The Jackal (1997) User Reviews

An underrated thriller undeserving of all the hate.

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 28 April 2012]

I've never understood why The Jackal has been cursed with poor reviews from pretty much everybody. From the day I saw it as a 17-year-old in January 1998 I always found it entertaining and exciting. This might be down to the fact that I have never seen the 1973 original.

Brucie plays a nameless assassin, cool as ice and utterly emotionless. Richard Gere is the only man to have seen him. He's let out of prison to assist the FBI in catching the Jackal before he takes out an uncertain high-ranking official. Willis and Gere are, for the most part, leading their own movies as they never meet until the climax. It's very interesting watching them both go about their business, Willis hatching a master plan and Gere methodically picking apart his trail and hunting him down. There is great support from Sidney Poitier and cutie-pie Diane Venora as a scarred Russian cop.

With a wide variety of brilliantly photographed locations across the US and Canada, and plot with a medium-level of complexity it's not entirely brainless viewing but not too taxing as to alienate lazy viewers. I honestly do not get why so many people hate it. Willis has done far worse films (even seen Mercury Rising?) that get off scot-free somehow, but The Jackal doesn't get off so lightly. Aside from Gere's slightly dodgy Oirish accent I have no complaints about this film. Give it a chance and you might just be entertained.

Different from the original, but still quite good

[bsinc · 7/10 · 16 February 2002]

I was sure this movie was going to be a disappointment, but after seeing it I have to say I was deeply wrong. Sure, the story has numerous big holes (Gere knows the operating technique of his opponent so well and down to the last detail, you'd think they used to live together from the moment they were born - total exaggeration, another example are the lame effects when he's between two trains), and Gere's dialect is way off (for some reason it didn't bother me at all), but the rest is pure action and entertainment extravaganza. Bruce Willis was a perfect choice for the Jackal and Sidney Poitier was as always amazing and really helped the atmosphere of the movie with his role. The ending was a bit short, but in my opinion necessary, because I knew what was going to happen, so why delay it. Nicely done, and great music. 7/10

Stop comparing the two "Jackals"... it's useless

[CherryBlossomBoy · 7/10 · 23 March 2011]

I had a bit of fun reading through user comments on Jackal, and there are two perpetuating issues in about 90 percent of them: 1) this "version" of "Jackal" has nothing on the original (because the original was "oh so great") 2) only idiots enjoyed this version (because its plot is silly).

My response would be: 1) the original wasn't so great either (go ahead and jump at me) 2) anybody who thinks only an idiot would enjoy silly movies is an idiot himself.

On the first point - why is even so necessary to compare remakes to originals if they can stand perfectly on their own? This one can. In fact it even has advantages over its classic predecessor, such as better editing, better cinematography and even better acting. You may think I'm holding onto a straw here by nitpicking but I'm an odd person that values the benefits of modern productions.

On the second point - if silliness (better yet stupidity) of the plot was the criteria by which to avoid the movie, I would probably have seen only about a dozen movies in my lifetime. I would have avoided Bond movies, period movies, parodies and what not. And I'd be poorer for that. So, forget silliness, it's no big deal.

Now a little on the movie itself. The plot is indeed stupid (for an in-depth analysis I recommend reading hilarious Roger Ebert's review). The cast reversal is also a bit of misfortune as Gere was initially supposed to be the Jackal. The fact that the role eventually went to Bruce Willis, together with adventuristic nature of Jackal's business, made me root for the bad guy as I never did before. He is conceived as sort of an upgraded James Bond here, being more ruthless, with drier sense of humor and taking advantage of both sexes (not only females) to his cause.

I don't know if making bad guy look good was the intention on part of the film crew, but it turned out a very subversive move for a typical Hollywood venture (making an IRA terrorist that pursues Jackal a likable guy as well is probably another one, but I wont go into that). All in all, it was a suspenseful voyage with such a good pace that you don't care about the shortcomings at the first viewing, so I say it's recommendable. There are certainly far worse ways you could waste two hours.

Tension,action packed and man hunt in this thriller with good playing by the main cast

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 29 November 2006]

The picture deals the known history about Jackal.Bruce Willis stars as an ice cold series killer,he's employed by the Russian Mafia wants avenge for a FBI intervention in its issues and his target is allegedly killing FBI's chief. Jackal is an unknown man and he's solely known by a convict terrorist from IRA named Declan(Richard Gere).He's given a bargain by an experienced FBI official(Sidney Poitier)and his group(Diane Venora,J.K.Simmons) and the chase,the manhunt, is on to find the vicious killer escaped with ominous purports.They team up to catch the biggest world hired murderer.Declan contacts with an ex-ETA terrorist(Mathilda May)who had a deep relationship with Jackal.Meanwhile the unemotional murderer is preparing the hired assassination and buys technological weapon to an arms-crafter(Jack Black)what are experimented in alive(in similar scenes from the first version with Cryl Cusak).

The picture contains lots of action,suspenseful,past paced thriller,intrigue,tension but at times it seems too similar to another action films.Agreeable chemistry between Richard Gere and Sidney Poitier along with excellent action sequences like as the breathtaking final game in the subway are someone of the worthwhile items in this rehash from the classical Day of Jackal.Willis,Gere and Poitier,the trio protagonist, make a solid portrayal of their characters backed by a splendid secondary casting. The film is based in Frederick Forsyth's best selling novel of political intrigue previously adapted successful by Fred Zinnemann with Edward Fox.However here is quite different,but the target is political ,the general Charles de Gaulle by the OAS(terrorist organization anti-independence Algeria),while in this film is apparently the FBI's director. Colorful cinematography with beautiful locations by Karl Walter Lindenlaub and enjoyable music by Carter Burwell .The motion picture is regularly directed by Michael Caton Jones.

A fine action movie. Strong cast and excellent story line

[jupiters-250-813844 · 9/10 · 27 February 2015]

I had seen some fairly negative reviews about this film and as the "Day of the Jackal" is very high in my estimation, I was expecting to watch something less than excellent. I was astounded to find that "The Jackal" is at least as good and in some respects better. The production values greatly transform the film; the budget was well spent and the result is total credibility. A strong cast helps; Willis is brilliant as the cold, chameleon-like central character. Poitier and of course Gere are equally superb. Jack Black is at home with the role of technological wizard; who of course has an Achilles heel; as his hippy, cool persona reveals. Highly recommended.

Tense, fast-paced, but sort of ordinary suspense thriller

[mstomaso · 5/10 · 27 March 2005]

You can't really approach this as a remake of the classic 'The Day of The Jackal.' Though broadly similar, the entire feel of the two films is incomparable. And suspense thrillers are all about "the feel" aren't they?

The story is pretty standard fair - a super villain assassin (Willis) is going to make a big kill using a huge weapon and leaving a trail of bodies along the way. Gere, an IRA soldier (jailed for "terrorism") is brought on as consultant because he is one of the few people who has seen 'the Jackal", and given a few vague promises in exchange for his help. As it turns out, Gere has more than just knowledge - he has a vendetta. Poitier oversees Gere and the investigation of Willis, and comes to realize that Gere is the only hope of stopping him.

I like Sidney Poitier, Bruce Willis and Richard Gere, so I was predisposed to like this film. I was neither very surprised nor disappointed. The Jackal is entertaining and the performances are strong. Poitier is always a class act, and Willis and Gere have terrific anti-chemistry. There's nothing wrong with the cinematography or directing, and the pace of the film, though a little breathless, is fine. Regardless, the story-line never reached much beyond the ordinary thriller fare. Making a truly great thriller requires either doing something really original (very hard to do) or using a truly inspired script. This film's script is decent, but the story line could have used a little more careful thought and a bit more complexity.

Good thriller, if you don't compare with the original.

[searchanddestroy-1 · 8/10 · 17 July 2022]

The main purpose of this movie is to show Bruce Willis in a villain character, the very first of his career. He will do a few more, later, in the late 2010's, in direct to DVDs craps. I like this Michael Caton Jones feature, it is a fast paced action movie, tense, on the condition you don't compare with the Zinneman's feature of course. I was waiting for a face to face between Gere and Willis, I found it very interesting, exciting and I was not deceived. But I still don't know what Sid Poitier, already an old timer, did in this film. But he's good, as usual. And for the first time in his career, he doesn't play a Black man role; his character could have been played by a Chinese, Arab, White actor. Poitier who, all long his life, symbolized the Civil Rights fight. The best moments are when Willis kills people, watch out for this face; he is absolutely exquisite.

Poor remake, okay as a stand alone

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 18 September 2021]

I saw this back in the day. Unrecognisable from THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, of course, and not a patch on it, but serviceable enough for a late 1990s suspense/action/thriller. You can tell Willis is really enjoying something other than his jaded action star role and the Jack Black scene is worth the price of admission alone.

Fast paced crime

[spamobile · 11 July 2011]

Not sure why this movie seems so low rated, it's well worth a view ! It's fast paced with a number of strong actors and characters portrait very well by them. Maybe the story is not entirely believable, it seems that some leads are obtained a bit too easy, but does that matter? It's just great, action packed, clever, and if you like crime it should keep you on the edge of your chair. No, it's not like the original but I don't think the makers set out to do this. It would have been a crime to do that actually as the original is in it's own an excellent movie and remakes are most of the time disappointing. Go watch it, buy the DVD!

Worth a Watch if you like the Genre

[clubsamwich · 7/10 · 11 January 2020]

I can see why this film would get a lot of bad reviews. The plot is not spectacular, the script is pretty weak, the foreign accents are not convincing and the acting could use some work. Having said all that I think it is an enjoyable movie to watch if you're into the thriller genre when the bad guy is a master assassin. The most entertaining parts of the film that really carry the whole production are the scenes with The Jackal displaying his expertise. The identities he uses, the underground networks and systems utilised to find the information and hardware required to accomplish his task. This is what this film has that makes it worth watching. Similar to the Bourne films but from the perspective of the bad guy.

This film deserves a more honest look

[rene2030 · 6/10 · 26 January 2012]

Yeah, I know, it is so easy to bash this film as so many of you have done.

It's a thriller that doesn't stand out in it's genre, pretty easy to watch but not more than that. It has a high profile cast including Bruce Willis, Richard Gere and a couple of very very decent actors slash actresses like J.K. Simmons, Diane Venora and so on, so nothing wrong with that. A more than decent director in Michael Caton-Jones, who does his best with the material he's got and doing a good job at it. Sadly he has to work with a script that has potholes the size of Hummers H3 in it, so it's easy to see why this film doesn't work the way it's supposed to.

but!!!! If you have read some of the novels written by Robert Ludlum (may God rest his soul) you will have picked up some of the vibe he has put in most of his novels, putting the Jason Bourne Trilogy upfront. And just to be clear about it, I'm not talking about the miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain and also not even mentioning the Matt Damon movies (although those were really cool) but the original novels as Mr. Ludlum intended them to be. If you have these novels in the back of your head and are a fan of them you will find this movie pretty enjoyable to watch although the execution of this movie has some problems in staying believable.

It is in general a pretty normal thriller with (Í'm sorry to say) some mayor flaws. But I can't escape the feeling that the script (allthough adapted from an apparent classic of which I haven't yet had the pleasure of watching) was written in the mindset of an all-out genius Robert Ludlum-vibe, which I picked up on immediately and enjoyed very much.

Lacks the compelling simplicity of the original

[mungflesh · 6/10 · 19 March 2019]

I like this movie but it's not in the same league as the original.

Declan is an unnecessary addition. He feels like Sean Connery's role in The Rock, but with a big question mark hanging over him. Have the FBI not heard of identikits? His existence in the movie just makes the FBI's involvement a joke.

Secondly, the love story between Declan and the Basque lady is the movie's low point. In an attempt to set the remake aside from the original, this horribly contrived relationship exists to tie the plot together in all the wrong ways; very lame.

Bruce Willis is, for my money, not terribly convincing as the Jackal. The cold, calculating Jackal from the original now feels a bit more 'tough guy' and 'loose cannon' rather than clinical ice-man. He's not awful but feel a better choice could have been made in casting.

On a general level, the pacing is not all that bad and there are a few decent set pieces (including one particularly good visceral moment which wakes you up) and Sidney Poitier plays well as his stereotypical by-the-book agent.

But as for the finale, the original can boast one of the greatest climaxes in movie history. No spoilers, but don't expect Jackal 1997 to be anywhere close to as thrilling.

Did They Have To Call It THE JACKAL ?

[Theo Robertson · 5/10 · 29 July 2003]

The fundamental problem with remakes is that you find yourself comparing the remake with the original . When watching THE JACKAL I found myself comparing American and European films . The original DAY OF THE JACKAL was a very European movie filmed entirely in Europe with a mainly European cast and crew with a very understated performance from Edward Fox as a very English assassin . It was a film that was both intelligent and compelling . The remake on the other hand - Despite having a Scottish director - is a very American film : Loud , vulgar , not very clever , with box office consideration over riding creative and artistic factors . You want a determined and ruthless assassin ? How about Jean Reno ? Ah but you can`t do that because the studio want a big name American actor like Bruce Willis in the title role , a role where his character has to don several disguises none of which make him look like anything more than Bruce Willis in a disguise ( A bit like Val Kilmer in THE SAINT where no matter how much the hero disguises himself he always looks like Val Kilmer ) And being an American film who better to play an IRA man than that well known wee , short , fat , middle aged Irish actor Richard Gere whose " oirish " accent is less convincing than the Jackal`s disguises . Once again this is the fault of the studio who are dying to cast a big name no matter how unsuitable they are for the role and once again I`m disgusted to see an IRA character as a good guy . Note to American film producers : By the 1990s most Irish Americans recognised the provisional IRA for what they are - Murdering scum . In fact one of the main reasons the IRA wanted to reach a settlement was because they`d lost all political and financial support from the Irish American lobby . The IRA had few friends over there then and have no friends over there now so stop making films with IRA characters hoping you`ll have a guaranteed hit in Boston and New York , it`s patronising to Irish Americans and offensive to us Brits

I do concede THE JACKAL is entertaining in parts and I did like the bizarre title sequence featuring a montage of 20th century Russian history set against a techno soundtrack , but it`s a very inferior film compared to the original . In fact I can`t help thinking the producers shot themselves in the foot by describing this as " A remake " because there`s very little common ground between the two except for the assassin plot . If you changed the name of The Jackal character to something else there`s very little chance Frederick Forsyth or anyone else would have sued for plagerism . As it is watching this Americanised version I found myself saying out loud " The original was better . The original was better . The original ... "

This is not a remake

[boatista24 · 8/10 · 9 September 2011]

I think people here expect to see a remake of The Day of the Jackal. This movie has nothing to do with The Day of the Jackal. This is an independent fictitious tale based upon Carlos the Jackal. It is one of my favorite Bruce Willis flicks, and has one of the greatest movie scores of all time. As far as entertainment by Bruce Willis goes, this is an 8 out of 10, hands down. Get over this being a lousy remake of an entirely different movie, and appreciate it for what it is. An outstanding effort - $60 million worth. In my opinion, Bruce Willis is as good as a bad guy as he was in any of his good guy roles. I would not dismiss this movie until you see how great he was in it. A terrific cast and great story line make this a must see.

An Enjoyable Watch

[brandonsoler-14775 · 7/10 · 15 January 2020]

This was a fun movie to watch, good action, good acting.

Unintended parody

[drifkind · 28 June 2003]

I entered the theater with fond memories of Fred Zinnemann's 1973 "Day of the Jackal", expecting a chance to scoff at a butchered remake of a fine, suspenseful and tensely-paced film. After the first half-hour or so, it suddenly occurred to me that what I was seeing was not a remake at all, but a parody. Then I began to enjoy myself.

Watching to see what modern filmmaking sensibilities had made of the more memorable scenes from the original kept me thoroughly entertained for the rest of the show. Edward Fox's neat little sniper's rifle--with its disguise constructed from a marvelous, high-tech material called "stainless steel"--metamorphosed into an immense carbon-fiber contraption suitable for demolishing an armored battalion. Fox's deadly silent assassination of a cantaloupe turned into a market-garden recreation of the Battle of the Bulge. And so on.

I don't think my companion, or anyone else in the theater, appreciated my snickers and occasional belly laugh. Too bad. I had a great time.

Impressive Action Flick

[themarina1 · 7/10 · 15 December 2003]

I'm not a huge fan of the action movies but there are a few that I really enjoy watching, and this is now one of them. The story revolves around a mysterious assassin and the people who are trying to stop him from reaching his next target. To do this, they enlist the help of Declan Mulqueen, an ex-IRA member. Richard Gere was ill-cast in the role of Mulqueen. The accent is generally off or very poor and the acting seems forced and unbelievable. However, Bruce Willis was brilliant as the "Jackal", mutating into each identity seamlessly while always remaining mysterious.

7/10 A good, entertaining flick.

THE JACKAL (DIDIER BECU)

[Didier-Becu · 7/10 · 26 October 2003]

I actually hate remakes and knowing that one of the best movies of all time, "The day of the jackal" by Fred Zinneman was another victim I really was upset but the thing is that this is a great movie, especially as it has nothing to do with the original...except the idea that there is a professional killer called The Jackal. So it'd be better if this movie had a different name anyway but good.... We are in modern Russia that's ruled by the Russian mob and since the FBI and the KGB started work together, maffiatypes got eliminated...this of course asks for revenge and so they hire The Jackal (played by Bruce Willis). The sole person on earth who can get him is a prisoner (Richard Gere) who was sent there for life after being involved in several IRA-bombings. Don't ask any questions how things can be possible cos there are some black spots in the scripts, better watch the excellent performances from Bruce Willis who plays at least 10 different personages here and he's the kind of killer who has no mercy... Also great to finally see Richard Gere in another role then a bored lawyer. Not a superb movie but better than the rest...

Pretty good considering it's age.

[SaraW82 · 8/10 · 4 July 2022]

It's not a documentary, not based on a true story so it was never going to be ultra realistic... but it is entertaining.

People who like "Die Hard" should enjoy this film.

Enough action to hold your attention, enough suspense to build interest. There is one disappointing piece of choreography (running) near the end, and one character can't decide where her accent is from but other wise great film, Well worth a watch.

This was unexpected.

[Peach-2 · 8/10 · 21 December 1998]

I expected The Jackal to be Hollywood fluff and it is certainley hokey. The direction and cinematography are really outstanding though. Michael Caton-Jones is a major talent. This film is cliched, but it is one slick looking film. I got caught up in the story somehow and ended up enjoying it quite a bit. Maybe it's because I saw it on DVD with the surround sound cranked up, but I think this film is worth watching for the talent behind the camera.

Why, why, why?

[Regball · 3/10 · 20 August 1999]

Why do the FBI have the power to release a convicted terrorist in another country's jail? Why can't they do the job themselves? Why would the Jackal, an expert hitman, resort to using a massive cannon to assassinate his target when a simple sniper rifle would have been more accurate, easier to conceal, and a lot cheaper? What were they trying to achieve with this remake in the first place?

Very under-rated film

[MovieTycoon_7 · 24 June 2001]

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 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.

Pays homage to the original, but stands alone in presentation.

[invincible_seattle · 7/10 · 6 August 2002]

Based on the 1973 classic "The Day of the Jackal," this remake does pay a lot of homage to the great novel and film. But I believe that director Michael Caton-Jones intended to make the film stand on its own, and thus didn't make a pure remake.

The Jackal in this film is American, not the Englishman featured in the original, and obviously he isn't planning to assassinate the President of France. Instead, Jackal (Bruce Willis) is hired by the Russian Mafia to eliminate a high-profile target in the United States Government. Of course, FBI deputy director Carter Preston (Sidney Portier) and Russian MVD Major Valentina Koslova (Diane Venora) are right away sent to Washington to notify FBI Director Donald Brown (John Cunningham) that he is a prime target by a man who "…in twenty years has not made a mistake in a profession that doesn't allow error…"

Preston and Koslova alone cannot track or find Jackal, but Declan Mulqueen (Richard Gere), a former IRA soldier/sharpshooter, has seen and tracked him before.

I believe that fans of the novel and the original will be disappointed at the lack of detail in this film. We all remember the scenes of intense preparation spent by Jackal in the 1973 version, and they are much more detailed. Then again, this is an updated, more modern interpretation. Today's audiences aren't satisfied anymore in an action film that only has two or three minutes of action.

Acting is good, particularly by Venora and Gere. Willis stays comfortably in his typecast and doesn't push the limits of his talent, although it is good to see him as a villain and not a good guy.

For those with DVD players, the DTS-encoded presentation makes the film come to roaring life with precise clarity and realistic sound. Much better than the Dolby Digital track that Hollywood's still embracing.

Knocking it a little albeit harmlessly.

[LesWinterburn · 7/10 · 15 June 2003]

Bruce makes a pretty good Jackal in this and Gere has to bring him down. As to why the Jackal needs a small anti aircraft cannon to shoot his human target is beyond me but it makes for some interesting footage. I love the final scene where Gere manages to squeeze off about six or so rounds without actually getting a finger on the trigger. Great energetic film with tension and suspense. My rating 7/10 (distinctive)

Willis is Fun as Jackal

[american-3 · 7/10 · 22 September 1999]

The script may be contrived, employing plot devices unnecessary to the plot (ex--the Gatling gun...a sniper rifle would have done the trick with far less commotion). It may throw into the mix countless plot devices seen a thousand times before (ex--Gere is the ONLY one who can stop The Jackal, but must be let out of prison first; it is personal between Gere's Declan Mulqueen and The Jackal). It may be twenty minutes overlong, occasionally tossing us a hint that is never explained or referenced later (ex--what is that paper handed to Willis at the bank near the beginning?). Gere's performance may sway the entire audience toward The Jackal's side (probably against their will), as his accent is unconvincing and his character unremittingly routine...you will find yourself on Willis' side, no doubt. And it did p**s me off that the good guys are (in order of importance), an IRA assasin with a bad Irish accent, a female Russian KGB officer (Diane Venora, excellent), and a black FBI operative (Sidney Poitier IS one of the greats of American cinema, hugely likable here)...the bad guy however, as put by one character early on is simply "an American." A white one at that. Yes, the film is flawed tremendously. But Willis is having so much fun being the bad guy that whenever he is onscreen, he is magnetic. He delivers one of his finest performances here (still a DIE HARD fan, he is the quintessential action hero), causing us to take his side, even though, if given deep enough thought, he really is an unscrupulous b**tard with not one redeeming quality. But so what? Gere had a chance to draw us onto his side, he blew it; he is upstaged embarassingly by Willis' calm, calculated, menacing performance. Who won the '97 Best Oscar anyhoo? Geoffrey Rush wasnt it? Christ... Yeah, see it for Willis, and the number of riveting vignettes featuring blown-off arms, subway chases (climax #2), dead gays, and the "public and brutal" climax (#1). Q