The Jackal (1997) / Thriller-Action

MPAA Rated: R for strong violence and language
Running Time: 124 min.

Cast: Bruce Willis, Richard Gere, Sydney Poitier, Diane Venora, Mathilda May, J.K. Simmons, Jack Black
Director: Michael Caton-Jones
Screenplay: Chuck Pfarrer (based on the Kenneth Ross screenplay for The Day of the Jackal)
Review published December 3, 1997

Based more or less on the book and film The Day of the Jackal, this film stars Bruce Willis (The Fifth Element, Beavis and Butthead Do America) as the international terrorist know as the Jackal, who is hired by a Russian mobster to terrorize the FBI for killing his brother and assassinate someone in the government. Richard Gere (Mr. Jones, Final Analysis) is an incarcerated IRA terrorist released solely to take him out, because he is the only known person who can identify the Jackal, who is a master of disguises.

What a snoozefest! Really dull from the get-go, and monotonous for the duration. Willis is bad, and Gere is worse speaking in his Irish tongue the whole film. Bruce can barely act like himself convincingly, never mind all the other guises he displays so poorly while swapping identities. I can hardly remember it all now, just one day after seeing it, probably because my attention seemed to be fixed everywhere but onscreen. I guess the wall held more interest.

Qwipster's rating: 

©1997 Vince Leo