Rating: 
Summary: If you enjoy spy movies, but still have taste for action...
Review: An excellent movie. I'll say that it doesn't compare to other "hitman" favorites of mine, such as The Professional or the original Day of the Jackal. But I'll say this: I was never a real fan of Bruce Willis, until I saw this movie. The plot develops strongly as the movie progresses. You begin to see the changes in Willis' character, going from cool and smooth to jumpy and paranoid near the end. You learn more about each character as the story progresses as well. I'll admit, the hit at the end was dimunitive of its potential. Not because of the subject's role, but because he/she wasn't an actual person.The original film had DeGaul as the subject, making the film more shocking and serious. The target in this movie would have been pleasing if he/she was an actual person. Besides the shortcomings of the conclusion, I still find this movie very interesting. Definitely worth seeing. There is some fine acting and scenery.
Rating: 
Summary: great performances all around make this great movie
Review: Another remake, a great movie - Day of the Jackal with the brilliant Edward Fox - so I tended to cringe in anticipation, but surprisingly this film scores a bullseye because of solid performances from Richard Gere, Bruce Willis, Sidney Poitier, Mathilda May (Lifeforce) but most especially from Diana Devora (the 13th Warrior, FX). Gere plays Declan Mulqueen, an IRA terrorist who is in prison. He and Mathilda May were former lovers and worked with Willis, but he betrayed them. Diana Devora is a Russian intelligence officer, Valentina Koslova. She is working with Carter Preston US intelligence officer (Sidney Poitier) in taking down Russian Mafia. Only the Mafia wants to strike back and send the Jackal - Willis - on a assassination to make a statement by killing the First Lady. Devora and Poitier get Gere out of English jail, on a temporary leave, to help track down Willis. Willis is a master of disguise, so only Gere stands a chance of tracking him down before he completes his mission. It's fast paced, yet leisurely plots Willis preparations for the kill. Well done from start to finish. Not better than the original, but just as enjoyable. Excellent soundtrack as well.
Rating:
Summary: Edge of Your Seat Suspense
Review: Bruce Willis really is believable as the legendary Assassin by the name of the Jackal. This movie takes you from Europe to the USA to Canada and back. There are so many scenes where you bristle with anxiety due to Willis' intense manner. This may be the best Willis performance ever. The movie is violent, yet, it is to an extreme, not gorey violence but it reflects the violent nature of the legend. Richard Gere is cast well, a little less believable than Willis, yet he does a good job of being intense in tracking Carlos the Jackal. The issue here is what will Jackal do next? Can he be stoppped? Jack Black plays a very believable role of a somewhat bystander who meets a very violent end. You may want to close your eyes for that one. I recommend not drinking any caffiene before this movie because it creates an edge right from the beginning. What was telling to me was that every interaction that Willis has creates tension, whether or not he is violent, you feel he may be at any time. This movie of course is not for everyone yet it is not an action thriller that is silly in nature with gratuitous violence. It seems more of a lesson of the violent nature of the worst criminals in the world.
Rating:
Summary: This really ain't a bad movie...
Review: Okay, here we go. Bruce Willis stars as some assassin called "The Jackal" who has to blow the first ladies' head right off. Then, the F.B.I. finds out about this whole operation from a Russian who was zapped by the K.G.B. so they have no other choice but to release an ex-I.R.A. sharp-shooter named Declan Mulqueen. What's that? You expected more?! Oh, no, no, no. That is the entire plot. And although it sounds like a crappy plot that has more or less been done about a million times, The Jackal is truly a great film. I consider it to be the 2nd greatest action film of 97 (The first being Face/Off of course). I really would have given the film 5 stars had it not been for the boring lovey-dovey scenes between Richard Gere and the two women in this flick who carry a gun. His old girlfriend (who is a great shot.) and Major Valentina Koslova (played and voiced with a pretty good Russian accent by Diane Verona). But I'd have to say that the best thing about this movie is the way-cool, too-good-to-be-true music score! Carter Burwell did the music for the movie (he also did the great score to "Fargo"). So, if you haven't seen this movie yet...go rent it! And if you're a real die-hard-action-movie-lover...go buy this movie right now!!! You won't be disappointed!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Use Once & Destroy
Review: Not too good, not too bad, "The Jackal" is one of those average action movies that brings nothing new but it`s a competent and mildly pleasant product nonetheless. The plot is derivative and predictable, the characters are bland, yet director Michael Caton-Jones chooses some decent actors (Bruce Willis, Richard Gere), a neat soundtrack (Massive Attack, Primal Scream, Moby) and some decent action sequences that manage to deliver a minimum level of entertainment value. As far as popcorn movies go, there`s certainly worse, so this is a fair choice to spend a couple of mind-numbing hours.
Watchable but forgettable.
Rating:
Summary: If you enjoy spy movies, but still have taste for action...
Review: An excellent movie. I'll say that it doesn't compare to other "hitman" favorites of mine, such as The Professional or the original Day of the Jackal. But I'll say this: I was never a real fan of Bruce Willis, until I saw this movie. The plot develops strongly as the movie progresses. You begin to see the changes in Willis' character, going from cool and smooth to jumpy and paranoid near the end. You learn more about each character as the story progresses as well. I'll admit, the hit at the end was dimunitive of its potential. Not because of the subject's role, but because he/she wasn't an actual person. The original film had DeGaul as the subject, making the film more shocking and serious. The target in this movie would have been pleasing if he/she was an actual person. Besides the shortcomings of the conclusion, I still find this movie very interesting. Definitely worth seeing. There is some fine acting and scenery.
Rating:
Summary: Use Once & Destroy
Review: Not too good, not too bad, "The Jackal" is one of those average action movies that brings nothing new but it`s a competent and mildly pleasant product nonetheless. The plot is derivative and predictable, the characters are bland, yet director Michael Caton-Jones chooses some decent actors (Bruce Willis, Richard Gere), a neat soundtrack (Massive Attack, Primal Scream, Moby) and some decent action sequences that manage to deliver a minimum level of entertainment value. As far as popcorn movies go, there`s certainly worse, so this is a fair choice to spend a couple of mind-numbing hours.
Watchable but forgettable.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Waste Your Time
Review: Dear God, what a bad movie. Based very loosely on Frederick Forsyth's book, THE DAY OF THE JACKEL, this travesty is filled with ridiculous plot devices, bad acting, cardboard characters, and a "professional killer" who is anything but professional. See the original 1973 movie starring Edward Fox for a real film. This version is saved from one star here only because of Sidney Poitier. A waste of time and money.
Rating:
Summary: Bashful's DVD Summary #027
Review: Best: 1) Bruce Willis was very cool as the aloof assassin, as was Richard Gere in the non-standard role the Irish ex-IRA soldier tracking him.
2) Many scenes were suspensful and exciting - especially the ending. There's also a twist about who the assassin is really targeting.
3) The specially-built hardware the "Jackal" used was extremely radical and watching him practice was quite a sight.
4) There's a director commentary track, interviews and a behind-the-scenes feature. Worst: 1) It falls short of being a worthy remake of "The Day of the Jackal" (but it delivers on simply being a good movie that uses the same premise). Recommendation: If you like movies that are mostly suspense, then you'll probably like this cat-and-mouse thriller. The action scenes, although brief, are pretty intense. Get this one and enjoy seeing the ever-joking Jack Black getting his just deserts - over and over again (ha).
Rating: 
Summary: a cheap imitation of a beautiful original
Review: Even with nothing better to do this film was a total waste of time. It hurt's to watch each and every moment of this movie-- especially if one compares this cheap imitation, with its overblown, and overbombed scenes to the original Day of the Jackal. By the last scene it left me calling for the blow up of the first lady to bring some interest to the movie.
| 
