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Amazon Prime thriller Kill Jackie may have disappointed critics, but it has made a splash with viewers.
In the Catherine Zeta-Jones-helmed drama, the Hollywood star plays Jackie Price, an ex-cocaine dealer who has been enjoying a quiet but luxurious life for the past two decades.
That all changes when an elite assassin squad, The Seven Demons, are enlisted to kill her.
As the synopsis explains: ‘Jackie embarks on a wild ride across Europe to hunt them down before they find her, but soon realises her own demons are much more terrifying…’
It’s an utterly bonkers premise filled with thrills, kills and, probably, some spills.
With all eight episodes ready to devour, it has already shot up the Amazon Prime charts where it is sat at a respectable number four, and no doubt on the up. But it is already proving divisive with the audience and critics watching two very different shows.
What are fans saying?
Fans have already bestowed a solid 85% on Rotten Tomatoes to the new series.
Fabin L wrote: ‘I confess that Kill Jackie completely blew my mind; it’s one of those shows you start watching out of sheer curiosity and before you know it, it’s three in the morning and you’re still glued to the screen.’
They called the Oscar-winning star ‘a blast’ and the whole experience a ‘crazy and addictive ride’.
For those looking for a zesty watch, Rob C was drawn in by its ‘campy sense of humour’. Meanwhile, Michael A called Zeta-Jones’ portrayal ‘witty, sexy and funny’. Chris M even compared it to Killing Eve.
‘Catherine Zeta-Jones delivers a captivating, entertaining performance. I really enjoyed it,’ Jackie B declared.
‘Catherine is effortlessly hilarious and I kept coming back for more. There’s an element of camp to the series and that’s what makes it brilliant,’ Simon G echoed.
In the role, the 57-year-old star fully embraced her Swansea accent and told the BBC she based the character on ‘people she knows in Wales’.
‘I played on people I know in Wales, people who are comedic and the accent makes it funny and real and true, but the character comes from a tough side of Swansea, which we do have as well,’ she said.
Will you be watching Kill Jackie?
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Not to mention, it was the first time in her career she had filmed in her hometown, which she shared was an emotional experience.
‘It’s a very poignant, very touching episode in Swansea, my hometown. That was just emotional and wonderful, and I really enjoyed it,’ she shared with People.
What are critics saying?
Despite winning over audiences, critics were less impressed, settling on a paltry 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Although Zeta-Jones’ acting chops remain a highlight throughout.
‘A shallow cartoon comic of a series, it nevertheless features an engaging Catherine Zeta-Jones and some supporting cast hijinks,’ Decider wrote.
The Hollywood Reporter brutally declared: ‘Shallowly conceived and haphazardly constructed, Kill Jackie is a thriller fatally short on thrills.’
The Guardian dubbed it ‘preposterous nonsense’ in a tough two-star review while Radio Times declared it a ‘jumbled collection of other, better shows’.
Given the sharp divide in consensus, it’s one you’ll have to give a go yourself to see which side of the fence you’ll land. Has the Wednesday star struck gold again, or is this a forgettable thriller in a sea of content…
Kill Jackie is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video now.