Martin McDonagh Jokes About His Past – as a Hitman – and Calls ‘Wild Horse Nine’ His Most Political Film: ‘There’s Too Much Artistic Neutrality and Too Much Saying Nothing’
Martin McDonagh has described Wild Horse Nine as his most political film, criticising what he sees as excessive artistic neutrality and reluctance to express opinions. The black comedy follows two CIA agents travelling to Easter Island before Chile’s 1973 coup, while its themes of foreign intervention have gained unexpected contemporary resonance through references to Venezuela, Russia, Ukraine and other conflicts.
At the Zurich Film Festival, where he received a tribute award, McDonagh also discussed leaving school at 16, struggling to get his radio plays accepted and moving from theatre into film. He credited rejection, Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell and other collaborators with helping shape his career, while joking about having been a “hitman” before making films and explaining how his work combines violent or serious subjects with humour.
- McDonagh calls Wild Horse Nine his most political film.
- Its historical interventions echo present-day conflicts.
- He reflects on rejection, theatre, cinema and influential collaborators.