Eddie Redmayne is one of the greatest actors of this generation. If his unforgettable Oscar-worthy performance while filming the utterly remarkable life story of physicist Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything wasn‘t confirmation enough, then his performance in The Day of the Jackal should seal it.
A TV series remake of the equally excellent 1973 film also titled The Day of the Jackal, which I remember seeing with my father, probably when it came to VHS, provides a 10-episode screen fest of Redmayne’s superb acting and screen presence. This is truly excellent television.
The script is good, the acting solid, the suspense palpable, and the story excellent, which has been masterfully reworked for the modern age. It just works, and works well.
The original film was about an assassin trying to kill then-French President Charles de Gaulle, and used the high-tech equipment of that decade. Fast forward 40 years, and the director has delivered a modern-day thriller using crafty new technologies – like 3D printing non-metallic parts – and the hiding of rifles in a variety of nifty spots. Long gone are the violin cases of the mob movies. In the 21st century, assassins can hide a gun… I won‘t say where.
It has been transformed into much more than the original single-theme assassination film. The series explores the curious nature and personality of this amazing assassin, which it pulls off extremely well.
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Snipers are supposedly a special breed of killer, with the patience to stay hidden in a spot to take their improbably difficult shot. It‘s always a super-human feat in those Hollywood movies or TV shows, isn’t it?
With 10 episodes, an hour long each, instead of the film’s 90-minute runtime, Redmanye delivers a compelling performance about what makes a good man become a killer. The action follows ‘The Jackal’, who must navigate his own dangerous world, all while MI6 agent Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch) is chasing him.
Meanwhile, his wife (Úrsula Corberó) slowly becomes aware that he isn‘t a travelling salesman, bringing a tense backstory to his personal relationships.
The settings used throughout The Day of the Jackal certainly help. Isolated European islands, a few perilous situations where only the Jackals, well, jackal cunning help him evade capture and these beautiful destinations provide a White Lotus-like element. It’s a welcome upgrade to the usual exotic destinations of Hollywood films, as TV shows have all since adopted this luxurious cinematography.
Eddie Redmayne is thoroughly excellent throughout The Day of the Jackal, holding his screen presence and giving the show a certain depth through his always-solid acting. It truly is some of the best television you’ll watch this year.
