The Jackal

A thriller that looks more like a two-hour commercial commissioned by the wig industry – there were just too many Willis identities. Otherwise? A wholly routine affair, with a man of one face and one grin (the classic wrinkled corner of the mouth, the so-called Bruce's sly grin) and an IRA terrorist character in a bland and dull performance by Gere, who is presented as a basically good guy who lost a kid, a fair guy smarter than the entire FBI. I mean, in terms of form and story, there is nothing groundbreaking, but as a last resort to fill one boring evening....why not. (28/06/2005)

A bad attempt at a "pseudo-political" thriller that evokes the famous The Day of the Jackal, but really only by name. The plot is as leaky as Emmental cheese, there is no logic in it, the attempt to enrich the main plot with the motive of the Jackal's personal struggle with the ex-IRA sniper (now on the side of good) sounds as stupid and untrustworthy as trying to make the Jackal into a thriller. The important things – sophistication and thoughtfulness – collapse in this film. Willis is utterly bland, playing "one face is enough" in his universally sterile way, Gere is pleasant, but such a nice terrorist... I'm sorry, but... The other characters are a walking talking group, most notable of whom is black good guy Sidney Poitier. Instead of drama, the end offers only a handful of boredom. If you want a real demonic Jackal, ask for Edward Fox. Willis is a cheap character without a speck of charisma hunting a beast. A growling poodle. (31/01/2004)

Below-average action thriller, whose mediocrity stands out compared to Forsyth's literary source and excellent British-French production from the 70s. The screenplay is foolish, the acting performances are dull, and in the case of R Gere, even pathetic. The directorial approach resembles an attempt at parody, and the pinnacle of it all is the unethical elevation of a terrorist assassin into a role of a fighter against a colleague who fights not for ideals but for money. The artistic value is non-existent, and the craftsmanship is terrible. Overall rating 20%. (14/07/2006)

A fairly solid action ride, but in my opinion too predictable, with a typically Hollywood overdramatic ending. The charisma of the main actors is alright overall, and Richard Gere, in particular, is very cool this time. Bruce Willis's disguises didn't make much of an impression and, in my opinion, they are far from realistic. There isn't much action, but it is shot quite skillfully. However, Michael Caton-Jones clearly struggles to define the boundaries of the genre and mixes family ties into a pure espionage thriller, adding a heavy-handed action finale. The lack of balance is quite apparent, and as a result, the outcome is neither exciting nor thrilling. (28/04/2006)