The Jackal poster

The Jackal (1997)

Film · 2h 4m · Rated R

Action, Crime, Thriller

A ruthless assassin plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with federal agents and an IRA operative.

Suspenseful and pulpy. A full-attention watch at a brisk pace. Emotionally it carries some weight.

Not on a US subscription service as of Oct 28, 2026.

The Jackal parents guide

Nothing past what an R promises: moderate sex and nudity, and strong violence.

Scare
Not scary
Jump scares
A couple
One or two sudden jolts.
Gore
Light gore
Some blood or injury, briefly.
Violence
Strong violence
Violence is frequent or intense.
Sex and nudity
Moderate
Moderate means a sex scene or nudity on screen, even brief, or sexual violence that is described or implied but never shown.
Language
Strong
Frequent strong profanity or slurs.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is The Jackal scary?
No. The Jackal is not a scary watch.
How gory is The Jackal?
Light gore and strong violence.
What is The Jackal rated, and is it OK for kids?
Moderate sex and nudity, strong violence, and frequent strong language. The R is earned, so not for kids.

What is The Jackal about?

Hired by a powerful member of the Russian mafia to avenge an FBI sting that left his brother dead, a psychopathic hitman known only as The Jackal proves an elusive target for the people charged with the task of bringing him down: a deputy FBI director, a Russian MVK Major, and a jailed IRA terrorist who can recognize him.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

There is a twist, and that is all we are saying.

Cast and crew

Directed byMichael Caton-Jones
StarringBruce Willis, Richard Gere, Sidney Poitier, Diane Venora, J.K. Simmons, Mathilda May

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Uses the TMDB API; not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Intensity, content, tone and pace tags are CouchRot's own.