You’ve got to hand it to director Tony Scott and producer Jerry Bruckheimer: They know how to please a crowd.
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
It's thrilling, and it explore an interesting issue, namely the line between so-called national security and invasion of privacy.
the latest flashy, sterile package to come off producer Jerry Bruckheimer's assembly line
Between the film's star power and stylistic sizzle, odds are that audiences will have neither the time nor the inclination to focus on plot and credibility holes.
From there, with the mystery entirely gone and the thrills fading fast, the rest is pretty much a two-hour chase sequence, culminating in a hilariously maladroit shoot-out.
This political thriller unspools with a quick pace and a mix of clever action sequences.
What do you say about a movie that sends you home in a frenzy to search for bugs? In the new age of Big Brother, that's entertainment.
This movie plays like a 90's updating of Coppola's 1974 classic that dealt with surveillance, the erosion of privacy, and the escalating paranoia that you can never completely be alone because someone could always be listening.
Practically an elder statesman compared to the technobrats Bruckheimer usually employs, Scott also pays attention to the acting and it pays off.
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.
A truly substantial looker for the holidays, it's that rare Bruckheimer project in which style is matched by content.
Points gained for action and suspense, points lost for unoriginal premise and tired cliches.
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.
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