A highly enjoyable hi-tech thriller.
Enemy of the State (1998)
Tomatometer
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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
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Reviews for Enemy of the State
[Its] spirited action is balanced by an almost contemplative attitude toward surveillance phobias and the movie cliches they've spawned.
If you want to believe in the dark side of government, we are already past the predictions of Enemy of the State.
...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.
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.
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.
Who'd have thought I'd miss the subtle touch of the late Don Simpson?
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.
Since Scott could not make this film snap, crackle or pop faster or more loudly, you might find the evening a bit light.
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.
It satisfies needs of those who crave for quality entertainment as much as the needs of those who like some food for thought.
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.
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.
Smith has vaulted himself into worlwide fame and success in less than 10 years and is showing no signs of stopping.
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