The Day of the Jackal (1973) vs The Jackal (1997)
Which is better?
shareTotally different films. The Day Of The Jackal is the better film but The Jackal is fun and has Diane Venora.
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MovieChat Forums > The Day of the Jackal (1973) Discussion > The Day of the Jackal (1973) vs The Jack...
Here's what I rated them. I don't remember much about it, other that remarking how it may just be my least favorite remake, at least of a loved film, and I made an effort to judge it as its own movie and not compared to a classic. And I'm a Willis fan.
1973- 8/10
1997 - 4/10
I'd say they are both good.
The 1973 version is more serious, showing the massive national security machine against one man, but they did not spell it out. And in the end the lone assassin was defeated, which is not a big surprise, and that is the downside. The establishment vs an individual, and the establishment won.
The 1997 version is more modern spy action, but still more serious than most of the recent streaming spy action films. I think the writers did a decent job there making it interesting. But there are problems following the same plot lines, OAS the government could not just detain, because they used to be important people. But Russian mobsters they should not have any problem storming their residence and just arrest everyone in the name of national security.
OAS had a network of people that is why they could send a woman to spy on government official, in the 1997 version the Jackal did not have that level of help, but a Russian official just worked for the Jackal, for unexplained reason, and just happened to be assigned to the case, that is too much coincidence.
The 1973 Version by a mile.. Listening to Richard Gere trying to speak a Northern Irish Accent was embarrassing.
shareYes, there is that. Also there is very little reason for him to be in it, and an IRA soldier fighting for the ally of UK government, so motivated, that is also quite strange. But Richard Gere was probably more marketable at the time.
shareThat scene where Bruce Willis told Philip Seymour Hoffman to RUN, and then he blew him apart bit by bit was unnerving
shareYou mean Jack Black?
Well, they seemed to want sensationalising it, show the ruthlessness of the Jackal. I wonder if it was a good idea to get an R rating.
The remote controlled weapon station was also pretty cool, I was young when I watched it, and was quite impressed.
But how was the Richard Gere character able to read the blueprint of remote controlled weapon stations? It takes an engineer specialising in military equipment to do it, and how did an engineer end up being a foot soldier of IRA? Talking about waste of talents.
The ending was a bit cheesy (the Jackal threatening with a hostage part), not as tight as 1973 version. But it gave the details of escape route, the escape was supposed to be the most difficult part, but it wasn't in the 1973 version.
Jack Black.. Yes.. My mistake
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