Michael Caton-Jones directs Bruce Willis, Richard Gere and Sidney Poitier in this remake of the 1973 film The Day of the Jackal, which was based on the 1971 novel of the same name by Frederick Forsyth.

A flat modernisation. Some scenes have a TV movie cheapness, others go all out with CGI which weakens the action. Denuded of its “true story” terse appeal this didn’t really need to keep The Jackal branding. A few story beats are retained but it could just as easily been a Clint sequel to In The Line Of Fire. Gere’s choice to play his proactive fink as an IRA political prisoner rings false in a number of ways. Willis is fine value as the reptilian, shape shifting killer. There’s a good movie here, and they already made it in the Seventies.

4

Perfect Double Bill: Striking Distance (1993)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/ and my own Substack https://substack.com/@edinburghlaughterbulletin