In the early 1960s, a French paramilitary organization called the OAS is determined to assassinate President Charles de Gaulle, blaming him for granting Algeria independence. After a failed attempt, they hire a professional hitman known only by his codename, "The Jackal." Operating with meticulous precision, The Jackal plans the assassination down to the smallest detail, preparing false identities, procuring untraceable weapons, and devising various contingency plans. As he moves through Europe to carry out his assignment, he remains invisible and nearly undetectable, showcasing his expertise as an elusive assassin.

Meanwhile, the French authorities receive a tip about the plot and begin their frantic search to uncover the identity of this mysterious assassin. A highly skilled detective named Claude Lebel is assigned to lead the investigation. Lebel and his team tirelessly gather intelligence, dealing with bureaucratic obstacles and misleads from unreliable sources. The tension escalates as Lebel inches closer to identifying and locating The Jackal while the assassin keeps progressing with his mission. The film builds suspense by contrasting The Jackal's cold and calculated approach with the increasingly desperate measures employed by the French police to prevent the assassination attempt on President de Gaulle.