It took a friend a lot of convincing to make me see "The Jackal". After all, the original "Day of the Jackal" remains one of my all-time favorites and since I'm not particularly fond of remakes, I gave this film a skip for many years. However, there come those days of 'nothing else on TV, so what the hell' and must admit, the remake isn't half-bad.
Edward Fox is one of my favorite on screen-assassins, having played his role so convincing, that it was frightening. His passionless killing-machine made him look less human than Arnies Terminator and, seeing the "Day of the Jackal" as a kid, the thought that people like this could actually exist, gave me the creeps. Other than his strange stage-crooner-persona of 'Bruno', Bruce Willis' Jackal may well be the most unusual Willis you've seen to date. Let's speak honest: Bruce is a character whom everybody likes to watch on screen – but a thespian with a great repertoire he's not. Willis seems to try and 'out-Herod' Edward Foxes psychopath from the original – and does a remarkable job. At times his performance is eerie, indeed having the evil glare of a jackal.
It's a nice nod to the original (where it is not only left open whether the Jackal was hetero-, homo-, bi-sexual or something completely different) that there are hints that Willis' Jackal may actually be gay. This is not meant to sound demeaning but a gay Bruce Willis is like, let me think, a straight Bruno (the Sasha Baron Cohen Bruno, not Willis' alter-ego). While Edward Fox slept with victims of both sexes, Willis is only once seen seducing a future victim, in this case a male politician. But more so, during the few moments where we see the supposed real personality (if something like this exists) of the Jackal, there's something distinctly feminine about the character. One example would be when he kills Major Koslova, the other, more poignant, when he receives the call that the contract is off while taking a bath and sipping on Rose wine (also a remarkable scene because Willis manages to do all the acting with his eyes alone).
To speak of the 'supporting' roles (because a film with Bruce Willis, other than "Pulp Fiction" only has one real star): all fine as you'd expect from veterans like Richard Gere (despite the cringe-worthy accent), Sidney Poitier (sadly, one of his last few screen-appearances), JK Simmons, Tess Harper or Jack Black (according to rumors, the audience was cheering him being shot to bits, with people remarking "wish this would happen in every film he's in").
Of course the movie has weaknesses and plot-holes that are bigger than that Freudian nightmare which is the Jackals gun. For the life of me I still don't understand how the ex-terrorist Isabella Zanconia could have aided with the capture of the Jackal. But so what? In the end, this is a "boy's movie": boys who like big guns and dramatic action-scenes involving helicopters, car-chases and big guns. Boys who like loud, snappy techno-soundtracks accompanying Bruce Willis firing big guns. Boys who like to watch Jack Black being obliterated by a big gun. In short, boys like you and me – and despite still not being very fond of remakes, I can honestly say that I liked "The Jackal". "Doesn't have to be caviar all the time", goes a saying – sometimes a burger from greasy McDs will do, just as there are times for a no-brainer like "The Jackal".
7 generous points out of 10, because giving points doesn't cost money.
Edward Fox is one of my favorite on screen-assassins, having played his role so convincing, that it was frightening. His passionless killing-machine made him look less human than Arnies Terminator and, seeing the "Day of the Jackal" as a kid, the thought that people like this could actually exist, gave me the creeps. Other than his strange stage-crooner-persona of 'Bruno', Bruce Willis' Jackal may well be the most unusual Willis you've seen to date. Let's speak honest: Bruce is a character whom everybody likes to watch on screen – but a thespian with a great repertoire he's not. Willis seems to try and 'out-Herod' Edward Foxes psychopath from the original – and does a remarkable job. At times his performance is eerie, indeed having the evil glare of a jackal.
It's a nice nod to the original (where it is not only left open whether the Jackal was hetero-, homo-, bi-sexual or something completely different) that there are hints that Willis' Jackal may actually be gay. This is not meant to sound demeaning but a gay Bruce Willis is like, let me think, a straight Bruno (the Sasha Baron Cohen Bruno, not Willis' alter-ego). While Edward Fox slept with victims of both sexes, Willis is only once seen seducing a future victim, in this case a male politician. But more so, during the few moments where we see the supposed real personality (if something like this exists) of the Jackal, there's something distinctly feminine about the character. One example would be when he kills Major Koslova, the other, more poignant, when he receives the call that the contract is off while taking a bath and sipping on Rose wine (also a remarkable scene because Willis manages to do all the acting with his eyes alone).
To speak of the 'supporting' roles (because a film with Bruce Willis, other than "Pulp Fiction" only has one real star): all fine as you'd expect from veterans like Richard Gere (despite the cringe-worthy accent), Sidney Poitier (sadly, one of his last few screen-appearances), JK Simmons, Tess Harper or Jack Black (according to rumors, the audience was cheering him being shot to bits, with people remarking "wish this would happen in every film he's in").
Of course the movie has weaknesses and plot-holes that are bigger than that Freudian nightmare which is the Jackals gun. For the life of me I still don't understand how the ex-terrorist Isabella Zanconia could have aided with the capture of the Jackal. But so what? In the end, this is a "boy's movie": boys who like big guns and dramatic action-scenes involving helicopters, car-chases and big guns. Boys who like loud, snappy techno-soundtracks accompanying Bruce Willis firing big guns. Boys who like to watch Jack Black being obliterated by a big gun. In short, boys like you and me – and despite still not being very fond of remakes, I can honestly say that I liked "The Jackal". "Doesn't have to be caviar all the time", goes a saying – sometimes a burger from greasy McDs will do, just as there are times for a no-brainer like "The Jackal".
7 generous points out of 10, because giving points doesn't cost money.