Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in AMC+’s new revenge thriller Kill Jackie, and she is the reason the show works. The eight-episode series follows Jackie Price, a former drug smuggler turned art dealer who seeks vengeance after a failed assassination attempt. Based on Aidan Truhen’s novel The Price You Pay — the pseudonym of Sunday Times best-selling author Nick Harkaway — the show packs a twisting story into a tight run time.
Zeta-Jones plays Jackie as a woman with a mysterious past who refuses to explain herself. She is an art dealer who deals with dastardly clients, a Welsh woman who leans into her accent, a daughter with a messy family history, and a boss with secrets to hide. The show keeps its focus on her, and Zeta-Jones carries the weight with a performance that delivers a masterclass.
Jackie’s Peace Ends Quickly
The series opens with Jackie living a luxurious life as an art dealer, having left behind the demons of her past as a dangerous international drug smuggler. That peace ends quickly when an assassination attempt goes wrong, and she discovers a massive plot against her. She faces a team of the world’s most strategic and scary hitmen, known as The Seven Demons, and must rely on instincts she believed she had buried.
The show moves through intense encounters with each of The Seven Demons, and it makes clear that killing Jackie Price is not for the weak. Zeta-Jones handles every twist, turn, and tragedy with ease, looking phenomenal throughout.
The Ensemble Holds Up
The supporting cast is large and varied. The show draws characters from Jackie’s present art dealer days, her childhood in Swansea, Wales, and her tangled relationships with her parents. Her lawyer Sam, played by Daniel Ings, travels with her to take out The Seven Demons. Other characters oppose her with professionalism and menace, bringing an authenticity to the story.
The cast stays grounded even as the plot twists and reveals throughout the show’s run. Everyone moves through their roles with intensity and direction, making it easy for viewers to fall into the story.
A Few Rough Edges
The adaptation is not flawless. Some moments feel confusing or overly long, and adapting a novel into an eight-episode TV series is no easy feat. Deciding what to keep or cut was a different conversation than usual, since the novel’s focal point is a man named Jack Price, not Zeta-Jones’ Jackie Price.
There are a few moments where the cracks of the adaptation show through. One of the biggest sticking points is that Kill Jackie should probably only be a one-season series, but it leaves the door open for more by the end. Viewers should not necessarily want to see more, but the show practically demands another turn. Whether a second season would live up to the first remains an open question.
What Works Best
The show’s strengths are its pacing, its casting, and its willingness to twist and turn in unexpected ways. Zeta-Jones is electric, and her performance anchors the entire series. The ensemble cast builds a tremendous mix of standout characters, and the story moves fast enough to keep viewers on their toes.
The critic’s assessment of the show’s strengths includes:
- Zeta-Jones’ commanding presence as Jackie Price
- The ensemble cast rounding out Jackie’s personal life
- Intense encounters with each of The Seven Demons
- Plot twists and reveals that keep the story fresh
- A cinematic quality that keeps viewers engaged
Final Word
Kill Jackie has some hiccups, but for most of its run, it is wickedly smart, ambitious, and fun. The adaptation is uneven, but the performances and the pacing justify the ride. Zeta-Jones is the beating heart of the show, and she floors it from start to finish.
The critic calls the show a captivating series that works with every minute it has, and the minor hiccups are barely a blip in the rich revenge story.
See the video the story is built around at Screen Rant.
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