+7
The Day of the Jackal (1973) - 8/10
While I'm not huge on police procedurals normally, I enjoyed my time with this film quite a bit. Maybe not as much as I thought I would, but it certainly offers a decent bit to like.
This film does a fine job at showing how the two main characters, the Jackal and Lebel, work to opposite purposes. The former works at carrying out the assassination, while the latter works at trying to stop him. As the films rolls along, the Jackal gets closer and closer to the president as bodies keep piling up around him. This is set against the procedural elements of Lebel trying to track him down throughout the film. This element persists all throughout the film and grows in intensity the further you get into the film, specifically during the last act once Lebel begins running out of time to stop the Jackal. Both the Jackal and Lebel were smart, competent characters, which made them an enjoyable pair to watch.
Though you'll probably side with Lebel, both characters can be hypnotic to watch. With the Jackal, I found myself drawn to the sense of solitude he displayed throughout the film. When he had to kill people, for instance, he went about these acts with a sense of tranquility. He'd calmly move to them and murder them fairly quickly, without them being able to scream, fight back, or resist. It's clear he's had enough experience with his profession to the point he knows exactly how to handle any situation which arises. The occasional slip up will come off as a huge surprise. Not only to the viewer, but also to the Jackal since it's implied he almost never runs into them. Overall, I found it interesting to watch the Jackal go about his task and deal with the various problems which arose along the way.
I don't have much to offer in the way of flaws, except I did feel the film's runtime at certain points, especially during the middle. However, I imagine it will flow smoother with another viewing. As it stands, this film currently stands at a low 8/10 for me, but I may enjoy it more if I watch it again.
Next up: Hard Times (holding off on The Deer Hunter for now since AgrippinaX might've dropped out)