The Day of the Jackal

I certainly did not have Eddie Redmayne as The Jackal on my streaming series bingo card for this year but there you go. It's great to see a classic novel given such a lavish production and it all plays really well as far as I'm concerned. The locations look gorgeous, the action sequences thus far, have been gripping and the performances have been compelling. Like other reviewers, I don't buy Lashana Lynch as the MI:6 operative and feel she was miscast in the role. On the flip side, it's always good to see Charles Dance flexing his acting muscles. Úrsula Corberó is lovely to watch on screen though I fear she's been a little underused.

Otherwise, a fine piece of old school cloak and dagger entertainment.

Something about Lashana just didn't work for me-I can't quite put my finger on it. I'm not sure why they chose her for that role. She wasn't terrible, but it bugged me the entire time. :(

Eddie Redmayne absolutely nails it as the assassin, bringing a chilling, magnetic energy to the role. He's terrifying but somehow impossible to look away from, and every move he makes feels super calculated. Redmayne's mix of charm and menace is spot-on, making the character both fascinating and unsettling. Lashana Lynch as I said doesn't quite measure up. Her performance as the no-nonsense intelligence agent feels flat and a bit cliché, lacking the depth you'd expect from a story like this. In a movie that thrives on detail and complexity, her character comes off as one-note and underwhelming.

Overall, the film is intense and gripping, but the uneven performances hold it back a bit. Redmayne's incredible performance makes it worth checking out, even if Lynch's misses take away some of the impact.

I must agree with many other reviewers, this is a great production with good atmosphere and Eddie Redmayne does a great job in the lead role as the Jackal but the female lead just ruins the whole thing. It's a total miscast using an actor who, can't show any facial emotion regardless of the situation and who almost approaches overacting possibly in an effort to make up for the lack of understanding or appreciating the character. The character is obviously meant to be confident and experienced but it's portrayal is one of a cocky 'I know best' woman who for one, has no appreciation of evidence walking the suitcase through the general office. She's just so irritating and unbelievable.

Lynch is completely miscast. Her acting is poor. Why she was cast in this role when there are plenty of actresses to be better at it. It baffles me. Her character is not interesting just another role of an obsessive agent.

Eddie Redmayne can do anything, his range as an actor is impressive from theater drama, musicals, films. He never disappoints. In this role, he is solid in anything he performs.

The plot is interesting and catching.....funny how we cheer for the Jackal.... Not for the MÍ 6 agent. The series location is impressive and the plot is high octane thrill. It is not comparable to the original, this is a worthy adaptation to our current times.

I came to check reviews to see if anyone else noticed how off the female lead's performance was, and I was surprised to find many others felt the same way. Lashana's portrayal is unfortunately a glaring weak point in this otherwise brilliant adaptation of The Day of the Jackal. Her expressions feel stiff, her delivery lacks authenticity, and her performance breaks the immersive tension of an otherwise exceptional crime thriller. While I haven't seen her other work and she may shine in different roles, here her acting feels amateurish and out of place.

That being said, the series itself is a masterpiece of suspense. The narrative is gripping, the pacing keeps you hooked, and the rest of the cast delivers top-notch performances. If you're a fan of crime thrillers, this is still absolutely worth your time. Lashana's shortcomings aside, the overall production and thrilling storyline make it an unforgettable experience.