18/30
The Jackal is an elusive hitman who makes his living by taking hits for the highest prize. He soon meets his match in a tough British intelligence officer who follows him on a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe. Check out the list of renewals and cancellations to see if your show has made it to your favorites… Forsyth worked as a freelance journalist covering the Biafran War. When it was over, unemployed and unsure of what to do, he returned to the UK. He said: “I came back for Christmas in ’69, fully dressed. With no chance of a job, no flat, no car, no savings. That’s when I had this crazy, crazy idea to write a novel. ‘Everyone said you had to be kidding or angry because the chances of it being published were a hundred to one, even a thousand to one.’ The film rights were snapped up a few weeks after its release. Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars competed to play the Jackal in the 1973 film, but the role went to the then-unknown Edward Fox because director Fred Zinnemann thought he could blend in with the crowd. (Airmail). He was referenced on The Graham Norton Show: Denzel Washington/Paul Mescal/Saoirse Ronan/Eddie Redmayne/Blossoms (2024). Eddie Redmayne gives a captivating performance, embodying the titular assassin with a chilling precision that makes him both terrifying and magnetic. Redmayne’s meticulous approach to the role heightens the tension, making his every move seem calculated and inevitable. His ability to combine charm and menace ensures that the audience is both repulsed and captivated, capturing the essence of the character’s duality. Unfortunately, Lashana Lynch’s performance pales in comparison, feeling flat and uninspired. Her portrayal of a secret service agent is decidedly lacking in depth, often coming across as one-dimensional and overly formulaic. In a series that thrives on nuance and detail, her character’s lack of complexity comes across negatively. Overall, the film is an engaging adaptation, but it struggles with uneven performances at times. Redmayne’s brilliance alone makes it worth watching, but Lynch’s shortcomings somewhat dampen the experience.