The Jackal

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The Jackal

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The Jackal

Bruce Willis, Richard Gere, Sidney Poitier

The best way to enjoy this 1997 thriller is to forget the much better film that inspired it (1973's The Day of the Jackal) and get whatever kicks you can from this heavy-metal remake. It's not ...( read more  read more... )bad as hokey thrillers go, but all of the original film's suspenseful finesse has been traded in (not traded up) for bigger, bolder action and nonsensical plotting. It's as if Hollywood had forgotten to create excitement without resorting to overblown action and heavy hardware, but there's ample compensation in the casting of Bruce Willis and Richard Gere. Willis is the elusive assassin known only as the Jackal, whose latest target (he uses a cannon-sized gun that's anything but inconspicuous) may be the first lady of the United States. Gere plays a former IRA terrorist who is recruited by the deputy head of the FBI (Sidney Poitier) to trace the Jackal's maneuvers, and Diane Venora offers some gutsy support as a Russian-born agent who assists Gere on his mission. The movie has fun turning Willis into a master of disguise, and Gere adds much-needed gravity to counter the plot's escalating absurdity, but this is the kind of film that falls apart if you think about it too much. Still, that doesn't stop the Collector's Edition DVD from offering an impressive array of bonus features, including a director's commentary, a "making of The Jackal" documentary, deleted scenes, an alternative ending, cast interviews, and more. --Jeff Shannon

Id: 10910843

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The Jackal Recent Reviews
  • stopitgoaway
    November 8, 2009
    stopitgoaway
    I thought that this was an intelligent thriller that lived up to the original. I thought that willis portrayed the perfect cold-blooded assassin. Richard Gere did a fine job as well. Even though you can tell his cheesey accent is a fake. This is not an action movie, so if you're ...( read more)expecting cars and planes blowing up, it doesn't happen. Even though one car blows up. This is a thriller and a good one at that.
  • SirPant
    September 24, 2009
    SirPant
    Painfully crap!
  • Redlats
    February 3, 2009
    Redlats
    I haven't seen "The Day of the Jackal" yet, so I can't compare this movie to the predecessor. I found the movie alright.

    Of course it doesn't make sense that an assassin with the reputation of the Jackal would be so easy to figure out, but I am here to enjoy the movie not to ...( read more)complain about every little inconsistency.
  • bradwest
    December 7, 2008
    bradwest
    Unneccessary remake of Day of the Jackal.
  • kiriyamakazou
    August 12, 2008
    kiriyamakazou
    There's nothing too horrible about this film other than the derivative nature of the film and some very poor accents. AT the same time there is nothing to recommend it on. Must admit it did have me hooked which helped me to overlook any plot holes, but the lack of time Willis and...( read more) Gere had on screen meant there was no real tension between the two. The complex way in which different governments work together and hire and contact the most bizarre of people is also off putting. Could the screenwriters not just made Gere the only Jackal witness instead of having a lumbering sort of romantic side plot? Willis was excellent and suited every disguise of his, but his cold bastard nature wasn't fully exploited.
  • SunEtimes
    December 14, 2009
    SunEtimes
    Down with Jack Black! Exciting thriller
  • doctordoom
    December 13, 2009
    doctordoom
    This is a decent action film. It stars Bruce Willis, Richard Gere and Sidney Poitier. Basically about this assassin for hire that no one can find. So they get a ex IRA member to help them track this assassin down. The story is decent and the movie is full of action sequences. Bas...( read more)cially what you would expect from this. The story itself reminds me of a novel by Jack Higgins called "Eye of the Storm". Sort of similar. Do not expect the best performances from the actors in this. They all do a good job in their roles but they have all made better. Overall a worth at least a one time watch.
  • Phonex
    December 2, 2009
    Phonex
    Terrible. Once is enough. Don't be funny.
  • Yelverton
    November 20, 2009
    Yelverton
    Really good thriller. Sidney Poitier is fun to watch.
  • 21rclemente
    November 16, 2009
    21rclemente
    Really liked this one eventhough I loathe Gere. Willis plays a damn good villan and Black plays a strange techy hook-up
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