The Day of the Jackal - Same Story, Told Better

What makes The Day of the Jackal one of the most compelling shows in recent years? This video dives deep into how the series redefines the hitman genre with its layered storytelling, breathtaking craftsmanship, and Eddie Redmayne’s mesmerizing portrayal of the Jackal.

From the opening scene’s meticulous attention to detail to the restrained yet impactful use of action, The Day of the Jackal doesn’t just retell a familiar story — it perfects it. In this video essay, we explore:

The complexity of Eddie Redmayne’s anti-hero and why we root for him.
How the show uses suspense and tension to make every action sequence unforgettable.
The personal sacrifices the Jackal makes for perfection and how they shape his character.
If you’re a fan of stories like John Wick or The Bourne Identity, but crave a more thoughtful and emotionally gripping approach, The Day of the Jackal delivers on every level. Let’s uncover why this isn’t just another hitman story — it’s a modern masterpiece.

💬 Question of the Day: What’s your favourite hitman story, and how does The Day of the Jackal compare? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

🔗 Don’t forget to subscribe for more deep dives into your favorite shows and movies.

📌 Tags:
#TheDayOfTheJackal #VideoEssay #HitmanStories #EddieRedmayne #TVAnalysis #Suspense #AntiHero

[JollyJoe]

The friend of mine told me in passing about this show, never heard of the previous versions or book, and it turned out to be the best series I've seen in the last 5 years

[annjay]

Eddie Redmayne is such a chameleon, both as an actor and in this role. Love how this hitman isnt just another hypermasculine, super straight piece of hot meat, but an actual human being. Very refreshing.

[JoshuaR]

Finally somebody who actually is talking about how great this adaptation is instead of just screaming “ITS GOT A BLACK WOMAN AND GAY KISSING! WOKE WOKE WOKE!” Like that’s literally all I’ve been able to find on YouTube about this show. Thank you

[LCLoyal]

Just watched the entire 10 episodes over two days. Fantastically filmed and acted. He commits horrific violence but the story is told as a parallel of the immorality and obsessiveness and expertise and precision between the Jackal and the MI6 agent. The Jackal tries to have a personal life but it’s a fake relationship because it’s premised on a massive lie.
The MI6 agent tries to have a family life but she’s distracted by to the point of destructive neglect. Her actions cause much harm but her expertise and correct hunches are fascinating!
Watching Eddie Redmayne and wondering what he was going to do next was endlessly fascinating. You want him to succeed (those shots he takes are dazzling) but his success is death. The car chase in Croatia. Using the handbrake to take curves. Delicious.

[Umenthemblaster]

*SPOILER ALERT*... What he did to his unit as he began his career was peak character dev.

[vuduong]

I HATE Bianca so so much because of how reckless she is with her assets, getting her PI's killed, put an innocent veteran under unnecessary stress to get what she wanted. It's almost like the show wants me to root for The Jackal. Then, The Jackal does the same thing, killing an innocent janitor in the beginning of the show to infiltrate the highly secured building for his mission. He killed Rasmus after using him to infiltrate the theatre, and killed the old couple to protect his identity, any many more innocent killed for his own goals. Both Jackal and Bianca are ruthless villains, horrible people. They're the exact same person, just working for different people. The show is really good at making me question where my morality stands. With a twisted sense of justice? Or for a selfish agenda?

[joshuadaluz]

i just like how they reshuffled "Charles DeGaulle" into "Ulle Dag Charles" 😂

[dool]

The professional obsessed with their craft reminds me of Michael Mann's films (Collateral, Heat, Thief, etc)

[baileytate]

I enjoyed both adaptations equally. One is a movie from decades ago that really made some brave and interesting choices that really worked out. The other takes advantage of the streaming TV season format to really flesh out all the characters, especially the Jackal.

And maybe it's just me, but even though he's a clear villain, I don't care lol. I still want him to succeed. He's in a world of villains, so rooting for him is fine with me. Plus, it's fictional. I'd never root for an assassin in real life but I can here.

[TheDailyBugle]

We root for the Jackal because the protagonist is so unlikeable.

[MalaysianChopsticks]

The iconic one-to-one sniper scene is just *french kiss*

[hoverpilder]

Absolute Masterclass in Storytelling. 100%

[muthinjama]

A truly underrated show. I was pleasantly surprised and entertained.
Great video; eloquent and comprehensive. Just subbed. keep em coming!

[michaelsherwood]

I hadnt heard of this show until i just came upon your video. it's fantastic! Thank you for putting me on!

[galihjati]

I hope there's some version that edited out Bianca's personal live, and the non story progressing one, that would be perfect oh and gay kissing, we can assume is a Role The Jackal able to go as far of, and that makes him Lethal

[behrouzbeheshti]

Not sure if he used IED on his team to just have an alibi to pursue his work as a hitman. He was obviously unhappy about the massacre created by the team.

[RYk]

I think the really stunning this was that the audience is kinda sympathetic towards him and only at the very end, in the final scene, you understand what an absolute sociopath this dude really is^^

Fantastic series.

[SeriousMcnegative]

I was looking for info on this series because I love media featuring assassins, and what I discovered is a brilliant video. Seriously I was blown away by the script, pacing, intelligence and insight this video offered. I wish every video on this platform had such quality delivery and execution, supplimented by clear and keen insight. Splendid video, absolutely subscribed! Thank you very much!

[sonnysantana]

it can't be retold any better because the 1'st movie was very close to the real history of the times , and its tradecraft was kept simple and real

[shawngrinter]

It’s superb, the only problem I have is that I find it difficult to think of Redmane as a sociopath, but manage it I do.