You've probably seen a thousand spy thrillers by now. Most of them are just people in suits running through European airports or staring intensely at glowing computer screens while a countdown clock ticks away. But if you actually want to see how the genre was perfected—and then reinvented for the modern era—you need to watch The Day of the Jackal. It’s not just a story about an assassination attempt. It’s a masterclass in professional competence, the kind of "process porn" that makes you realize just how messy and disorganized most other action movies really are.
Whether you are looking at the 1971 Frederick Forsyth novel, the 1973 Edward Fox movie, or the brand-new 2024 Peacock/Sky series starring Eddie Redmayne, the DNA remains the same. It is a cold, calculated look at a man who is very good at a very bad job.
Honestly, the original premise is still wild. A group of French veterans (the OAS) are mad that President Charles de Gaulle is granting independence to Algeria. They’ve tried to kill him themselves and failed miserably because they’re too emotional and disorganized. So, they hire a pro. They hire the Jackal. He doesn't have a name. He doesn't have a history. He just has a price: half a million dollars. In today's money? That’s millions.
The Evolution of the Professional Assassin
When you sit down to watch The Day of the Jackal, the first thing you notice in the new reimagining is how much the world has changed since the 70s. Back in the day, the Jackal relied on physical disguises, forged passports that were basically just paper and ink, and a custom-made rifle hidden in a crutch. It was all about manual labor and staying off the grid.
Now? Staying off the grid is almost impossible.
The 2024 series takes that core concept and drags it kicking and screaming into the age of facial recognition and digital footprints. Eddie Redmayne plays a version of the character who is almost terrifyingly precise. He’s not a James Bond type who wants to be noticed. He’s a ghost. The show spends an enormous amount of time showing the work. You see him testing chemicals. You see the tedious process of cleaning a weapon. It understands that the tension doesn't come from the explosion; it comes from the fear that one tiny, microscopic mistake will ruin months of planning.
Redmayne brings this weird, twitchy energy that actually fits perfectly. He looks like a guy who could blend into a crowd at a high-end tech conference or a grocery store. That’s the point. The "Jackal" isn't a monster in a mask; he's the guy standing behind you in line.
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Why the 1973 Film is Still the Gold Standard
If you're a purist, you'll argue that the Fred Zinnemann movie is the only way to experience this story. I get it. The 1973 film is iconic for a reason. It uses a semi-documentary style that makes it feel like you are watching actual history unfold. There is no swelling orchestral score during the climax. There are no quips.
It's just a man in a field, assembling a gun.
What’s fascinating is that the movie doesn't try to make you like the Jackal. It doesn't give him a tragic backstory or a dead wife he’s avenging. He’s doing it for the money. That’s it. That lack of sentimentality is what makes the chase so compelling. You’re watching a chess match where the pieces are actual human lives. On one side, you have the Jackal. On the other, you have Claude Lebel, a rumpled, unassuming police detective who is the only person smart enough to realize that the lack of evidence is the evidence.
Comparing the New Series to the Classic Narrative
People get weirdly protective over remakes. I get that too. But the 2024 series isn't a shot-for-shot remake, and that’s why it actually works. It expands the world. In the original, the Jackal is a bit of a cipher. In the new show, we see more of the "human" side—or at least the mask he wears to appear human.
- The Scope: The original was focused on one target (De Gaulle). The new series turns it into a global game of cat and mouse with multiple layers of political intrigue.
- The Adversary: Instead of just a male detective, we get Lashana Lynch as Bianca, a whip-smart intelligence officer. The dynamic is different. It’s less about old-school police work and more about modern signals intelligence and the psychological toll of the hunt.
- The Tech: Watching the Jackal bypass modern security is genuinely fascinating. It makes the world feel much more dangerous than the analog world of 1963.
Some fans of the book might find the additions to the Jackal's personal life a bit jarring. Usually, he’s a total loner. Giving him "stakes" outside of the mission is a big departure. Does it take away from the character's coldness? Maybe a little. But for a multi-episode TV series, you kind of need that extra layer to keep people coming back for ten hours.
The Real History Behind the Fiction
A lot of people who watch The Day of the Jackal don't realize how much of it is based on reality. Frederick Forsyth was a journalist who covered the actual attempts on De Gaulle's life. The opening of the story—the shooting of the presidential Citroën—actually happened.
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The OAS (Organisation armée secrète) was a real-life far-right paramilitary group. They really did try to kill the President multiple times. They were desperate, angry, and incredibly dangerous. Forsyth just took that reality and asked, "What if they stopped trying to do it themselves and hired a professional?"
That grounding in reality is what gives the story its "heft." It doesn't feel like a comic book. It feels like a secret history of Europe.
Why We Are Still Obsessed With Professionalism
There is something deeply satisfying about watching someone who is the absolute best at what they do. We live in a world of "good enough" and "quiet quitting." The Jackal represents the opposite. He is a perfectionist. Even if his goal is horrific, the discipline he brings to the task is mesmerizing.
It’s the same reason people love heist movies or medical dramas where the surgeon is a genius but a jerk. We value competence.
When you watch The Day of the Jackal, you’re essentially watching a tutorial on how to navigate the world without leaving a trace. It’s fascinating to see him handle a customs agent or talk his way out of a tight spot. He doesn't panic. He just shifts. He’s a chameleon.
The Stakes of Modern Espionage
In the 2024 version, the stakes feel much more global. It’s not just about one politician; it’s about the entire structure of the modern world. The show touches on corporate power, the way information is bought and sold, and how "private contractors" (a fancy word for mercenaries) operate in the shadows of legitimate government.
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Bianca, the investigator, is a great foil because she’s just as obsessed as he is. She’s willing to burn her own life down to find him. It’s a mirror image. Two people who are so dedicated to their "craft" that they’ve lost their connection to the normal world.
Practical Advice for New Viewers
If you're planning to dive into this world, don't just stick to one version. The beauty of this story is how it adapts to the era it lives in.
- Start with the 1973 film. It’s the foundation. It’ll teach you the "vibe" of the story. You can find it on various streaming platforms like Pluto TV or for rent on Amazon.
- Read the book. Seriously. Frederick Forsyth’s writing is incredibly lean. He explains things like how to manufacture a silencer or how to steal a passport in such detail that you feel like you’re learning a trade.
- Then hit the 2024 series. Watch it on Peacock. It’s a slower burn, but the production value is insane, and the locations are stunning. It’s a great example of how to modernize a "dated" concept without losing its soul.
Identifying the Realism
Look out for the moments where things go wrong. In bad action movies, the hero always has a gadget that works perfectly. In The Day of the Jackal, the Jackal has to adapt. A border guard asks an unexpected question. A contact gets greedy. A disguise is almost seen through. The tension comes from the pivot.
That's the takeaway. Being a pro isn't about having a perfect plan; it's about being the most composed person in the room when the plan falls apart.
How to Get the Most Out of the Experience
To really appreciate the craft when you watch The Day of the Jackal, pay attention to the silence. The best parts of this story aren't the gunfights. They are the moments of quiet preparation. Watch how Eddie Redmayne uses his hands. Watch how Edward Fox, in the original, uses his eyes to scan a room.
It’s a masterclass in "show, don't tell." We don't need a monologue about how the Jackal feels. We see it in the way he cleans his boots or sets a stopwatch.
If you want to understand the modern thriller, you have to go back to the source. The Jackal is the blueprint for every "professional" character we’ve seen since, from The American to John Wick. But where Wick is a force of nature, the Jackal is a scalpel. Cold. Precise. Deadly.
Actionable Steps for the Ultimate Experience:
- Watch the 1973 film first to understand the "purity" of the hunt without modern distractions.
- Stream the 2024 series on Peacock to see how the "surveillance state" changes the game of assassination.
- Pay attention to the "Counter-Sniping" tactics. The show is actually quite accurate regarding how intelligence agencies track individuals through financial discrepancies rather than just "hacking" things.
- Compare the endings. Without spoiling anything, the way the two versions conclude tells you a lot about the different cynical (or hopeful) outlooks of the 1970s versus the 2020s.