McDonagh's Easter Island Thriller and Dr. Seuss Adaptation Open in Theaters

Two new films open in theaters this weekend, each presenting a distinct challenge to its audience. Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine sends two CIA agents to Rapa Nui in the 1970s, while a new animated adaptation of The Cat in the Hat attempts to expand Dr. Seuss’s short fable into a feature length production. Both projects rely on established IP or star power to draw crowds, but they face different structural hurdles in their execution.

Wild Horse Nine follows Lee, played by Sam Rockwell, and Chris, played by John Malkovich, as they work to destabilize the socialist government of Salvador Allende in Santiago, Chile. Chris, who is dying of cancer, requests a final trip to Rapa Nui, which was still widely known as Easter Island at the time. The setting features large stone heads, wild horses, and grassy hills. Chris is described as indiscreet for a spy, frequently insulting locals and tourists about his true identity. His superiors, aware of his role in the JFK assassination, aim to terminate his career quickly.

The film draws direct comparisons to McDonagh’s 2008 crime dramedy In Bruges and his 2022 critical hit The Banshees of Inisherin. Both previous works featured two central characters in beautiful settings dealing with violence and friendship. Critics note that Wild Horse Nine shares a similar trajectory, falling just short of classic status. The film is described as two-thirds of a classic, with the director treading water to reach feature length. The narrative relies on brutality that is not always warranted, and the tension fails to hold until the final bloodbath.

The performances anchor the production. Malkovich plays Chris with a showy, defiant energy, seemingly enjoying a character who is enjoying his final days after a life of questionable actions. Rockwell provides quiet excellence as Lee, who suppresses his sensitive nature while harboring a palpable love for his partner. Steve Buscemi appears as the pair’s weasely superior. Mariana di Girolamo and Ailin Salas play two young women Chris flirts with at the airport, while Parker Posey and Tom Waits contribute minor roles. Waits’ gloomy appearance is noted as fitting for the island setting.

The Cat in the Hat takes a different approach with its animated format. Bill Hader voices the title character, using snarky and nasal tones to bring the figure to life. The film includes visual imagination and verbal vigor, with a screening audience of children laughing at flatulence and poop jokes. The movie also features a psychic narwhal. However, the adaptation faces the same issue as The Lorax and The Grinch, which required padding simple fables to fill a full runtime.

The new film invents an elaborate and bureaucratically literal backstory for the Cat. This addition drains the character of his stature as a fairy-tale anarchist. The half-hour animated television versions of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Cat in the Hat from the 1960s and 1970s barely managed their own padding. The current production’s need to flesh out the story results in a loss of the original’s mythic depth.

Preceding the feature is a short subject titled Daffy Season. This Looney Tunes animation runs a close second to the recent Coyote vs. Acme as the best effort in the franchise in recent years. The short depicts Daffy Duck bracing for duck season in a painterly style. When Elmer and his shotgun fail to appear, Daffy becomes bereft. He investigates and finds what is keeping Elmer, along with Bugs Bunny and the rest of the company, on a couch instead of in the woods.

The release of these films marks a busy weekend for cinema. Wild Horse Nine aims to replicate the critical success of McDonagh’s previous works, while The Cat in the Hat targets family audiences with a recognizable brand. The inclusion of the Daffy Season short suggests an effort to capture nostalgic viewers before the main feature begins.