Few thrillers arrive with the weight that The Day of the Jackal carries. Ronan Bennett’s 2024 series takes a story audiences know by heart and rebuilds it for a world of encrypted phones and drone surveillance. The result is a taut, muscular television drama that justifies its own existence.
The premise remains the same. A professional assassin, known only as the Jackal, accepts a contract to kill a tech billionaire. A British intelligence officer, Bianca Pullman, is tasked with stopping him. What follows is a global game of cat and mouse that stretches from London to the Hungarian countryside.
Trailer, via Sky TV.
Meet the New Jackal
Eddie Redmayne plays the title role. He is a long way from The Theory of Everything. This Jackal is cold, methodical, and deeply unsettling. Redmayne gives him a stillness that reads as danger. When he assembles a rifle from a custom case, the scene carries real tension.
The series spends deliberate time on the craft of assassination. It shows the false identities, the planning, the escape routes. This is not a cartoon villain. The Jackal is a professional, and the show respects that.
Pullman on the Trail
Lashana Lynch plays Bianca Pullman. She is the agent on the Jackal’s trail. Lynch brings a hard-edged intensity to the role. Her Pullman is brilliant and obsessive, willing to bend rules to close the gap.
The series gives her a full home life too. That choice adds texture, though it slows the middle episodes. The balance between her job and her family is a real part of the story, not a decorative subplot.
Pacing That Pays Off
The first episodes are patient. The series builds its world carefully. It introduces the target, the security apparatus, and the assassin’s methods. Some viewers may find the pace deliberate. But the payoff arrives.
A sequence set at a political rally is a masterclass in suspense.
The set pieces are excellent. A sequence set at a political rally is a masterclass in suspense. The editing is sharp, and the sound design puts you inside the moment. The series knows when to hold a shot and when to cut.
Forsyth’s Legacy, Updated
The series is based on the 1971 novel by Frederick Forsyth. That book was already adapted into a celebrated 1973 film. Bennett’s version does not simply copy the old blueprint. It updates the technology and the politics.
The target is no longer Charles de Gaulle. The new target is a tech entrepreneur who has built a system that tracks every citizen. That change feels current. It gives the story a fresh reason to exist.
Old vs. New
| Element | 1973 Film | 2024 Series |
|---|---|---|
| Target | President de Gaulle | Tech billionaire |
| Setting | Cold War Europe | Modern Europe |
| Lead Actor | Edward Fox | Eddie Redmayne |
| Runtime | ~2 hours | 10 episodes |
| Tone | Minimalist | Expanded, detailed |
The table shows how the new series expands the story. Where the film was lean, the series is sprawling. That comes with both strengths and weaknesses.
Where It Drags
The series is not perfect. Its ten-episode length means some stretches feel padded. A subplot involving a former associate of the Jackal drags in the middle. The finale also leans on a coincidence that feels convenient.
The political commentary is sometimes heavy-handed. The series wants to say something about surveillance and wealth. It does, but not always with subtlety.
Strong Cast, Sharper Edges
Redmayne is the standout. He makes the Jackal a figure of genuine menace. Lynch matches him. Their scenes together, when they finally arrive, crackle with tension.
The supporting cast is strong. The target, played by a measured Khalid Abdalla, is more than a cardboard villain. His scenes give the story moral weight.
Final Word
The Day of the Jackal is a strong modern thriller. It respects its source while finding new angles. The pacing is uneven, and the length could be trimmed. But the craft is high, and the lead performances are excellent.
It is a series that rewards patience.
The score is 8.5/10.
