The 1997 film The Jackal is an action thriller film directed by Michael Caton-Jones and starring Bruce Willis, Richard Gere, Sidney Poitier, and Diane Venora. It is a loose remake of the 1973 film The Day of the Jackal, which was based on the 1971 novel of the same name by Frederick Forsyth.
The film tells the story of an international assassin known only as the Jackal (Willis) who is hired by a Russian mobster to assassinate the President of the United States. The FBI and the CIA must race against time to stop the Jackal before he can carry out his mission.
The Jackal is a skilled and ruthless assassin who is always one step ahead of his pursuers. He is also a master of disguise and deception, making him very difficult to track down. The FBI and the CIA must work together to use all of their resources to stop the Jackal before it's too late.
The film was a commercial success, grossing over $159 million worldwide. However, it received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Willis' performance but criticized the film's plot and pacing.
Overall, The Jackal is an entertaining but flawed action thriller film. It is worth watching for Willis' performance and the film's stylish visuals..
Here is a more detailed plot summary:
- The Jackal, an international assassin, is hired by a Russian mobster to assassinate the President of the United States.
- The FBI and the CIA are tasked with stopping the Jackal before he can carry out his mission.
- The FBI recruits Declan Mulqueen (Gere), an IRA terrorist who is the only person who knows what the Jackal looks like.
- Mulqueen and the FBI must race against time to find the Jackal before he can assassinate the President.
In the end, Mulqueen and the FBI are able to stop the Jackal and prevent him from assassinating the President.
Cast
- Bruce Willis as The Jackal
- Richard Gere as Declan Joseph Mulqueen
- Sidney Poitier as FBI Deputy Director Carter Preston
- Diane Venora as Major Valentina Koslova, MVD
- Mathilda May as Isabella Celia Zancona
- J. K. Simmons as FBI Agent Timothy I. Witherspoon
- Richard Lineback as FBI Agent McMurphy
- John Cunningham as FBI Director Donald Brown
- Jack Black as Ian Lamont
- Tess Harper as First Lady Emily Cowan
- Leslie Phillips as Woolburton
- Stephen Spinella as Douglas
- Sophie Okonedo as Jamaican Girl
- David Hayman as Terek Murad
- Steve Bassett as George Decker
- Yuri Stepanov as Viktor Politovsky
- Ravil Isyanov as Ghazzi Murad
- Walt MacPherson as Dennehey
- Maggie Castle as Maggie the 13 year old hostage
- Daniel Dae Kim as Akashi
- Michael Caton-Jones as man in Video
- Peter Sullivan as Vasilov
- Richard Cubison as General Belinko
- Serge Houde as Beaufres
- Ewan Bailey as Prison Guard
- Jonathan Aris as Alexander Radzinski
- Edward Fine as Bill Smith
- Larry King as himself
- Murphy Guyer as NSC representative
Director: Michael Caton-Jones
Writer: Chuch Pfarrer
Box Office Gross: $159,330,280
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Genre: action crime drama thriller
Release Date: November 14, 1997
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