The Day of the Jackal

To put it simply, DAY OF THE JACKAL is THE thriller of the 1970s. With nary a car chase or shoot out in sight, it manages to cram as much excitement into its running time as the entire BOURNE trilogy thanks to the combined wonder of expert direction and a faultless script. Highly detailed and never less than compelling, this film follows the exploits of a professional assassin about to embark on his biggest job yet – and we follow him every painstaking step of the way.

Fox – entirely chilling and somehow commendable, despite his ultra ruthlessness – is a lead you almost (but not quite) want to win out come the end, purely because of his professionalism and his attention to detail. Michael Lonsdale works well as the detective cast opposite him, always human and likable, but the real winner is the script/directorial combo. Like SOUTHERN COMFORT, it's a film to keep you guessing until the final nail-biting moments and dare I say it, there's never a dull moment. An outstanding and exceptional piece of film-making.