A highly enjoyable hi-tech thriller.
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
Reviews for Enemy of the State
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.
A truly substantial looker for the holidays, it's that rare Bruckheimer project in which style is matched by content.
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.
All in all, not a bad way to kill a couple of hours, but we expected more from the artist fromerly known as the Fresh Prince.
Enemy of the State tries very hard to make us leave the theatre as government-fearing as its jittery protagonist becomes, but it succeeds in only entertaining us, which is obviously its foremost purpose.
Either way, after seeing it, you'll be more conscious of the technology surrounding you.
It's enough to restore my confidence in Hollywood's ability to put out a pretty good movie and a popcorn-muncher at the same time.
It satisfies needs of those who crave for quality entertainment as much as the needs of those who like some food for thought.
Handsome, charismatic and funny, Smith gives the film a likability it would otherwise lack.
If you're getting sick of listening to peek-a-boo testimony and hearing government snoops justify themselves, Enemy of the State is good for what ails you.
This political thriller unspools with a quick pace and a mix of clever action sequences.
It's a popcorn thriller with a wonderful performance by the warm-and-fuzzy Will Smith who proves that you don't need big muscles, a large piece, or even military training to be an uncommon hero.
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