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The Jackal

Play trailer Poster for The Jackal R 1997 2h 4m Mystery & Thriller Action Play Trailer Watchlist
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24% Tomatometer 33 Reviews 51% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
During an FBI raid on a Moscow nightclub, the brother of Russian gangster Terek Murad (David Hayman) is killed. Murad wants revenge and hires anonymous hit man the Jackal (Bruce Willis) to kill FBI Deputy Director Carter Preston (Sidney Poitier). With the help of Russian agent Valentina Koslova (Diane Venora), Preston finds the only man who knows what the notorious Jackal looks like, imprisoned IRA terrorist Declan Mulqueen (Richard Gere), and forces him to help hunt down the hit man.

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The Jackal

The Jackal

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Critics Consensus

The Jackal is a relatively simple chase thriller incapable of adding thrills or excitement as the plot chugs along.

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Critics Reviews

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David Ansen Newsweek 03/05/2018
The usually reliable director Michael Caton-Jones hasn't a clue how to freshen up such stale material. If you bite your fingernails, it will only be from boredom. Go to Full Review Mike Clark USA Today 01/09/2018
2.5/4
The international pursuit grows borderline monotonous but there is a jump in pacing during the Washington, D.C., climax. Go to Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
1.5/4
The Jackal is a glum, curiously flat thriller about a man who goes to a great deal of trouble in order to create a crime that anyone in the audience could commit more quickly and efficiently. Go to Full Review Dan DiNicola The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY) 01/10/2023
C-
Sidney Poitier is the FBI deputy director and the only one in the cast to lend this movie credibility. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 07/11/2022
8/10
A few moments of potential white-knuckle confrontations deflate, but they’re minimal; the actors do such an outstanding job of taking their roles seriously that it’s difficult not to get wrapped up in the suspense. Go to Full Review Mal Vincent The Virginian-Pilot 03/29/2022
2/4
As suspense, it's suspenseless. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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bill f @BrokerBill Jan 5 A solid thriller with great performances from Willis and Gere. Sidney Poitier is pretty wooden but Bruce Willis is superb while David Hayman as arch baddie Terek impresses. Amusing cameo from Jack Black. Some excellent set pieces and use of precision hardware make for an engrossing and highly entertaining movie. Ignore the smug critics and get out the popcorn. It’s great! See more R C @Ap90033 Dec 20 A morbidly obese diversity hire hunting down a professional killer. Gee that's refreshing and brave. Slow pace and unrealistic are the low points of the show. It's really sad because the movie was pretty good... . See more Rodney W @Northgate0 Nov 14 Should win accolades for the film with the most number of disjointed and mindless action sequences in a genre film. With its vague plot roaming through half boiled performances there is nothing left but insolence to the original ‘70s slow burn film that was much more convincing with its historical context of a lone mercenary working for terrorist elements. See more Bill S @RT68407170 Nov 7 Oh dear, dreadful music score, totally inane plot, just dreadful. See more Jerod S @jeroduptown Jun 6 Slow start to a chase thriller where Willis is going after the first lady. Gere hunting him down towards the end helps it finish on a high. See more Klint T @RT34746493 02/22/2025 Bruce Willis is the best and deserves 5 🌟 but the movie isn't top and the other players seems more annoying then good. See more Read all reviews
The Jackal

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Cast & Crew

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Michael Caton-Jones

Director

Bruce Willis

The Jackal

Richard Gere

Declan Mulqueen

Sidney Poitier

Carter Preston

Diane Venora

Valentina Koslova

Tess Harper

The First Lady

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The Jackal

The Jackal (1997) The Jackal (1997) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis During an FBI raid on a Moscow nightclub, the brother of Russian gangster Terek Murad (David Hayman) is killed. Murad wants revenge and hires anonymous hit man the Jackal (Bruce Willis) to kill FBI Deputy Director Carter Preston (Sidney Poitier). With the help of Russian agent Valentina Koslova (Diane Venora), Preston finds the only man who knows what the notorious Jackal looks like, imprisoned IRA terrorist Declan Mulqueen (Richard Gere), and forces him to help hunt down the hit man.
Director
Michael Caton-Jones
Producer
Kevin Jarre, James Jacks, Sean Daniel
Screenwriter
Chuck Pfarrer
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Alphaville Films, Mutual Film Company
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 14, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$54.9M
Runtime
2h 4m
Sound Mix
Surround, DTS, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
35mm, Scope (2.35:1)
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