Released in 1997 and directed by Michael Caton-Jones, "The Jackal" is an international crime thriller centering on a collaborative effort between the FBI and MVD—featuring Sidney Poitier and Diane Venora—to enlist the help of an imprisoned IRA fighter (Richard Gere) to prevent a ruthless assassin known as The Jackal (Bruce Willis) from carrying out a significant operation in Washington DC. This was a reimagining of “The Day of the Jackal” (1973), itself based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel. I found the initial part of the story to be overly complicated, as it jumps around from Moscow to Helsinki, Canada, and the USA. However, the film eventually settles into a diverting political action movie that shares similarities in tone with “The Saint,” which was released the same year. Both films are within the same genre, have a comparable feel, were produced for roughly $60 million each, feature an adversary who is a master of disguise, and are named after that person. While both movies earned approximately the same amount in North America ($55-60 million), "The Jackal" proved more successful globally, grossing nearly $160 million—$50 million more than “The Saint.” In my opinion, "The Jackal" is simply a more enjoyable film overall. Critics frequently criticize this movie for two reasons: it strays too much from the original and because of its increasingly illogical elements. But “The Jackal” was intended to stand alone in late-1990s cinema, and why are other action thrillers like James Bond given leeway when it comes to implausible plot holes? Besides, many of the so-called nonsensical moments become clear if you pay attention to the details—not all of them, certainly—but a good number. What bothers me is the insincerity in some of the criticisms. For example, Roger Ebert’s initial criticism focused on how The Jackal entered the USA from Canada by buying a sailboat and participating in a race from Mackinaw to Chicago. He suggested there were easier ways to enter the US discreetly along the 3000-mile border, but he failed to mention that The Jackal was smuggling a large computerized machine gun and its substantial mounting system. That’s why he purchased the yacht and used the race as a way to enter the country unnoticed among other vessels. Really. One of the best things about this film is the strong cast and how well they work together. Poitier was 69 during filming and looks quite distinguished; it was incidentally his last appearance in a theatrical release (though he appeared in four TV movies afterward). Jack Black delivers an effective performance in a role that seems custom-made for him. However, Gere and Willis are the ones who truly command attention. The latter is particularly entertaining in a surprising departure from his usual affable image. As The Jackal, Willis portrays someone relaxed, carefree, cold, malicious, cunning, calculating, intelligent, icy, and ruthless—a charming psychopath. I shouldn't conclude without noting the excellent score by Carter Burwell combined with an edgy alternative rock soundtrack, including tracks by Massive Attack ("Superpredators" and "Dissolved Girl") and similar artists. The movie runs 2 hours and 4 minutes and was filmed in Moscow, Finland, Montreal, London, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Chicago. SCREENPLAY: Chuck Pfarrer. GRADE: B-/C+

Source on TMDB