The Jackal

The Jackal (1997)

10 answered questions since 8 Aug '18, 00:00

(8 votes)

Question: After being shot we see Valentina wrapping her arms around her abdomen. When Jackal approaches her she slowly raises her arms and reveals her wound. Why did she do that?

Answer: Agree with the other answer, but would add this was likely also a directorial decision to show the audience how seriously wounded she is, foreshadowing her eventual demise.

raywest

Answer: I believe she knew she was dying and was making a last ditch effort to stop him. It may have been a futile try, but how many dying criminals have done the same thing, getting that last shot at the Hero.

Answer: I believe it's to keep her head elevated, to keep the pain and swelling down.

Cubs Fan

Answer: With her head elevated she can stabilize her breathing.

Question: When Declan was in prison, and the FBI director asked him what his deal with the Jackal was, he replied, "That's between me and him." What was that conflict between the two? Did they really know each other from something in the past? Or was he simply just trying to convince the director that he had seen him when he hadn't, just to get out of prison?

Answer: Declan Mulqueen's former lover, Isabella Zancona, is a former militant member of the ETA, a Basque separatist group. While in Libya, the Jackal wounded Isabella, causing her to miscarry her and Mulqueen's unborn child. Mulqueen wanted revenge.

raywest

Question: Why did the Jackal shoot only one bullet through the sofa?

Answer: The Jackal is a precise killer, as seen when he takes his sweet time lining up his shot on The First Lady near the end of the film. He only needed one shot for Koslova.

Answer: He didn't want to immediately kill Valentina. He wanted her alive long enough to deliver his message to Declan about him being unable to protect his women.

raywest

Question: Through the movie we always see The Jackal interacting with his victims in a detached and efficient manner. But during his interaction with Valentina he's more impassioned and provocative. He even lifts off the mask he used during his assault, so she can see his face. Why did Valentina cause such a reaction in him?

Answer: He wanted her to see the expression on his face, smiling and gloating that he won. Using all her vast resources and knowledge, but she became the hunted.

Answer: I agree with the other answers but would add that the Jackal interacts with Valentina the same way he was shown to treat other women differently from men, acting softer, gentler, and even sexual. He also wants to keep her calm so she understands the message he wants her to convey to Mulqueen.

raywest

I agree, and Valentina seems unable to resist him. She appears equally terrified and smitten by him.

Answer: I think he thought of her as a kindred spirit. Tough, ruthless and fearless. She didn't get those scars sitting behind a desk.

Question: Why didn't Koslova try to fight while the Jackal is talking to her?

Answer: Because she's dying, in shock, losing blood, and in pain.

raywest

Answer: She's in too much pain to fight. He also just helped her to slow her bleeding, after that she seems to weirdly trust him.

Question: Why didn't Koslova look behind the sofa when entering the living room? And why did she shoot like a crazy person?

Answer: Basically she was somewhat sloppy. She was caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events.

raywest

Answer: She was aiming to silence the blaring music. Guess she didn't like the song.

Question: At the very end, Preston tells Declan "Thank you for everything." To which Declan responds "Oh, thank you, Da." The subtitles even say that he says Da and capitalize the D in it. Why exactly did he say "da"? is that an Irish thing? I don't think he was trying to call him Dad right? and Da is Russian for Yes. And where it being the Russian yes kinda makes sense in that contexts... it does't really. So why did he say "Da" after the thank you? (01:58:35)

Quantom X

Answer: He does say Da - it's an Irish way of saying Dad.

The_Iceman

So the English word "Dad" but then the last D swallowed in the Irish accent. I hear him say dad, the last D quiet but not silent.

lionhead

Answer: Actually, I think he does say "Dad", jokingly referring to Preston looking out for him, protecting him like a father.

lionhead

Answer: Are we sure he wasn't talking about a DA as in Deputy Assistant as a forseen promotion? As we know he is a Special Agent in the movie, but after stating he is quite the hero for saving the First Lady's life perhaps a promotion is also coming.

But that's always pronounced as the initials DA.

Answer: To torture her, to make her scream in pain.

Answer: To see how far the bullet penetrated.

raywest

Question: At the prison, when Witherspoon tells Declan "that's our deal", the camera is pointing towards Witherspoon and there seems to be something, or an image, behind him (to the left). What is it? It looks like a cardboard cut out of a person (to me I see a face and bare chest), only it's all grey and almost looks like Lobo from DC Comics. But I don't see anything in the wide shots that it could be. (00:25:55)

Bishop73

Answer: If you look at time 24:21, you can see two murals painted on the walls. Presumably by the prisoners. The one with his arms up striking a muscular pose is what you're seeing. The camera focused on Witherspoon in the shot you're talking about makes that image blurry in the background and gives it the effect of having dreadlocks. But it's just the muscle guy painting.

Quantom X

Continuity mistake: Near the end of the movie, the Jackal tries to kill the first lady in Washington. This is where the hospital opening takes place. When he flees into the subway station, the name it has is indeed of a station in Washington (Capitol Heights), the subway-cars however are from the Montreal subway system (which ride around on rubber tyres). (01:45:10 - 01:47:55)

More mistakes in The Jackal
Video

Terek Murad: Here's what I can do! [Kills a man with an ax to the head.] I loved this man like a brother... He was a dear friend and partner to me. So I took no joy in that! But just think... If I could do this to one I love, what could I do to someone I hate? So the American F.B.I declares war on us? Then war it is. (00:09:20)

Quantom X

More quotes from The Jackal

Trivia: Just a few months before his death at age 91, Fred Zinnermann, who directed the original The Day of the Jackal (1973), on which this movie is based, actually fought Universal Studios to change the name of the film. Saying that the original had stood the test of time and he did not want the remake to bear the same name. (00:01:25)

Quantom X

More trivia for The Jackal

Question: Why didn't Koslova try to fight while the Jackal is talking to her?

Answer: Because she's dying, in shock, losing blood, and in pain.

raywest

Answer: She's in too much pain to fight. He also just helped her to slow her bleeding, after that she seems to weirdly trust him.

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