Rating: 
Summary: Ready, Aim, Fire!
Review: Well, Richard Gere, Bruce Willis, and a really younger looking Sidney Poitier, are ready to keep you interested in their character acting in this film about The Jackal who is the greatest hit man in the world. The Jackal is supposed to hit a top American Official. Poitier is the FBI guy out to stop him by enlisting the aid of Willis, an IRA terrorist by getting him out of jail when he agrees to help. There is a girl Willis knew who is supposed to be the only one who knows what the Jackal even looks like and might know where he is. A Russian lady agent is now helping us in this fillm, until she herself is shot, joing many others. (The FBI keeps getting information from somewhere about the Jackal's movement.) The girl who knew the Jackal was also previously involved with both Willis and Gere, thickening the plot. The thing is, you keep aiming to find out who, what and how some people know things and the plot is quite choppy. (The DVD version is great because in a special section, it explains many of these questions, unknowlingly, I hope:they are on the cutting room floor). The firepower is the thing. Cannon-like guns and pistols and blood and a lot of dead people keep the fire hot. It sure saves a lot of writing. I guess that is what they think we want. Still, it keeps you watching. You kind of know who is going to get shot. You just want to know how and when. The chase scene in the D.C. Metro, shooting and jumping between the trains is fun to watch. It's hard not to want to keep watching a movie with Gere, Willis and Poitier. But once is enough.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent !
Review: Forget the negative reviews of this film... View the film for yourself, and you be the judge.Also, please try not to compare this movie to the 1973 film "The Day of the Jackal"... It's like trying to compare Babe Ruth to Mark McGuire, it's foolish. The people who give this movie a negative review, just because of the previous film it's based upon, are the silly fools that are complaining about juiced baseballs and the other technological advances of the world... Just tell them all to stop whining and realize when a good movie IS a good movie... By the way, Saving Private Ryan blows away any World War II classic, so what's your point anyway ? Get with the times ! The Jackal is an excellent film. A bit far-fetched, but you see, that's why we see ACTION-FICTION at the movies ! To escape reality for a while, and see something exciting (even as unrealistic as it may be)... See the Jackal for yourself with an open-mind, and chances are you'll like it ! (Although I do not remember the last time any DC Metro station was that desolate during the daytime *lol*) Still a great movie !
Rating:
Summary: A far cry form Zinneman's masterpiece.
Review: Based on the book by master spy novelist Frederick Forsyth, the Jackal is a loosely based remake of the Brtitish film, Day of the Jackal (also the title of the novel). This time it is Bruce Willis and not Sir Edward Fox who bears the title of the intriguing character known only as the "Jackal". Originally, the French president, Charles DeGaulle was the intended target of the high-price assasin. This time however, not only is the target the First Lady of the United States, but a fictional character as well. The original film is not only more convincing because it targets a real political figure (DeGaulle), but the climate of the Cold War ( 1963) seems a far more fashionable era for films such as these. Furthermore, Bruce Willis is greatly upstaged by Richard Gere, who portrays man convicted for his terrorist activities in the Irish Republican Army, and is released only for the purpose of leading the authorities to Willis. But because unlike the real film, the screen attention is divided equally among Willis and Gere, it keeps the audience from really discovering what it takes to be a character such as the Jackal. In the original film which was shot in Europe and allowed for a much better unveiling of characters, the Jackal is shown as a clever, mysterious and merciless individual who plans carefully and covers all angles before undertaking such a daunting task as assasinating a high-ranking public figure. In this version, the Jackal (Willis) is more of an actor playing a role than an assasin planning the murder of the century. This is an entertaining film for its locations and special effects which include exotic weapons and a lot of explosions. But at the same time it is a very dry and hastily done picture. And if you are like the many who enjoy stories of espionage and international crisis, you would have been better off renting the old version. Especially considering the old version is far less fabricated.
Rating:
Summary: Whats the problem?
Review: this is a great movie. it suprises me how much people rag on this movie being bad. i guess they never actually watch a movie for fun, they look at each detail, i bet they never give any movie with a 'best picture of the year' award more than 1 1/2 stars. this movie has action, and a big plot, and a suprising end, and some twists. whats not to like.
Rating: 
Summary: a pale imitation
Review: standard far-fetched action flic - Richard Gere so-so, Bruce Willis completely mis-cast, only bright light was Diane Venora as hard-nosed former KGB agent - anyone who thinks this is as good as the original "Day of the Jackal" is a moron
Rating: 
Summary: The only thing sinister is the script.
Review: Wow. Bruce Willis kisses a man and Richard Gere tries to be Irish. All the while a nutty FBI agent played by Sidney Poitier uses his Russian sidekick to protect the First Lady. The movie is a two hour bore. The characters are not developed and the story goes from nothing to less than that. Please do not waste your money.
Rating:
Summary: A rollicking, roller-coaster of a thriller !
Review: I just recently saw 'The Day of the Jackal' and thought it a was a great thriller. By comparison, the more recent 'Jackal' is just as great and well worth watching, especially for the extra features...the making of the film, edited-out scenes, etc. I was a bit disappointed in one minor point in that unlike the original film, in which the assasin uses a easily disassembled, specially made 'minimalist' sniper rifle concealed in a crutch as part of an elaborate, though convincing disguise to attempt to take out a great world leader...in the modern version, the assasin uses what looks to be an anti-aircraft gun which fires, of all things, depleted uranium rounds about the size of a fat Mont Blanc pen. This apparatus is so big he has to haul it around in a Plymouth Voyager minivan and a yacht...then another minivan in a circuitous route from Montreal, Canada to the state of Georgia...to take out...a world leader's...wife. Though in keeping with the plot line, the person who hired him wanted a 'very public and messy display'...which the weapon the assasin chose would undoubtedly make, wouldn't it have been so much easier to fly to the states, visit some gun shows and buy a bazooka, mount it a tree and remote fire it, or put 50 lbs of C-4 under the stage where the podium would be place and remote detonate it? No, this 'Jackal', far from just wanting to waste this woman wants to take out her...and the building behind her...and the building behind that! Jesus, they use those rounds in the military for piercing tank armor. It just seemed a bit much. The bazooka would have been cheaper...and, as it is, he spends 200 grand on the gun itself, 50 grand on a special tripod and remote firing system, probably another 45 grand for the 2 minivans, a half mill for the yacht, another few thousand for numerous plane tickets, lots of clothes...(he's a master of disguise, you know)...and so on. Man, talk about a paper trail... I would have bought one plane ticket, dressed myself as a tourist, and dropped a remote-control toy airplane full of explosives on my target. Then walk away when in the melee. Not that I would, by the way, but if I had written the screen play, it would have been much harder to catch him had he just blended in and kept the deadly weapon more portable and simpler.
Rating:
Summary: Nice Premise, Handled Wrongly!
Review: This one is passable entertainment if you don't pay much attention to the plot and enjoy what few things this film has to offer. Among them is Richard Gere's charismatic performance as Ex-IRA who is now helping Sidney Poitier track down The Jackal. Poitier is his usual intimidating self and it's a lot of fun to see Bruce Willis change identities, I also enjoyed the high-tech weaponry. Other than that, the plot and the ending are unsatisfying. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 6!
Rating:
Summary: Remake or makeover? OK as entertainment.
Review: As cop thrillers go, this film is better than average but it carries some heavy flaws. The film was slick and well made, it looked good though lacking art. The acting was as good as you would expect from Gere and Willis and the script was sharp. So what was wrong with this film? The characterisation was too formulaic. Richard Gere was playing an Irish terrorist. A man who had seen active service with one of the most sophisticated and ruthless terrorist organisations ever seen. Yet, his character is portrayed as a light hearted folk hero. At the same time, Bruce Willis, the Jackal is the most feared and skillful assassin on the planet and yet he cannot stick to his job. He has to go out of his way to bait the cops and leave clues as to his intentions. If Gere's Declan Mulqueen is unlikely, Willis' Jackal is simply impossible. OK, derranged psychopaths may taunt their police pusuers but the worlds smartest assassin? I think not. I thought that some of the violence in the film was not necessary for the plot. I always feel it's a shame if a director feels the need to try to extend the appeal of a film in this way.
Rating:
Summary: An exciting 90's update of a spy/ assassin thriller
Review: I have just read in one of the Reviews that mentions that this film was not true to the story of the Real "Jackal" Carlos Sanchez. First of all I would make a few things clear about this film. This film is an update of the 1972 book/ Film DAY OF THE JACKAL which in turn had NOTHING to do Carlos the Jackal. Carlos was named "the Jackal" by the media after a copy of the Fredrick Forsythe's Day of the Jackal was found in his apartment. Carlos had NOTHING to do with the attempted assassination of President De Gaulle in the 60's on which the Forsythe novel was based. Carlos Sanchez was actually a clumsy overweight idiot and not a cold calculating assassin that was portrayed in the book and subsequent films. I just thought I would make it clear for anyone who was confused on whether or not this film was a factual account on Carlos Sanchez. Now back to the film! This update far outshines the 1972 Original and other films of this Genre. It shows the painstaking process for a spy or assassin of remaining anonymous through various disguises (some in this film were quite excellent)and using different passports. This film also done away with the old telescopic rifle used constantly in other films of this genre and replaced it with futuristic gadgets such as Remote controlled guns and targeting systems. The film also shone the hollywood spotlight on a new breed of villain for which future films could exploit ie evil Russian crimelords. It was also excellent to see Willis cast as a bad guy. A role in which looks very covincing in. Richard Gere's performance was simply top rate although his accent maybe at times seemed to be travelling both North and South of Ireland. But despite this he delivers a striking performance as the likeable Irish Hero. Sidney Poitier also delivers as does the rest of the fine cast. The Film does slow done a little in parts as it normally does in most films of this genre but overall the film has enough twists along with a believable ending to make this film very entertaining. So please ignore the other negative reviews of this film and see it for yourself. You certainly will not be disappointed. And watch out for the opening credits and music which more than adequately set the pace for this thriller.
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