The Jackal 

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Director: Michael Canton-Jones
Cast: Sidney Poitier, Diane Venora, Bruce Willis, Richard Gere

Based loosely on the book "Day of the Jackal" (and of course, the 1973 movie), this time Bruce Willis plays the international assassin who "has no identity". Sidney Poitier is the CIA operative who must convince IRA terrorist Richard Gere (lordy, lordy) to help the hunt, since Gere's the only person in the world who can recognize him.

Loud, brash and silly, "The Jackal" continues the question "why can't Hollywood make decent thrillers anymore?" So many plot contrivances, so much cliched dialogue, so few personalities—it seems that the foreign market's need for a generic car chase overwhelms any need for subtlety on these shores. Wait for "The Assignment" when it comes to the Triangle—it has Ben Kingsley, Donald Sutherland and Aidan Quinn as the Jackal. It's a much better movie—this "Jackal" has no heart, no soul, and is no fun.

—Ian Williams

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