As a long-time fan of suspenseful, character-driven thrillers, I must say that “The Day of the Jackal” left me with a mix of emotions. On one hand, I was thoroughly entertained by the well-crafted action sequences, the intricate plotting, and the performances of the lead actors, particularly Eddie Redmayne as the enigmatic assassin. The show’s cynical yet engaging approach to its subject matter resonated with me, as it felt refreshingly devoid of the usual moralizing that often accompanies such stories.
The mountain lion threatening Kim Bauer in the initial series of “24” on Fox was intentionally designed that way, not an accident or oversight.
The fearsome cat, likely lingering in Elisha Cuthbert’s nightmares, served as a concept example for stretching the groundbreaking series’ edge-of-your-seat premise over 24 hours per season: Not every plot could be the main focus or secondary storyline, but in Jack Bauer’s universe, even the lesser stories were filled with suspense.
Initially, it was designed to extend the excitement, and with “24”, prolonging the suspense was crucial. Despite the fact that some deviations were exciting, absurdly entertaining, or simply bad, they fulfilled their purpose. Even the most dedicated fans would agree with this. The subsequent TV movies or multiple 12-episode seasons may have offered enjoyment, but one thing they demonstrated was that a compressed “24” wasn’t truly “24”.
In Fredrick Forsyth’s 1971 novel “The Day of the Jackal” and the 1973 movie adaptation, there is no space for a cougar. Instead, these works revolve around an intense and suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse, where the assassin called the Jackal is meticulous yet breathless in his pursuit of completing a complex assassination mission. The story raises the question: Will the Jackal succeed in his plan or not?
Instead of focusing on the main storyline, Peacock’s 10-hour adaptation of The Day of the Jackal, produced by Ronan Bennett (Top Boy), seems to have ample space for tangential narratives – or metaphorical cougars. It’s almost a given that this Peacock series could be condensed into a gripping two-hour film, or perhaps even a riveting four-hour miniseries. However, the middle six episodes tend to deviate, with one detour leading to another, seemingly unraveling the central plot thread in favor of these diversions.
Despite having a grasp on the plot and admiring numerous other elements such as the performances by Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch, stunning European location shots, some parts of the show can feel quite tedious. Similarly to how “truncated” didn’t embody the style of 24, “sluggish” doesn’t perfectly capture the essence of The Day of the Jackal.
The British drama commences with Redmayne’s character, the Jackal, disguised by heavy aged makeup, performing surgery in Munich. At first glance, it seems like the Jackal doesn’t accomplish his mission successfully. However, what appears to be a failure is actually part of a meticulously planned scheme – the ultimate target being the assassination of a conservative political figure. This assassination will be executed using a sniper rifle from a distance that is typically considered impossible.
What captures MI6 agent Bianca Pullman’s (Lynch) attention is the challenging nature of the shot, being an accomplished firearms expert herself, with a scholarly husband, Paul (Sule Rimi), and a teenage daughter, Jasmine (Florisa Kamara). Simply by being around, she knows that her presence will likely place her in dangerous situations.
Fresh from completing his job in Germany, The Jackal receives an offer for his most significant assignment to date. Tech billionaire Ulle Dag Charles (Khalid Abdalla) is preparing to launch a new software named River, which is intended to trace financial trails. This software aims to promote transparency as it reveals how powerful corporate interests manipulate our lives behind the scenes.
Of course, other wealthy individuals aren’t happy about it. A questionable group of influential figures, with Timothy Winthrop (Charles Dance) at the helm, are expressing disapproval by voicing conservative opinions. They want the character known as the Jackal to cease supporting Ulle Dag Charles and River. These oligarchs demand that the Jackal work under the supervision of the enigmatic Zina (Eleanor Matsuura), a requirement he finds annoying.
In no time, Bianca will be hot on the heels of the Jackal, receiving aid and hindrance from her superiors such as Isabel (Lia Williams) and Osi (Chukwudi Iwuji), while also grappling with the possibility that there’s a spy within MI6. The storyline of The Day of the Jackal has been extensively modernized to its maximum potential.
Perhaps it was given a James Bond-esque makeover? Lynch, predictably, encountered resistance on racially charged social media (often referred to as “X”) when she was announced as the new 007 agent in “No Time to Die“. If you tweaked the title and included “Broccoli” in the production credits, this thriller could potentially serve as a blueprint for a television spinoff, even featuring Celeste’s opening credits song, “This Is Who I Am”, which would undoubtedly rank among the top ten Bond themes.
The novel The Day of the Jackal is exceptionally engaging, particularly in its opening and closing chapters. It offers meticulous intrigue as characters like Bianca and the Jackal demonstrate an impressive attention to detail. Additionally, the story unfolds across grand-scale scenes filmed in numerous European cities such as London, Budapest, Croatia, among others. Action sequences like shootouts, thrilling car chases on cobblestone streets, and tense suspenseful moments are skillfully incorporated into the narrative. A persistent cynical tone runs throughout the book, which effectively prevents it from becoming too predictable or formulaic.
However, the prolonged development in the heart of the series is noticeable. Bennett might justify this method as enriching the environment for our main characters and their companions, giving depth to characters like the Northern Irish arms manufacturer (played by Richard Dormer, bringing a midseason boost) who equips the Jackal with his high-tech gadgets, or the Spanish woman (Úrsula Corberó, putting in effort) connected to the Jackal. This seems intended to convey that this isn’t just a game for those on the fringes. I get the intention, but six hours felt excessive. Unfortunately, even with all this expansion, Bianca’s partner (Nick Blood as Vince) only appears in four or five episodes without a distinct voice, character, or development of any kind.
Additionally, Ulle Dag Charles fails to develop into a well-rounded character beyond his open water swimming in the Adriatic and making ambiguous, moralistic comments about data transparency. The concept of a tech billionaire as the main target instead of a global political leader is a contemporary and insightful approach to portraying power. However, the execution lacks depth, feeling more like a shallow imitation rather than an original work. There’s a notable absence of the gritty realism that close proximity to reality would offer, making this thriller seem detached from current events such as recent assassination attempts on political figures, and failing to evoke even the slightest discomfort, familiarity, or connection.
Rather than finding it plausible that this scenario might occur, viewers tend to perceive it as a work of fiction, possibly reminding them of other adaptations or similar stories. For instance, they might compare it to “The Day of the Jackal,” previous versions of the same tale, action series like “24,” or other narratives featuring solitary assassins such as “Le Samouraï” and David Fincher’s “The Killer.
The Jackal is nevertheless a role that plays into many of Redmayne’s strengths. Not every actor could make endlessly staring into the scope of a rifle compelling, but Redmayne brings his gift for infusing stillness with intensity in scenes of the Jackal calculating for wind or waiting for the right angle. While he brings the character to emotional life in performative bursts of humanity, my favorite thing about the entire series is that it doesn’t pretend, even for a second, that the Jackal does what he does for altruistic reasons, or that he lives by a rigorous moral code. He kills people for money and prioritizes finishing the job, and the show accepts those instincts at face value.
The reason Jackal and Bianca make a fitting duo is because Bianca, unlike a typical spy, excels in her unique field without the finesse of conventional espionage. In the portrayal of Bianca by Lynch, she is consistently annoyed and inept at diplomacy. Unlike an agent who might consider personal or professional ramifications or a television character concerned about likeability and longevity, Bianca doesn’t seem to be thinking about future seasons.
The novel “The Day of the Jackal” might be considering a second installment, which is mentioned more as an expression of my personal disappointment that the story, having already surpassed its optimal scope, appears to be leaving some plot points unresolved. This state of affairs evokes in me feelings similar to being caught in a web of secondary plots, much like one might become ensnared by a multitude of manufactured cougars residing in the hills surrounding Los Angeles.
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2024-11-13 17:55