Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch class up an exhilarating globe-trotting thriller.
Shes on the tail of international assassin the Jackal and hes proving elusive.
Theyre resourceful hunters who live in isolation, she learns.
Its a question that cant lead anywhere good.
Ad content continues below
I say good, I should say fucking terrifying.
Pulling in middle-seven figures per commission, hes well incentivized, but is it really all about the money?
In other words, whats this antiheros origin story?
Where did he learn to do his own Mrs Doubtfire wigs and make-up Am Dram?
It cant just be about the money, because the Jackal is already swimmingScrooge McDuck-stylethrough piles of the stuff.
Its not enough for him.
Hes after one last mega pay-off, he promises his still-in-the-dark wife, and then hell retire.
Thats if Pullman doesnt get him first.
Lynchs firearms specialist is similarly scary in pursuit of her goals.
Shell lie, manipulate and sacrifice whomever needs sacrificing to advance her op.
This determination makes her a fearsome intelligence agent but an unreliable parent.
He also has a 007-like stash of tech gadgets to enable his craft and swift getaways.
If you ooh over gun barrels, then prepare to ooh.
Plot-wise, we follow the Jackals preparations for the big payoff job.
Theres also an MI6 mole to identify, and the Jackals numbskull brother-in-law to keep an eye on.
Theres no shortage of stuff going on, to sum up.
This is neither a slow-burner nor a philosophical exploration its first and foremost an action show.
The Day of the Jackal airs on Thursdays at 9pm on Sky Atlantic.
It comes to Peacock in the US on November 14.
Rating:
4 out of 5
