The Jackal (1997 Film) - Plot

Plot

A joint mission of the American FBI and the Russian MVD leads to the death of the younger brother of an Azerbaijani mobster (David Hayman). In retaliation, the mobster hires an enigmatic assassin known only by the pseudonym "The Jackal" (Willis) to kill an unseen target. Meanwhile, the MVD capture one of the mobster's henchmen. During interrogation by torture, the henchman reveals the name "Jackal." This coupled with the documents recovered from the henchman's briefcase lead the FBI and MVD to assume the target for the retaliatory hit is FBI Director Donald Brown (John Cunningham).

As the Jackal begins his preparations for the assassination — utilising a series of disguises and stolen IDs in the process — the FBI learns of one person who can identify him. FBI Deputy Director Carter Preston (Sidney Poitier) and Russian Police Major Valentina Koslova (Diane Venora) turn to a former Irish Republican Army sniper named Declan Mulqueen (Gere), who had a relationship with a Basque terrorist named Isabella Zanconia (Mathilda May), who they believe can identify The Jackal. Mulqueen eventually agrees to help in exchange for their best efforts to get him released from prison.

It becomes apparent that Mulqueen has a personal motive for hunting the Jackal: the assassin wounded Zanconia while she was pregnant with Mulqueen's child, causing a miscarriage. Zanconia provides information that can help identify the Jackal, including the fact that he is American and that he had acquired military training in El Salvador. Meanwhile, the Jackal hires gunsmith Ian Lamont (Jack Black) to design and build a mount for the weapon he intends to use for the assassination. Underestimating the danger posed by the Jackal, Lamont demands more money in exchange for keeping quiet; The Jackal responds by brutally murdering Lamont using the very equipment Lamont built. The FBI discovers Lamont's body and, with the help of Mulqueen, deduce that the Jackal intends to utilise a long-range heavy machine gun for the assassination. With the help of a Russian mole in the FBI, the Jackal realizes he is being tracked by Mulqueen with assistance from Zanconia, he infiltrates Zanconia's house after receiving an FBI access code from his insider. Instead of Zanconia, however, he finds Koslova and Agents Witherspoon (J.K. Simmons) and McMurphy (Richard Lineback), promptly killing McMurphy & Witherspoon and mortally wounding Koslova. The Jackal gives Koslova a taunting message regarding Mulqueen — "He can't protect his women" — which she delivers to Mulqueen moments before her death.

As the Jackal makes his final preparations, Mulqueen realizes that his target is not Brown, but the First Lady (Tess Harper), who is due to give a major public speech. Arriving just in time, Mulqueen successfully disables the Jackal's weapon, while Preston saves the First Lady from a volley of gunfire. The Jackal attempts to escape into the subway, eventually having Mulqueen at his mercy; unbeknownst to the Jackal, however, Mulqueen has summoned Zanconia, who along with Mulqueen shoots the assassin dead.

A few days later, Preston and Mulqueen stand as the only witnesses to the Jackal's burial in an unmarked grave. Preston reveals that he is going back to Russia to pursue the mobsters who hired the Jackal. It is revealed that Mulqueen's request to be released was denied, but that he will likely be moved to a minimum security prison. Preston's heroics in saving the First Lady have made him a golden boy in the FBI: he can now "screw everything else up for the rest of his life and still be untouchable," for which he credits Mulqueen. After exchanging a farewell, and knowing his current clout will prevent any real backlash against him, Preston turns his back on Mulqueen, allowing him to go free.