A review by Brooks Rich
Oh I'm excited. This is one of my favorite films of the '90s. Most people probably think of this movie as the film where Richard Gere plays an Irish guy with a bad accent. That is wrong. This is a fantastic action thriller and one of the best performances from not only Gere but also Bruce Willis.
Bruce Willis is the titular Jackal, an assassin for hire whose existence is even questioned within the FBI. Intelligence shows he might have been hired to carry out a political assassination so they enlist the help of imprisoned IRA member Declan Mulqueen, played by Richard Gere, who is said to have seen the Jackal in person and lived to tell about it. With the FBI Deputy Director and a member of the Russian police helping him, Mulqueen plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with the nameless assassin.
This film came out in 1997, at a time where Bruce Willis is one of the biggest stars in the world. He was most well known of course for John McClane in the Die Hard films but he had other hits with films like The Fifth Element and 12 Monkeys (soon to be covered for Terry Gilliam month). He was always the leading man, the Hollywood hero. Here he is playing a real despicable villain, a heartless assassin who cares only for his job. Willis is not likable at all. He plays this role totally straight. His assassin is pure evil and makes a great antagonist for Gere's tragic hero. Also props to Gere. His accent is fine. He makes Mulqueen a likable guy and we want him to find a way to catch the Jackal. We also have to mention the legendary Sidney Poitier, who plays the FBI Deputy Director. He and Gere have some real chemistry and I wish we could have a whole series of films with these two. Their story arch has a perfect ending. This is also one of Jack Black's early roles. He plays a typical Jack Black role but he has good chemistry with Willis.
I don't get the hate for this movie. I honestly think it just comes from Gere doing an Irish accent. This is a great thriller and more brutal than people remember. Whether it's how evil Willis or how he kills people, this film doesn't pull any punches. If you're a fan of Bruce Willis, check it out. It's in my opinion his best performance besides John McClane.
Oh I'm excited. This is one of my favorite films of the '90s. Most people probably think of this movie as the film where Richard Gere plays an Irish guy with a bad accent. That is wrong. This is a fantastic action thriller and one of the best performances from not only Gere but also Bruce Willis.
Bruce Willis is the titular Jackal, an assassin for hire whose existence is even questioned within the FBI. Intelligence shows he might have been hired to carry out a political assassination so they enlist the help of imprisoned IRA member Declan Mulqueen, played by Richard Gere, who is said to have seen the Jackal in person and lived to tell about it. With the FBI Deputy Director and a member of the Russian police helping him, Mulqueen plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with the nameless assassin.
This film came out in 1997, at a time where Bruce Willis is one of the biggest stars in the world. He was most well known of course for John McClane in the Die Hard films but he had other hits with films like The Fifth Element and 12 Monkeys (soon to be covered for Terry Gilliam month). He was always the leading man, the Hollywood hero. Here he is playing a real despicable villain, a heartless assassin who cares only for his job. Willis is not likable at all. He plays this role totally straight. His assassin is pure evil and makes a great antagonist for Gere's tragic hero. Also props to Gere. His accent is fine. He makes Mulqueen a likable guy and we want him to find a way to catch the Jackal. We also have to mention the legendary Sidney Poitier, who plays the FBI Deputy Director. He and Gere have some real chemistry and I wish we could have a whole series of films with these two. Their story arch has a perfect ending. This is also one of Jack Black's early roles. He plays a typical Jack Black role but he has good chemistry with Willis.
I don't get the hate for this movie. I honestly think it just comes from Gere doing an Irish accent. This is a great thriller and more brutal than people remember. Whether it's how evil Willis or how he kills people, this film doesn't pull any punches. If you're a fan of Bruce Willis, check it out. It's in my opinion his best performance besides John McClane.
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