Alphaville Films
Mutual Film Company
Universal Pictures
Not part of a collection.
The Jackal
How do you stop an assassin who has no identity?
Hired by a powerful member of the Russian mafia to avenge an FBI sting that left his brother dead, a psychopathic hitman known only as The Jackal proves an elusive target for the people charged with the task of bringing him down: a deputy FBI director, a Russian MVK Major, and a jailed IRA terrorist who can recognize him.
- Original title
- The Jackal
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- $60,000,000
- Revenue
- $159,300,000
Niko
Sep 17, 2024 · via TMDB
The Jackal is the kind of Thriller that does everything by the book. Most of the movie is comprised out of well-known and established tropes, it's got a packed cast and decent action scenes. It may not reinvent the wheel or keep you on your toes, but it does offer some solid 90's entertainment for about two hours.
JPV852
Feb 21, 2023 · via TMDB
This is one I've seen several times over the years and while certainly not great and it is funny hearing Richard Gere with an Irish accent and the numerous hair changes with Bruce Willis, I still find it watchable and somewhat entertaining. That said, how the Jackal was written was a problem because while for most of the movie he's a cold-blooded and calculating character, his actions of going after Isabella was strange to do in the midst of planning an assassination versus going for revenge (which itself didn't make sense) after he completed his mission and got paid, and that's not to mention giving away his true target with a line about Declan unable to protect his women, though even then not sure how Declan came to that (albeit correct) conclusion. Probably just lazy script writing. However, there are some cool shots (in the days when they used helicopters for aerial shots compared to using drones) and the direction from Michael Caton-Jones was solid. **3.0/5**
Wuchak
May 22, 2018 · via TMDB
Globetrotting pursuit of a master-of-disguise assassin RELEASED IN 1997 and directed by Michael Caton-Jones, "The Jackal” is an international crime thriller about a joint FBI/MVD mission (led by Sidney Poitier and Diane Venora) that enlists the aid of an imprisoned IRA combatant (Richard Gere) to stop a brutal master-of-disguise assassin known as The Jackal (Bruce Willis) from completing a big hit in Washington DC. This was a loose remake of the film “The Day of the Jackal” (1973), which was based on the 1971 novel by Frederick Forsyth. The first act is too convoluted for my tastes as the story globetrots from Moscow to Helsinki to Canada to the USA. But the movie finds its footing and settles into an entertaining political action flick not far removed from the tone of “The Saint” with Val Kilmer, released the same year. Both films are from the same genre, have the same tone, were made for the same amount ($60 million), feature an antagonist who’s a master-of-disguise and are named after that person. While both movies made roughly the same in North America ($55-60 million), “The Jackal” proved more popular worldwide, making almost $160 million, which was $50 million more than “The Saint.” IMHO “The Jackal” is the more all-around entertaining picture. Critics love to lambaste this movie because (1.) it deviates too much from the original film and (2.) because of the mounting nonsensical elements. But (1.) “The Jackal” was made to stand on its own in late 90’s cinema and (2.) why do other action thrillers like James Bond get a pass when it comes to ridiculous plot holes? Besides, many of the supposed nonsensical moments can easily be cleared up if you pay attention to the details; not all of them, of course, but many of them. What I don’t like is the disingenuousness of many of the criticisms. For instance, Roger Ebert’s opening criticism of the film was to mock the way The Jackal sneaks into the USA from Canada by purchasing a sailboat and entering a race from Mackinaw to Chicago. Ebert reasoned that there are easier ways to enter the US inconspicuously along the 3000-mile border, but he left out an important detail: The Jackal was smuggling a huge computerized machine gun and its formidable mount. THAT is why he bought the yacht and used the race as a means to enter the country unnoticeably amidst a crowd of other crafts. Aduh. One of the best aspects of this flick is the great cast and seeing them work together. Poitier was 69 during filming and looks very distinguished; this was incidentally his last theatrical release (although he appeared in four TV movies in the ensuing four years). Jack Black is effective in a peripheral role tailor-made for him. But it’s Gere and Willis who steal the show, naturally. The latter is particularly entertaining in an almost shocking departure from his typical easy-going, friendly persona. As The Jackal, Willis is relaxed, carefree, cold, malicious, cunning, calculating, smart, icy and ruthless; a charming psychopath. I shouldn't close without mentioning the excellent score by Carter Burwell mixed with an edgy alternative rock soundtrack, featuring cuts by Massive Attack ("Superpredators" and "Dissolved Girl") and the like. THE MOVIE RUNS 2 hour, 4 minutes and was shot in Moscow, Finland, Montreal, London, the Carolinas, Virginia and Chicago. SCREENPLAY: Chuck Pfarrer. GRADE: B-/C+
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Bruce Willis
The Jackal
Richard Gere
Declan Mulqueen
Sidney Poitier
Carter Preston
Diane Venora
Major Valentina Koslova
J.K. Simmons
FBI Agent T. I. Witherspoon
Mathilda May
Isabella Zanconia
John Cunningham
FBI Director Donald Brown
Jack Black
Ian Lamont
Stephen Spinella
Douglas
Tess Harper
The First Lady
David Hayman
Terek Murad
Ravil Isyanov
Ghazzi Murad
Maggie Castle
Maggie
Richard Lineback
FBI Agent McMurphy
Daniel Dae Kim
Akashi
Serge Houde
Beaufres
Leslie Phillips
Woolburton
Jonathan Aris
Alexander Radzinski
Richard Cubison
General Belinko
Peter Sullivan
Vasilov
John Harrington Bland
Dave
Terry Loughlin
Davis
Walt MacPherson
Dennehey
Jim Grimshaw
Green Beret Colonel
Sophie Okonedo
Jamaican Girl
Michael Caton-Jones
Man in Video
Gregory Porter Miller
Paramedic
Murphy Guyer
NSC Representative
Philip LeMaistre
Bored Teenage Clerk
James McCauley
CIA Representative #1
Serge Christianssens
Immigration Officer
Ewan Bailey
Prison Guard
Eddie Bo Smith Jr.
Washington Cop
Larry King
Himself
Jarmo Mäkinen
Ghazzi's Bodyguard
Ciro Candia
Camera Trainee
Karl Walter Lindenlaub
Director of Photography
Michael Adams
Grip
Ray Conchado
Grip
Albert Wolsky
Costume Design
Gary Archer
Prosthetics
David Crossman
Wardrobe Assistant
Brendan Gunn
Dialogue Coach
A. Michael Lerner
Stunts
Bill Hart
Stunts
Eddie J. Fernandez
Stunts
Erik Stabenau
Stunts
Frank Ferrara Sr.
Stunts
Hélèna Laliberté
Stunts
Jim Palmer
Stunts
Jodi Michelle Pynn
Stunts
John Stoneham Sr.
Stunts
Jonathan Cohen
Stunts
Linda Perlin
Stunts
Neil Summers
Stunts
Tanner Gill
Stunts
Lisa Banes
Thanks
Michael Caton-Jones
Director
Adam Goodman
Second Assistant Director
Buddy Joe Hooker
Second Unit Director
Jim Clark
Editor
Terri Douglas
ADR Voice Casting
Ellen Chenoweth
Casting
Gary Levinsohn
Executive Producer
Mark Gordon
Executive Producer
James Jacks
Producer
Kevin Jarre
Producer
Michael Caton-Jones
Producer
Sean Daniel
Producer
Carter Burwell
Original Music Composer
Richard King
Supervising Sound Editor
Chuck Pfarrer
Screenplay
Blood and Warriors
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Generation X-tinct
Pulp Fiction
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Léon: The Professional
Gladiator
Memento
Scarface
Taxi Driver
The Lives of Others
North by Northwest
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
Wild Tales
Dog Day Afternoon
Snatch
Z
Foonote
All the President's Men
Training Day
The Day of the Jackal
Lady Vengeance
The Manchurian Candidate
Lady Snowblood
Lucky Number Slevin
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Dirty Harry
Miller's Crossing
The Experiment
Lupin the Third: Jigen's Gravestone
Eastern Promises
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Gone Baby Gone
Lethal Weapon
Running Out of Time
Angamaly Diaries
28 Days Later
Beverly Hills Cop
A History of Violence
Irreversible
Munich
Superman: Red Son
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
Valkyrie
Insomnia
Batman Returns
The X-Files
The Murderers Are Among Us
Kill, Panther, Kill!
Eden Lake
Brighton Rock
Outrage Coda
Mission: Impossible III
The Kingdom
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
48 Hrs.
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Absolute Power
The End of War
The Brave One
Beverly Hills Cop II
The Assassination of Richard Nixon
Hard Target
The Whole Nine Yards
The Doom Generation
The Mayor
Uninvited
The Gift
Burnt Offerings
Big Bang Love, Juvenile A
Next Door
The General's Daughter
Prizzi's Honor
Executive Decision
Butterfly on a Wheel
The Sum of All Fears
Game of Death
Hostage
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
The Fourth Protocol
Along Came a Spider
A View to a Kill
Nick of Time
Guitar Men: The Darkest Secret of Rock 'n Roll
The Devil's Own
Frontier(s)
Saw IV
Jerry Cotton: Death in the Red Jaguar
Miami Vice
Married to the Mob
Topaz
Lions for Lambs
Anna Bond
The Tailor of Panama
The Specialist
Is God Is
The Summit
A Fire in the Cold Season
The Million Dollar Hotel
Cold Pursuit
Beverly Hills Cop III
The Final Cut
Righteous Kill
The Getaway
Man of the House
Desert Saints
Secrets of Deception
Have a Nice Day
Solo mía
Tortured
Sivalinga
Be Cool
The Island of Thirty Coffins
Wolfhound of the Grey Dog Clan
Straightheads
Freehold
Cutaway
Dual Mania
American Scumbags
Avalanche Express
Blood Cousins
The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior
The Escape from El-Khanka
Pretty Little Stalker
O Dia da Caça
Jaws: The Revenge
Highlander: The Source
666: Kreepy Kerry
El víbora
MK Ultra Violence
John Wick
Hunting Season
The Boondock Saints
The System
Running Scared
Hostile Takeover
Kill 'em All 2
Patriot Games
Trap House
Hellhound
Under Fire
Assassins
Rise of the Footsoldier 3
Havoc
Run All Night
War
Fast Charlie
The Devil's Own
Cobra
Misdirection
The November Man
Blowback
Code of Silence
Absolution
The Virtuoso
Raw Deal
White Elephant
The Double
Nov 14, 1997
