Eddie Redmayne's 'The Day of the Jackal' is a remake we didn't know we needed
MUNICH, GERMANY: Edward Fox and Michael Lonsdale starrer 1973 film 'The Day of the Jackal' has been considered a classic. The political thriller film, based on Frederick Forsyth's popular novel, set a gold standard for tense, intricately plotted action. What impressed the audience was its chillingly calm yet ruthless assassin and its restrained approach to violence, all while delivering an intense drama. 50 years later, Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne steps into Fox's shows to play Jackal in Peacock's miniseries.
While retaining the essence of the original, the new series gives some modern twist to cater to the present audience. But for fans of the 1973 film who are skeptical about the reboot, set aside your fears—the series is surprisingly good.
Peacock's 'The Day of the Jackal' is an engaging watch
Peacock's 'The Day of the Jackal' isn’t a flashy reinvention of the original and we are so thankful about it. The ten-episodic series serves us exactly what we were looking for! It makes use of all the classic espionage elements including high-stakes chases, careful disguises, and the constant tension of getting caught.
The series doesn't follow the trend of going after over-the-top explosions that define many thrillers today. Instead of overdoing it, the action and tension are calculated. The series raises the stakes for Jackal by adding depth to his story. He is a family man, living with his beautiful wife and a young son at a big mansion in Spain. This is one of the many things where the series deviates from the source material. Knowing that Jackal has a lot to lose in his personal life makes his missions more engaging to watch.
As the show progresses, we get to see some typical spy-thriller tropes. There are the MI6 leaks and intense car and foot chases. But they’re used thoughtfully and don't appear forced.
How much of Jackal is too much?
The original film had a runtime of 2 hours and 20 minutes. The series stretches the adventures of Jackal into ten episodes, each with a duration of nearly 40-50 minutes. You may think that you'd end up being bored with Jackal and Bianca's cat-and-mouse chase. But this isn't the case.
The slow pacing gives us a more layered view of the Jackal’s life, something that the original didn't provide. There's more room to build suspense and explore Redmayne’s character. The series is a perfect return to the sleek, sophisticated feel of the 1973 version, while still offering something new.
'The Day of the Jackal' trailer
'The Day of the Jackal' streams on Peacock from Thursday, November 14