His is a fascinating and interssant film about the terrorist who went under the nickname The Jackal. The film is based on the years has been active as a terrorist, with all the cruelty committed by him and his network. The movie therefore takes the 20 years he was a feared man in the West. The film has good depictions, and portrays the violence and terror they performed. Unlike, for example, Steven Spielberg's film Munich, this film does not aim to come under the skin of The Jackal. What was his inner motivation to accomplish these terrible actions? We do not get any answer as to why he took these choices and the underlying causes of a terroist life. But yet the movie is good as it gives an insight into a world we do not know on the inside. The brutality of the film gives insight into what blind fanatism does, and how individuals do not make any sense in reaching their political goals.

In 1973, Venezuelan Marxist Ilich Ramirez 'Carlos' Sanchez is in Europe as a high operative for the PFLP. He assassinates targets. When his superior André is arrested, PFLP head Wadie Haddad assigns him to take OPEC oil ministers at their Vienna conference hostage. In December 21, 1975, his group succeeds in taking hostages but their attempt to find asylum ends in failure. He goes to work for himself causing havoc around the world.Olivier Assayas tries to fit a very big life into a limited space. Édgar Ramírez is great. This is a juicy part. I saw the shorter version and it has a compressed feel. Three hours is not enough to get the whole story. This needs to be a longer TV show or a shorter movie of the OPEC hostage taking. This has the great feel of the era. The hostage taking and the subsequent turmoil is fascinating and would make for a tight historical thriller.

This film is one of the few that inspired me to write a review. The film excelled for several reasons, the first for providing me with a quality educational experience and second for the quality of the film making that had goodies within goodies to offer.Carlos the Jackal was active during my youth, I grew up reading about him in the newspaper but this film put all of the knowledge together in one place and really made that knowledge relevant and understandable.The film itself was well made, the actors, the director, the crew, and the writer did a great job but the challenge the film makers had was to maintain quality while telling the dismal story that had become Carlos' life.Carlos the Jackal started his career as SPECTRE's James Bond. He was handsome, a lady killer, moneyed and fast with a gun but as life wore on, each new mission or event added a new dent that took him down a notch. The film documented the range of gradual failings and although there is a temptation to make humor from this absurdity, the style of the film is always serious. The film makers had a big job to show this quantity and quality of failure. You can literally make a check mark for each new insult every ten minutes.This film is about demise and the cluelessness of those involved.

Much will be said about this tour de force. A compilation of unbelievable acts of heroic madness. A caption at the beginning of he film warn us that "it should be treated as a work of fiction" Well, thank you very much. What makes this extraordinary achievement, truly extraordinary is Edgar Ramirez. A monumental performance that allows us to make sense of the man. Revolution is in his DNA but so fragile. His ego makes him corruptible and his nature swings between the extremes of an idealist and a sociopath. I was riveted and appalled. I had DVR all three episodes to watch at my leisure but once I started I couldn't stop watching. So I saw the whole thing in one sitting and it went fast very fast. That in itself is extraordinary. So, not to be missed.