Rent The Jackal (1997)
3.3 of 5 from 95 ratings
1h 59min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
A ruthless assassin (Bruce Willis) has been hired to eliminate someone at the very top of the U.S. government. Constantly changing his identity and location, he is known only as the Jackal. Everything about this hit man, including his sinister timetable, is a secret. Aware of the Jackal's presence but uncertain of his purpose, the FBI's Deputy Director (Sidney Poitier) faces the biggest challenge of his career. In order to track down this coldblooded killer, he and a by-the-book Russian intelligence officer (Diane Venora) enlist the aid of an imprisoned Irish terrorist (Richard Gere). These unlikely allies enter a global race against the clock to stop the mysterious mercenary before he can complete his deadly assignment. - Actors:
- Bruce Willis, Richard Gere, Sidney Poitier, Diane Venora, Mathilda May, J.K. Simmons, Richard Lineback, John Cunningham, Jack Black, Tess Harper, Leslie Phillips, Stephen Spinella, Sophie Okonedo, David Hayman, Steve Bassett, Yuri Stepanov, Walt MacPherson, Ravil Isyanov, Maggie Castle, Karen Kirschenbauer
- Directors:
- Michael Caton-Jones
- Producers:
- Michael Caton-Jones, Sean Daniel, James Jacks, Kevin Jarre
- Narrated By:
- Jim Clark
- Writers:
- Kenneth Ross, Chuck Pfarrer
- Studio:
- Universal Pictures
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Thrillers
- Collections:
- Action & Adventure, Getting to Know: Sidney Poitier, Remembering Leslie Phillips, The Best Hitman and Assassin Films
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 25/10/2010
- Run Time:
- 124 minutes
- Languages:
- Brazilian Portuguese DTS 2.0 Mono, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Italian DTS 5.1, Latin American Spanish DTS 2.0, Spanish DTS 2.0
- Subtitles:
- Brazilian, Castillian, Danish, Dutch, English Hard of Hearing, Finnish, Greek, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.35:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
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Reviews (2) of The Jackal
Portraying Terrorists as heroes is wrong on so many fronts! - The Jackal review by CS
Based upon the classic 1970's Film and Novel about the planned assassination of French President Charles De Gaulle, which is set largely in France and has a very strong European flavour. This film is an updated version, transferring itself to America and the assumed planned assassination of the American head of the CIA. Getting wind of said plot, their own not being good enough or up to the task, Ricard Gere playing the part of a captured IRA Terrorist is drafted in to help. Along with Sidney Poitier, Gere puts in a very strong turn as the IRA Terrorist who this time is on the side of the Yanks helping them to identify and track down the elusive assassin, played admirably by Bruce Willis. All in this could have been such a good film and it should have been a good film, the cast, acting, script and direction are all very strong. However rather sadly Gere as the IRA Terrorist is portrayed more as a freedom fighter, as this character itself says he was fighting a war, when in reality the IRA were and are nothing more than bunch of religious Terrorists attempting to enforce their rule upon others, against the wishes of the Irish majority! Then thrown into the pot is a romance between Gere as the IRA Terrorist and a female member of the Basque Separatists, a notorious Spanish Terror organisation from the same time period, who once again cold bloodily murdered innocent people for their cause! So in essence this film portrays the IRA and Basque Separatists as some kind of false heroes, whilst rather ironically portraying the assassin as the bad guy, a laughable situation which is so wrong in so many ways. But sadly the Americans do appear to have a very warped viewpoint of terrorism when it's not they who are on the receiving end and this film shows that hypocrisy very well!
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Bruce Is The Master Of Disguise! - The Jackal review by Spoons
The Jackal is a highly entertaining film. Richard Gere plays a very convincing ex IRA terrorist (I thought his Irish accent was very good) and Bruce Willis is chilling as The Jackal. I saw this when it was first released in cinemas and thought it was good then, but on this second viewing I enjoyed it even more. Great story and pacing, fine acting and terrific cinematography. Recommended.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.