Parents' Guide to Wild Horse Nine

Another skillful, profanity-laden screenplay by Martin McDonagh, this dark comedy makes room for characters who grow, change, and reveal new depths, resulting in two very strong performances. Wild Horse Nine has a similar setup to McDonagh's feature debut In Bruges—two killers stuck in an unfamiliar place—but this film is far more mature and surprising. Technically, Lee and Chris are the "good guys," but viewers learn that their work for the CIA has mostly involved assassinations, takeovers, and coups.

Despite the specter of deep U.S. government corruption hanging over everything, their experience being bad is lots of fun. And the acting is exceptional, especially by Malkovich, who reaches levels of touching sympathy rarely seen in a career full of strange, snaky characters. (It's hard to think of a better performance by him.) The movie is looser and slower than previous McDonagh productions, which helps bring it toward its unexpectedly touching climax. Yet, at the same time, McDonagh doesn't really make the most of the movie's Rapa Nui locale, other than using it as a pretty backdrop. It doesn't seem to be enmeshed with the story at hand. Because of that, the pace feels a bit slack from time to time. Still, even though it's not as tight and masterly as McDonagh's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Wild Horse Nine is a powerhouse movie—very funny, thought-provoking, moving, and likely unforgettable.