Warning, spoilers! This article reviews the Season 1 finale of Day of the Jackal. If you haven’t seen it and don’t want to know what it contains, read no further.
Even today, it takes good scripts and strong stories to convince big-name actors—those with film careers, and even more so Oscar-winning ones—to play leads on television.
And that’s what convinced Eddie Redmayne – an Oscar winner for his interpretation of Stephen Hawking’s wonderful time story – to take on the role of the Jackal in The Day of the Jackal. As he himself explains, the actor was reluctant at first The Hollywood Reporter :”I loved the original movie and the book by Frederick Forsythe. When the first three scripts arrived in my inbox, I hesitated because I didn’t want to kill something I loved.“
which convinced him
But Redmayne was convinced when he realized that Peacock and Sky – the original broadcasters – had modernized Fred Zinemann’s 1973 adaptation.I read the first episode or two of the series and found it so dynamic and fascinating and the character so mysterious that I wanted to know what happened next.– says enthusiast Eddie Redmayne.
Moreover, the first season finale contains the biggest surprise: Jackal kills Bianca Pullman (played by Lashana Lynch) to end their game of cat and mouse chase in Europe. This ending is the exact opposite of the film adaptation of Frederick Forsyth’s famous novel, in which the hunting policeman finally kills the jackal as he reloads his gun for another shot.
“When I signed the series, I wanted the Jackal story to continue– says Redmayne about The Day of the Jackal, which has already been renewed for a second season.So I knew there would be a twist.“
A fascinating character
He also felt that the chameleon assassin he had to play, a true genius at disguises, accents and languages, was the most impressive performer anyone could find.
“One of the appeals of this character is that he’s an actor, and he’s relatively successful as an actor. He’s also a very brilliant makeup artist, linguist and physical transformer, and I was happy that he was probably more comfortable playing other characters.Redmayne explains.
Jackal, in addition to being an outstanding sniper, must also pretend to be anyone in order to escape justice. Eddie Redmayne worked with movement and language coaches and focused on his costumes. “There is a celebration of performance in this character“, he says of his character as an assassin spy and successful professional.
The full first season of The Day of Jackal is currently available on Prime Video
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
