Who is the Jackal? Is he a multimillionaire with a lavish estate who travels around the world? Is he a custodian who quite literally cleans up messes? Or is he simply a hired hand who also happens to be the world’s best sniper? As far as star Eddie Redmayne and the new series “The Day of the Jackal” are concerned, he’s a little bit that and a whole lot more.
At the heart of “The Day of the Jackal” is a simple cat-and-mouse game. Redmayne’s jackal makes a living taking out high-profile members of society for an incredibly lucrative fee. He leaves nothing to chance–no one knows who he is, doesn’t leave a trace of his existence, and keeps a rigorous routine. Redmayne can change on a dime, in one instance being a reassuring friend, and in another an instrument of death. His Jackal borrows from many familiar faces in the world of espionage films–the cold calculation of Alain Delon’s assassin in “Le Samourai” and the ever-changing faces of Tom Cruise in “Mission: Impossible.”
After the Jackal pulls off an assassination of a high-ranking political figure, MI6 agent Bianca (Lashana Lynch) is tasked with tracking him down and stopping him once and for all. Bianca will do anything necessary to track the Jackal down, even leaving a trail of bodies behind.
Lynch is terrific here as she fights between what she believes to be righteous and the blood of her hands to get there. Even though Bianca believes herself to be righteous, how different is her job from the Jackal? The series makes the case that neither one of them is truly just.
This isn’t the first time Frederick Forsyth’s novel The Day of the Jackal has been adapted. In the early ‘70s, it was adapted into a hit feature film and is considered among the greatest British films of the 20th century. The target in that adaptation was Charles de Gaulle, the President of France in the late ‘60s. That simply wouldn’t do for a current adaptation–the target this time around is a fictional philanthropist whose new computer software, River, promises to provide the public with transparency in how billionaires spend their money. And for those in power, that simply won’t do.
Any story focused on an assassin must make the assignments interesting and “The Day of the Jackal” doesn’t disappoint. While the Jackal is only hired for a few jobs throughout the series, each episode has its fair share of thrills–from elaborately calculated kills to deadly chases. The Jackal is written as the antagonist, but more often than not I found myself rooting for his success as these murder attempts make up the most compelling material.
If “The Day of the Jackal” was solely focused on Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch it would be more compelling, but also a much shorter series. In this world of mini-series adaptations, stories can often get stretched too thin. The biggest filler for “The Day of the Jackal” comes in the form of Ursula Corbero’s Nuria. She’s supposed to be the grounding force that humanizes Redmayne’s character, but more accurately represents the one time the Jackal made a grave miscalculation. For an assassin, a steady relationship can only be seen as a fantasy.
Nuria is at odds with the many other characters in “The Day of the Jackal,” as most characters are fairly intriguing. Many of them show up briefly to enter the Jackal’s world and it’s a surprise to see who will live or die. Other recurring characters like Timothy Winthorp (Charles Dance) easily demand attention as he’s channeling the same charisma of his more memorable characters. Same for another “Game of Thrones” alum Richard Dormer, whose Norman is an arms dealer who makes 3D-printed weapons for the Jackal. Finally, the Jackal’s contact Zina Jansone (Eleanor Matsuura) makes a big impression with her limited screen time acting as a bridge between the Jackal and his employers.
Even if “The Day of the Jackal” feels stretched too thin in some places, it still manages to be an exciting thrill ride. Credit to Redmayne and writer Ronan Bennett who’ve not only created a compelling anti-hero but also ancillary characters whose fate matters. The mass of bodies that the Jackal leaves behind has a bit of gravitas and helps make “The Day of the Jackal” one of this season’s generally great surprises.
The 10-episode mini-series was screened for review. Airs weekly on Peacock, starting November 14th.
