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Movies / On DVD / Enemy of the State
Enemy of the State

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Enemy of the State (1998)

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Reviews Counted:81

Fresh:57

Rotten:24

Average Rating:6.4/10

Consensus: Will Smith gives a charismatic performance in this fast-paced thriller.

Runtime: 2 hrs 12 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: Robert Dean (Will Smith) is a labor lawyer who is unknowingly in possession of evidence related to a serious politically motivated crime. Government agents eager to hide their guilt believe that... Robert Dean (Will Smith) is a labor lawyer who is unknowingly in possession of evidence related to a serious politically motivated crime. Government agents eager to hide their guilt believe that Dean is on to them, and proceed to turn his life upside-down, ruin his reputation, and frame him for various incidents, thanks to the latest in high-tech government surveillance techniques. In an attempt to clear his name and reclaim his life, Dean teams up with the reclusive Brill (Gene Hackman), a former federal employee who has as much high-tech equipment and expertise as the government itself. Hackman's role is an extension of Harry Caul, the character he portrayed in Francis Ford Coppola's brilliant 1974 film, THE CONVERSATION. Smith scores as a man who is desperate to reclaim his identity and prove his innocence. This intense technological thrill-ride from director Tony Scott questions how much access the government should have to the communications of private citizens, and leaves the viewer with the unsettling feeling that Big Brother is definitely watching. Watch for the uncredited appearances of Jason Robards, Seth Green, Tom Sizemore, and Philip Baker Hall. [More]

Starring: Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, Regina King

Starring: Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, Regina King, Lisa Bonet, Loren Dean, Jake Busey, Scott Caan, Jason Lee, Barry Pepper, Jack Black, Jamie Kennedy, Gabriel Byrne, Grant Heslov

Director: Tony Scott

Director: Tony Scott
Screenwriter: David Marconi
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer
Composer: Trevor Rabin, Harry Gregson-Williams

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Enemy of the State

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
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A highly enjoyable hi-tech thriller.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
03/30/09
Richard Luck
Richard Luck
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Add Smith's lippy innocent and a host of subcontracted indie fresh faces, and you have the Bruckheimer formula: loud, lavish, seemingly efficient; over-large, over-long, over-plotted. Safe and sorry.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A truly substantial looker for the holidays, it's that rare Bruckheimer project in which style is matched by content.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/01/00
Andrew Collins
Andrew Collins
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A thriller that didn't thrill me, with heroes I didn't care about, villains I didn't believe and a plot I could not follow.

Full Review Source: UK Critic | comment Comment
01/01/00
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
UK Critic

[Its] spirited action is balanced by an almost contemplative attitude toward surveillance phobias and the movie cliches they've spawned.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
03/30/09
Lisa Alspector
Lisa Alspector
Chicago Reader

Distinctly uneven but generally entertaining...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
07/22/06
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

If you want to believe in the dark side of government, we are already past the predictions of Enemy of the State.

Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | comment Comment
06/08/06
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures

...it's the action, not the acting, that is the key to the movie's success, and that's where it excels with its constant momentum.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
05/14/06
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

It's got some great action moments, just enough energy to jolt you through the exposition deliveries, and a ridiculously colorful cast to keep your eyeballs busy.

Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com | comment Comment
05/14/06
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
DVDTalk.com

Who'd have thought I'd miss the subtle touch of the late Don Simpson?

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Ron Wells
Ron Wells
Film Threat

O roteiro bem construído e a direção enérgica de Scott conferem tensão ao filme, que também faz uma série de bem-vindas alusões a A Conversação.

comment Comment
10/03/05
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena
N/R

Since Scott could not make this film snap, crackle or pop faster or more loudly, you might find the evening a bit light.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
07/21/05
Jeff Millar
Jeff Millar
Houston Chronicle

It's good to see an action thriller have a story that has some real meaning and issues that may open quite a few eyes to the fragility of the rights of the individual in a world where things are moving too fast to control.

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
04/09/05
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
04/02/05
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons

A super thriller with a great cat... er, cast.

Full Review Source: StaciWilson.com | comment Comment
01/28/05
Staci Layne Wilson
Staci Layne Wilson
StaciWilson.com

It satisfies needs of those who crave for quality entertainment as much as the needs of those who like some food for thought.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
10/08/04
Dragan Antulov
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Preposterous.

comment 2 Comments
10/05/03
Josh Gilchrist
Josh Gilchrist
rec.arts.movies.reviews

High production values and Gene Hackman are the only things that stand out in this run-of-the-mill Hollywood paranoia thriller. The unimaginative plot consists mostly of Will Smith being chased around by government agents.

comment Comment
08/11/03
Carlo Cavagna
Carlo Cavagna
AboutFilm.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
05/14/03
Jeanne Aufmuth
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly

The movie has plenty of high-tech power, spinning out action so explosive you'll hardly notice how preposterous the story is or how cardboard-thin the characters are.

Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor | comment 1 Comment
04/01/03
David Sterritt
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Enemy of the State

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