211; 8:14 GMT+1<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay js-c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-share-comment-popup\" class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup js-c-article-share-comment-popup\">\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__header u-display-flex\"><span>Share<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/icon-close.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"Close Button\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-share-comment-close\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content u-display-flex\">\n<div id=\"share-comment-popup-content-container\" class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__container u-display-flex\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-facebook.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"facebook\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-facebook.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"facebook\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-twitter.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"twitter\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-twitter.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"twitter\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-flipboard.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"flipboard\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Flipboard<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-flipboard.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"flipboard\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-send.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"send\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Send<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-send.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"send\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-reddit.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"reddit\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Reddit<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-reddit.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"reddit\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-linkedin.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"linkedin\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Linkedin<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-linkedin.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"linkedin\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-messenger.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"messenger\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Messenger<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-messenger.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"messenger\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-telegram.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"telegram\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Telegram<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-telegram.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"telegram\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"vk\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>VK<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"vk\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"bluesky\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed_container u-display-none\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed__tooltip\"><br \/>\n                            Copy\/paste the article video embed link below:<br \/>\n                        <\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed u-display-flex\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/icon-copy-to-clipboard.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Copy to clipboard\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-share-comment-copy\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed--success-copied u-display-none js-c-article-share-comment-video-embed-success-link-copied\"><br \/>\n                                Copied<br \/>\n                            <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Essentially a companion piece to McDonagh&#8217;s debut &#8216;In Bruges&#8217;, &#8216;Wild Horse Nine&#8217; can feel like familiar ground. However, John Malkovich makes every acerbic, funny and at times surprisingly moving line of dialogue a joy to watch, and he&#8217;s a shoo-in for Best Actor at next year&#8217;s Oscars.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--culture js-article-content\">\n<p>At this point, it wouldn&#8217;t be a Martin McDonagh joint without two lonely and dysfunctional souls seeking a warped connection in a world that seems hellbent on imperilling the possibility of redemption.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>For his latest black comedy, <em>Wild Horse Nine<\/em>, the British-Irish writer-director harks back to his feature debut <strong><em>In Bruges<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; except it&#8217;s out with two bickering hitmen in Belgium and in with a squabbling pair of CIA operatives on Easter Island prior to the 1973 Chilean coup.<\/p>\n<p>Taking a break from disrupting democracy, seasoned and increasingly forgetful agent Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell), who doesn&#8217;t mind killing a man while eating a burger, are on holiday. Sort of. The odd couple plan to take in the sights of Rapa Nui, visit the giant stone heads \u2013 sorry, Moai &#8211; and verbally piss off two pro-Salvador Allende students (Mariana di Girolamo, Ail\u00edn Salas) who they keep bumping into.<\/p>\n<p>But everything is not as it seems. Despite his <strong><em>Memento<\/em><\/strong>-style notes, Chris&#8217; cognitive decline has led him to forget that the trip is also his last hurrah. Not only does he have a bad case of oversharing and wrestles with existential malaise regarding the regimes he&#8217;s toppled (with a side helping of Catholic guilt), he also riddled with cancer. With not long left, Chris previously asked Lee to Of Mice And Men him on the trip.<\/p>\n<p>He&#8217;s forgotten that detail, but not his wish to work on his memoir, which he dictates into a tape recorder. These tapes are a source of great discomfort for the pair&#8217;s boss, chief spook MJ (Steve Buscemi), who fears Chris&#8217; indiscretions and confessions &#8211; especially &#8220;the Dallas parts&#8221; which could reveal Chris&#8217; role in JFK&#8217;s assassination &#8211; may jeopardise the agency&#8230;<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/14\/83\/808x454_cmsv2_7221a7d6-9ca5-500c-b1b2-5da93a3e475b-9981483.jpg\" alt=\"Wild Horse Nine\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Wild Horse Nine<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Searchlight Pictures<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>While not deviating from his established playbook, <em>Wild Horse Nine<\/em> feels like a satisfying Best Of compilation from McDonagh, as he merges the narrative framework of <em>In Bruges<\/em> with <em>Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri<\/em> &#8216;s adoration for the F-bomb, a cheeky Tom Waits cameo (\u00e0 la <em>Seven Psychopaths<\/em>), and the more quietly moving qualities at the heart of <strong><em>The Banshees of Inisherin<\/em><\/strong>. If that all sounds like your bag, there&#8217;s a great time to be had.<\/p>\n<p>When the balancing act works, the filmmaker&#8217;s signature acerbic wit and beloved themes surrounding salvation and unavoidability of death coalesce into a bittersweet whole. When it faulters, his script can feel like a self-indulgent succession of showboating monologues and non-sequitur-filled tangents \u2013 a niggle which has resulted in past accusations of narrative bittiness and smugness of tone.<\/p>\n<p>For the most part though, McDonagh pulls it off and plays to his strengths \u2013 loading the crackling tirades with some depth. For instance, a breakfast speech explaining why &#8220;gay countries&#8221; produce better cheeses than the US illicits laughter but also directly feeds into an initially promising commentary on the historic ills of American interventionism &#8211; and ongoing horrors of US foreign policy.<\/p>\n<p>Frustratingly, more could have been accomplished here considering the politically charged backdrop, and the female characters do stand out for being underused. It&#8217;s a pity, as Mariana di Girolamo shines as Monica in the little screentime she is given. She is essentially relegated to being the wide-eyed embodiment of Chris&#8217; long-lost optimism, and had she been given more to do, character dynamics could have been amplified and McDonagh could have bolstered his teased critical strands. While the last act hints at transformation before a tough battle ahead, a trick was missed.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/14\/83\/808x454_cmsv2_849477be-c386-5994-bdca-87cb9933d355-9981483.jpg\" alt=\"Wild Horse Nine\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Wild Horse Nine<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Searchlight Pictures<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ultimately, enjoyment rests on the double-act chemistry between the leads, which is there in spades and largely rests on Malkovich&#8217;s capable shoulders. After years of forgettable bit-part roles, the veteran actor is firing on all cylinders and delivers his best performance since <em>Being John Malkovich<\/em>. Or maybe since his villainous turn as Pascal Sauvage in <em>Johnny English<\/em>, which is a performance for the ages, and we won\u2019t hear another word about it.<\/p>\n<p>Whether he\u2019s admitting to caring more about the Chilean moths than the people of Chile, irascibly lashing out at whoever happens to be in his vicinity, or musing on why there aren\u2019t more songs about suicidal birds, Malkovich savours every line of dialogue. His trademark elocution suits McDonagh\u2019s prose to a T \u2013 especially when he&#8217;s repeatedly enunciating the word \u201ccahoots\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>What a wonderful word&#8230; Did you know it was originally derived from the French &#8216;cahute&#8217;, meaning a small shack, evoking the image of huddled schemers. Who&#8217;s to say whether that&#8217;s gospel, but as Tom Waits once said, &#8220;Most people don&#8217;t care if you&#8217;re telling them the truth or if you&#8217;re telling them a lie, as long as they&#8217;re entertained by it&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Oh god, it&#8217;s gone all McDonagh with a wordy digression. Back to John&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>The way Malkovich manages to simultaneously dip his toes into eccentric, amoral, melancholic and soulful terrains creates pessimistic poetry that his hard to resist. The actor already bagged the Volpi Cup for Best Actor in Venice, where the film premiered this year, and on the strength of this performance he&#8217;s a shoo-in for Oscar glory next year.<\/p>\n<p>Not hurting those odds is the fact that his last Oscar nomination was in 1993 for <em>In The Line Of Fire<\/em> \u2013 in which he played the unnamed killer attempting to assassinate the President of the United States. The Academy loves a comeback story; and who doesn&#8217;t love a decent bit of movie-echoing symmetry masquerading as coincidence?<\/p>\n<p>So, familiar ground though <em>Wild Horse Nine<\/em> may be, there&#8217;s every chance you&#8217;ll be hearing a lot more about this sardonic and occasionally moving yarn come awards season.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Wild Horse Nine<\/em> is out in cinemas now.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-contributors c-article-contributors-supplementary u-margin-top-2 u-padding-top-2\">\n<p>Video editor<strong> \u2022 Amber Louise Bryce<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__container\">\n<article id=\"abe-2937355-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2937355\" data-cid=\"9970250\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2937355-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/02\/50\/480x270_cmsv2_c37498b3-d177-5ac6-957e-a68d3a097f6c-9970250.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Film of the Week: Wicker\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Cinema<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Euronews Culture&#8217;s Film of the Week: &#8216;Wicker&#8217; \u2013 50 Shades Of Hay?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2935875-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2935875\" data-cid=\"9963456\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2935875-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/96\/34\/56\/480x270_cmsv2_cb96f993-da6f-5a6b-9ce2-839abb1ae054-9963456.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Film of the Week: Clayface\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Cinema<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Euronews Culture&#8217;s Film of the Week: &#8216;Clayface&#8217; \u2013 Gloopy, gruesome, but not quite great<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928600-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2928600\" data-cid=\"9927748\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928600-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/77\/48\/480x270_cmsv2_ca072473-fca9-5785-aeee-88918fa57916-9927748.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Film of the Week: Primetime\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Cinema<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Euronews Culture&#8217;s Film of the Week: &#8216;Primetime&#8217; &#8211; Robert Pattinson needs to catch his predator (and ratings)<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Comedy<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Culture Film of the Week<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  John Malkovich<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Film<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Cinema<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tp-vuukle\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__header\"><span class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__title\">Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2939590-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939590\" data-cid=\"9981482\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939590-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/14\/82\/320x180_cmsv2_c763a184-e9ba-5ee5-9556-d63162711a95-9981482.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"This combination of images released by GoRunway shows fashion by, from left, Glenn Martens for Maison Margiela, Jonathan Anderson for Loewe, and Jun Takahashi for Undercover. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;Extraordinary ordinary&#8217;: Met Gala announces surprising new theme<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2939462-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939462\" data-cid=\"9980756\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939462-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/07\/56\/320x180_cmsv2_aeae8b56-bf29-5e33-94b3-d70daa1e60bb-9980756.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"&apos;Imposter&apos;: Why is the Chucky creator angry with Nicki Minaj? \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;Imposter&#8217;: Why is the Chucky creator angry with Nicki Minaj?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2939299-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939299\" data-cid=\"9980015\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939299-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/00\/15\/320x180_cmsv2_5582ec9d-cedd-5e91-b4e2-7f054340d289-9980015.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"James Barnor, Medway College, Rochester, UK, c. 1960-1963 \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Sony awards top photography honour to Ghana\u2019s James Barnor<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2935744-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2935744\" data-cid=\"9980379\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2935744-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/96\/27\/91\/320x180_cmsv2_0d82a4d7-206f-5659-8231-bb5e8979fe58-9962791.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Producer, screenwriter and historian Dr Alice Brauner on the set of Block 10.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    New film &#8216;Block 10&#8217; exposes Nazi sterilisation experiments on women in Auschwitz<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2939295-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939295\" data-cid=\"9980170\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939295-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/99\/99\/320x180_cmsv2_1827a31b-adab-560a-879c-964d3b9d2b97-9979999.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The laureate Philippe Jaenada claims to use AI in moderation\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Winner of France&#8217;s top literary prize admits using AI for novel<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-2\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2939198-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939198\" data-cid=\"9979507\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    America has spoken &#8211; and the internet has the viral memes to prove it<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">2<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2938910-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2938910\" data-cid=\"9978046\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Kristin Scott Thomas weighs in on Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden for next James Bond<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">3<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2939354-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939354\" data-cid=\"9980348\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Bob Dylan meets Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican, with music, faith and a rosary gift<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">4<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2939295-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939295\" data-cid=\"9980170\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Winner of France&#8217;s top literary prize admits using AI for novel<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2939151-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939151\" data-cid=\"9979214\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;He\u2019s so strong&#8217;: Former 007 actor Pierce Brosnan shares his pick for the next James Bond<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-3\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2937355-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2937355\" data-cid=\"9970250\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2937355-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/02\/50\/480x270_cmsv2_c37498b3-d177-5ac6-957e-a68d3a097f6c-9970250.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Film of the Week: Wicker\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Cinema<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Euronews Culture&#8217;s Film of the Week: &#8216;Wicker&#8217; \u2013 50 Shades Of Hay?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2935875-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2935875\" data-cid=\"9963456\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2935875-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/96\/34\/56\/480x270_cmsv2_cb96f993-da6f-5a6b-9ce2-839abb1ae054-9963456.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Film of the Week: Clayface\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Cinema<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Euronews Culture&#8217;s Film of the Week: &#8216;Clayface&#8217; \u2013 Gloopy, gruesome, but not quite great<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928600-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2928600\" data-cid=\"9927748\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928600-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/77\/48\/480x270_cmsv2_ca072473-fca9-5785-aeee-88918fa57916-9927748.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Film of the Week: Primetime\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Cinema<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Euronews Culture&#8217;s Film of the Week: &#8216;Primetime&#8217; &#8211; Robert Pattinson needs to catch his predator (and ratings)<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939590-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939590\" data-cid=\"9981482\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939590-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/14\/82\/320x180_cmsv2_c763a184-e9ba-5ee5-9556-d63162711a95-9981482.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"This combination of images released by GoRunway shows fashion by, from left, Glenn Martens for Maison Margiela, Jonathan Anderson for Loewe, and Jun Takahashi for Undercover. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;Extraordinary ordinary&#8217;: Met Gala announces surprising new theme<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939462-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939462\" data-cid=\"9980756\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939462-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/07\/56\/320x180_cmsv2_aeae8b56-bf29-5e33-94b3-d70daa1e60bb-9980756.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"&apos;Imposter&apos;: Why is the Chucky creator angry with Nicki Minaj? \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;Imposter&#8217;: Why is the Chucky creator angry with Nicki Minaj?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939299-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939299\" data-cid=\"9980015\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939299-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/00\/15\/320x180_cmsv2_5582ec9d-cedd-5e91-b4e2-7f054340d289-9980015.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"James Barnor, Medway College, Rochester, UK, c. 1960-1963 \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Sony awards top photography honour to Ghana\u2019s James Barnor<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2935744-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2935744\" data-cid=\"9980379\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2935744-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/96\/27\/91\/320x180_cmsv2_0d82a4d7-206f-5659-8231-bb5e8979fe58-9962791.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Producer, screenwriter and historian Dr Alice Brauner on the set of Block 10.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    New film &#8216;Block 10&#8217; exposes Nazi sterilisation experiments on women in Auschwitz<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939295-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939295\" data-cid=\"9980170\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939295-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/99\/99\/320x180_cmsv2_1827a31b-adab-560a-879c-964d3b9d2b97-9979999.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The laureate Philippe Jaenada claims to use AI in moderation\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Winner of France&#8217;s top literary prize admits using AI for novel<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939198-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939198\" data-cid=\"9979507\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    America has spoken &#8211; and the internet has the viral memes to prove it<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2938910-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2938910\" data-cid=\"9978046\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Kristin Scott Thomas weighs in on Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden for next James Bond<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939354-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939354\" data-cid=\"9980348\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Bob Dylan meets Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican, with music, faith and a rosary gift<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939295-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939295\" data-cid=\"9980170\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Winner of France&#8217;s top literary prize admits using AI for novel<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939151-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939151\" data-cid=\"9979214\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;He\u2019s so strong&#8217;: Former 007 actor Pierce Brosnan shares his pick for the next James Bond<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">At this point, it wouldn&#8217;t be a Martin McDonagh joint without two lonely and dysfunctional souls seeking a warped connection in a world that seems hellbent on imperilling the possibility of redemption.For his latest\u00a0black comedy, Wild Horse Nine, the British-Irish writer-director harks back to his feature debut In Bruges\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0except it&#8217;s out with two\u00a0bickering hitmen in Belgium and in with a squabbling pair of CIA operatives on Easter Island prior to the 1973 Chilean coup.Taking a break from disrupting democracy, seasoned and increasingly forgetful agent Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell), who doesn&#8217;t mind killing a man while eating a burger, are on holiday. Sort of.\u00a0The odd couple plan to take in the sights\u00a0of Rapa Nui, visit the\u00a0giant stone heads \u2013 sorry, Moai &#8211; and verbally piss off\u00a0two pro-Salvador Allende\u00a0students (Mariana di Girolamo, Ail\u00edn Salas) who they\u00a0keep bumping into.But everything is not as it seems. Despite his Memento-style notes, Chris&#8217;\u00a0cognitive decline\u00a0has led him to forget that the trip is also his last hurrah. Not only does he have a bad case of oversharing and\u00a0wrestles with existential\u00a0malaise regarding the regimes he&#8217;s toppled\u00a0(with a side helping of Catholic guilt), he also riddled with cancer. With not\u00a0long left, Chris previously asked Lee to Of Mice And Men him\u00a0on the trip.He&#8217;s forgotten that detail, but not his wish to work on his\u00a0memoir, which he dictates into a tape recorder. These tapes are a source of great discomfort for the pair&#8217;s boss, chief spook MJ (Steve Buscemi), who fears\u00a0Chris&#8217;\u00a0indiscretions and confessions &#8211;\u00a0especially &#8220;the Dallas parts&#8221; which could reveal Chris&#8217; role in JFK&#8217;s assassination &#8211;\u00a0may jeopardise the agency&#8230;While not deviating from his established\u00a0playbook, Wild Horse Nine feels like a satisfying Best Of\u00a0compilation from\u00a0McDonagh, as he\u00a0merges the narrative\u00a0framework\u00a0of In Bruges with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri &#8216;s adoration for the F-bomb,\u00a0a cheeky Tom Waits cameo (\u00e0 la Seven Psychopaths), and\u00a0the more quietly moving qualities at the heart of The Banshees of Inisherin.\u00a0If that all sounds like your bag, there&#8217;s a great time to be had.When the balancing act works, the filmmaker&#8217;s signature\u00a0acerbic wit and beloved themes surrounding salvation and\u00a0unavoidability of death\u00a0coalesce into a bittersweet whole. When it faulters,\u00a0his script can feel like a self-indulgent succession of showboating monologues\u00a0and\u00a0non-sequitur-filled\u00a0tangents \u2013 a niggle which has resulted in past accusations of narrative bittiness and smugness of tone.For the most part though, McDonagh pulls it off and plays to his strengths \u2013 loading the crackling\u00a0tirades with some depth. For instance, a\u00a0breakfast speech explaining why &#8220;gay countries&#8221; produce better cheeses than the US illicits laughter but also\u00a0directly feeds into an initially\u00a0promising commentary on the historic ills of American interventionism &#8211;\u00a0and ongoing horrors of US foreign policy.Frustratingly, more could have been accomplished here considering the\u00a0politically charged backdrop, and the female characters\u00a0do stand out for being underused. It&#8217;s a pity, as Mariana di Girolamo shines as Monica in the little screentime she is given. She is essentially\u00a0relegated to being\u00a0the wide-eyed embodiment of Chris&#8217; long-lost\u00a0optimism, and had she been given more to do,\u00a0character dynamics could have been amplified\u00a0and McDonagh could have bolstered his teased\u00a0critical strands.\u00a0While the last act hints at transformation before a tough battle ahead, a trick was missed.Ultimately, enjoyment rests on the\u00a0double-act\u00a0chemistry between the leads, which is there in spades and\u00a0largely rests on\u00a0Malkovich&#8217;s\u00a0capable shoulders. After years of forgettable bit-part roles, the veteran actor is firing on all cylinders and delivers his best performance since Being John Malkovich. Or maybe since his villainous turn as Pascal Sauvage in Johnny English, which is a performance for the ages, and we won\u2019t hear another word about it.Whether he\u2019s admitting to caring more about the Chilean\u00a0moths than the people\u00a0of Chile, irascibly lashing out at whoever happens to be in his vicinity, or musing on why there aren\u2019t more songs about suicidal birds, Malkovich savours every line of dialogue. His trademark elocution\u00a0suits McDonagh\u2019s prose\u00a0to a T \u2013 especially when he&#8217;s\u00a0repeatedly enunciating the word \u201ccahoots\u201d.What a wonderful word&#8230; Did you know it was originally derived from the French &#8216;cahute&#8217;, meaning a small shack, evoking the image of huddled schemers. Who&#8217;s to say whether that&#8217;s\u00a0gospel, but as Tom Waits once said, &#8220;Most people don&#8217;t care if you&#8217;re telling them the truth or if you&#8217;re telling them a lie, as long as they&#8217;re entertained by it&#8221;.Oh\u00a0god, it&#8217;s gone all McDonagh with a wordy digression.\u00a0Back to John&#8230;The way Malkovich\u00a0manages to\u00a0simultaneously dip his toes into eccentric, amoral, melancholic\u00a0and\u00a0soulful terrains creates pessimistic poetry\u00a0that his hard to resist. The actor already bagged the Volpi Cup for Best Actor in Venice, where the film premiered this year, and on the strength of this performance he&#8217;s a shoo-in for Oscar glory next year.Not hurting those odds\u00a0is the fact that his last Oscar nomination was in 1993 for In The Line Of Fire \u2013 in which he played the unnamed killer attempting to assassinate the President of the United States. The Academy loves a comeback story;\u00a0and who doesn&#8217;t\u00a0love a decent bit of movie-echoing symmetry\u00a0masquerading as coincidence?So, familiar ground though Wild Horse Nine may be,\u00a0there&#8217;s every chance you&#8217;ll be hearing a lot more about this sardonic and occasionally moving yarn come awards season.Wild Horse Nine is out in cinemas now.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/11\/06\/euronews-cultures-film-of-the-week-wild-horse-nine-guns-coups-and-suicidal-birds&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/14\/83\/1200x675_cmsv2_d7ebad7b-cb8e-5f3f-b5d3-246674aa8b7c-9981483.jpg&#8221;] Europe News One killed and three injured in strikes on Ukraine Europe Today Cracks emerge over Europe\u2019s fragmented approach to Ukraine peace talks Europe Today Live. Trump weighs Iran strikes as Ukraine talks head to Abu Dhabi Markets Global stock rout deepens after worst US chip sell-off since 2020 Culture Culture Series [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2241008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2241008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2241008"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2241008\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2241008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2241008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2241008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}