Enemy of the State (1998)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jeff "

  
  As far as action are concerned, Enemy of the State is pure mindless popcorn flick from start to finish. The film has flaws, but it makes up for it with exciting action. I thought this film fun from start to finish, and with every other Tony Scott flick, he delivered a good action… More
  As far as action are concerned, Enemy of the State is pure mindless popcorn flick from start to finish. The film has flaws, but it makes up for it with exciting action. I thought this film fun from start to finish, and with every other Tony Scott flick, he delivered a good action film. The cast do a fine job, and despite the fact that Enemy of the state relies on the traditional innocent man involved in political corruption explored in so many other films, this is still a must see film for action film buffs. The film is pure popcorn fare. What do you expect from a Tony Scott film? Will Smith is good as the lead and really delivers something memorable here. Tony Scott as usual delivers the thrills that you'd expect, and he does it well. Although this is far from perfect, Enemy of the State is a good action film for what it is. I was very much entertained, even though the film follows the usual formula of so many other films of this genre. The plot doesn't do anything new or original, thus it's kind of predictable. Despite this, Enemy of the State is still worth watching for a mindless, fun Friday evening. The cast make this film watchable and despite its flaws, this is purely a fun film that has awesome action. A very well done action film, not perfect, but good nonetheless. If you're looking for a good action film that is pure mindless fun, Enemy of the State is the film that you should watch. The cast are good, and the plot despite it's nothing original, it delivers on excitement, face paced action; and it does it well.

• Nicki M

  
  Not my idea of an enthralling movie, but okay for it's genre, I guess. I was too bored to tell for certain.

• Jens S

  
  High adrenaline paranoia thriller making great use of the technological potential of the big brother state. While it slowly sets up Will Smith as the innocent man stumbling into this conspiracy, things speed up once his life is taken from him on a technological level. Music, camera… More
  High adrenaline paranoia thriller making great use of the technological potential of the big brother state. While it slowly sets up Will Smith as the innocent man stumbling into this conspiracy, things speed up once his life is taken from him on a technological level. Music, camera work and editing all add up to a really exciting thriller that doesn't take many breaks for catching your breath. The showdown even brings a quantum Tarantino into the mix. The result is satisfying, fast, sometimes spectacular and surprisingly smart.

• Candy R

  
  Will and Gene are excellent in this movie. Will's character's life is turned upside down when he is left with a video tape of a congressman's assassination. He doesn't know that he has the tape and is pursued by National Security Agents who use satellites to track… More
  Will and Gene are excellent in this movie. Will's character's life is turned upside down when he is left with a video tape of a congressman's assassination. He doesn't know that he has the tape and is pursued by National Security Agents who use satellites to track him. Everyone around him is in danger. Great cast and plot.

• Dead A

  
  This was awe-freaking-some I tell you. I love Will Smith's movie. They are always entertaining. Even though this was a serious kind but I enjoyed every moment of it.

• Chris W

  
  Mostly solid (but not perfect) paranoid thriller from Tony Scott. Even though it's got some issues, this is one of his better movies (of the ones of his I've seen). WIll Smith does a pretty good job as the evertman caught up in extraordinary circumstance that turn his world… More
  Mostly solid (but not perfect) paranoid thriller from Tony Scott. Even though it's got some issues, this is one of his better movies (of the ones of his I've seen). WIll Smith does a pretty good job as the evertman caught up in extraordinary circumstance that turn his world upside down. I wish I could make comparisons of Gene Hackman's role here to the one he played in The Conversation, but I can't since I haven't seen it yet. From what I've read though, theu seem to be kinda similar sorta. Voigt is pretty good, as are some of the other fairly big players. I liked that this had soe good action scenes, but that it wasn't a total mindless ride like I thought it was gonna be. It's actaully a little brainy, and shows that Scott can be a little like his bro Ridley from time to time. It's been a while since I last saw this, but I recall the camera work and locaton shooting being good. I also rememebr being quite entertained, not getting bored, and having everything be mostly logical and pan out. Good stuff, even if it's not entirely original.

• Conner R

  
  At heart, it's an incredibly fun and light action movie that all kinds of people can enjoy. While it might not be as edgy as it claims, it's still pretty alarming to see the NSA at work (especially when they employ psychos like Jake Busey). The acting is very decent,… More
  At heart, it's an incredibly fun and light action movie that all kinds of people can enjoy. While it might not be as edgy as it claims, it's still pretty alarming to see the NSA at work (especially when they employ psychos like Jake Busey). The acting is very decent, it's probably the best early Will Smith performance. Gene Hackman is really the one that makes the movie for me, it's almost as if his character from The Conversation kept getting more and more paranoid. Tony Scott created a movie that is both suspenseful and exciting to watch.

• Dean M

  
  Will Smith and Gene Hackman are a great team in this high-powered suspense thriller where nonstop action meets cutting-edge technology.

• Anthony L

  
  A inferior version of The Conversation in many ways, Gene Hackman even lowers himself to star in it.

• Jason O

  
  Will Smith and Gene Hackman are brilliant in this movie! Will Smith proves that he can be just as good of an actor when it comes to action movies as he can in comedy movies. Mr. Dean (Will Smith) doesn't know it at first, but he has became the prime target for a politician and… More
  Will Smith and Gene Hackman are brilliant in this movie! Will Smith proves that he can be just as good of an actor when it comes to action movies as he can in comedy movies. Mr. Dean (Will Smith) doesn't know it at first, but he has became the prime target for a politician and his group of thugs when he accidentally obtains major evidence of a politically motivated crime. Soon, his life is gonna do more than fall apart. The only way he can possibly even have half a chance to get his life back is with the help of an expert named Brill (Gene Hackman). "Enemy of the State" is one of the best all around movies I've ever seen. It has some of the most intense suspense ever seen in a movie. It is thought provoking and it's jammed full of non-stop action and suspense. I recommend anybody who likes action or suspense movies to pick up a copy of "Enemy of the State" right now. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. This and Independence Day made Will Smith one of my favorite movie actors of all time.

• Mike S

  
  Smart, exciting and fast-paced thriller, starring an impressive ensemble of top-notch actors. Here we have Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jack Black, Jon Voight, Barry Pepper, Jason Lee, Seth Green and lots of other familiar faces, all in the same movie. On top of that, it's got an… More
  Smart, exciting and fast-paced thriller, starring an impressive ensemble of top-notch actors. Here we have Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jack Black, Jon Voight, Barry Pepper, Jason Lee, Seth Green and lots of other familiar faces, all in the same movie. On top of that, it's got an incredibly tight and thought-provoking story, that will keep you at the edge of your seat until the very end. In fact, coming to think of it, this is one of the best Will Smith movies I've ever seen, along with <i>Men in Black</i> and <i>Independence Day</i>. At the same time, it kind of makes me wonder though what ever happened to Gene Hackman. He used to be in a lot of films of this kind before suddenly disappearing off the face of the earth. Anyway, if you're in the mood for something that thoroughly entertains while also nurturing the intellect, then this is one film I can highly recommend.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"It's not paranoia if they're really after you."</i> Robert Clayton Dean, played by Will Smith, is a devoted father, husband, and attorney shopping for a sexy gift for his wife. What he doesn't know is that he was given a videotape from a… More
  <i>"It's not paranoia if they're really after you."</i> Robert Clayton Dean, played by Will Smith, is a devoted father, husband, and attorney shopping for a sexy gift for his wife. What he doesn't know is that he was given a videotape from a friend (Jason Lee) regarding the recent murder of a U.S. senator led by corrupt National Security Agency official Thomas Reynolds (Jon Voight). Now Reynolds is after Dean to cover his tracks or, as the audience soon finds out, frame Dean for Rachel's murder. Since Dean isn't up on his high-tech gadgetry, he needs the aid of ex-intelligence operative Brill (Gene Hackman). Between the explosions and chases is the subtext of George Orwell's 1984 mantra "beware of big brother," as Dean realizes that in the modern world, there is no such thing as total privacy. <b><u>Review</u></b> The paranoid citizen genre (is it really a genre?) is not dead after all. Just different. Movies in the category usually involve many more psychological thrills and intrigue. Enemy of the State delivers in a 90's sort of way... non stop action. After the first 10 minutes you better hope you don't have to get up to go to the bathroom, because this film doesn't stop until the credits roll. Will Smith is good as lawyer turned enemy of the state, Robert Clayton Dean, and Gene Hackman as Brill, an ex-NSA agent and current paranoid citizen #1, gives a solid performance as always. Jon Voight plays a great dirty politician (is there another type these days?). Well thought and put together into a tightly woven story that leaves sparse little time to develop characters, or even add dialog. You get your money's worth, but don't expect to think too much. That is all taken care of by the film makers. This is as much a commentary on the audiences today and their willingness to be "wowed" by a fast pace and special effects as it is a view of the production companies willingness to go with what is proven to make money and not to take too many chances. Don't get me wrong though. This was a good movie and I enjoyed it.

• Ross C

  
  An action thriller with a message - you can't trust a state that imposes surveillance upon its citizens under the guise of national security. Three-years before America's Patriot Act, and full of geeky techno-sophistication this film is quite prophetic seen ten years later.… More
  An action thriller with a message - you can't trust a state that imposes surveillance upon its citizens under the guise of national security. Three-years before America's Patriot Act, and full of geeky techno-sophistication this film is quite prophetic seen ten years later. Will Smith isn't bad in what must have been an early serious role for him.

• Aaron N

  
  Brill: Do they know me? Robert Clayton Dean: Who's them? Brill: Do they know me? Robert Clayton Dean: I don't know what you're talking about. Brill: Either you are very smart or... incredibly stupid. A techno action thriller from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and… More
  Brill: Do they know me? Robert Clayton Dean: Who's them? Brill: Do they know me? Robert Clayton Dean: I don't know what you're talking about. Brill: Either you are very smart or... incredibly stupid. A techno action thriller from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Tony Scott, who uses his visual flair to brighten things even more. It's also smarter than the usual Bruckheimer action film which is nice, and it still has the entertaining fun factor, as well as mixed cast to keep things lively. Will Smith plays a different character from his usual save the world persona, but still has enough charisma to spare, despite his character being pushed to his limits. The story involves a lawyer, Robert Dean played by Smith, being passed a recording of a politician's murder by another, without Robert's knowledge. Despite not knowing what he has, Robert has now been targeted by the NSA as a threat, and they try to do everything they can to ruin his life and find out what he knows. Gene Hackman eventually shows up as an older version of his character from The Conversation basically, working as a sort of underground hacker and surveillance expert, and the movie sort of has fun with how that life could have played out. The rest of this movie is packed with character actors, including Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Loren Dean, Barry Pepper, Jake Busey, Gabriel Byrne, Jack Black, Jaime Kennedy, Seth Green, Jason Lee, Regina King, Lisa Bonet, Philip Baker Hall, and Jason Robards. The direction, editing, and cinematography is all top notch, working with the satellite surveillance theme. We get all kinds of crazy shots that would fuel the kind of privacy paranoia that many people worry about. As an action film, it works in a good enough manner. Opting for mostly chase scenarios, opposed to gun fights, it certainly works in leaving its hero character as an every man. Speaking of which, Smith really does a good job at keeping his character human. He plays a lawyer, with a wife and son who has had his own past marital problems involving another women as well as dealing with issues involving his job. Overall, the movie does a good job at being both a big studio picture and a clever thriller. Robert Dean: What the hell is happening? Brill: I blew up the building. Robert Dean: Why? Brill: Because you made a phone call.

• Al S

  
  A full-throttle and adreniline-pumping edge of your seat thriller. An unstoppable ride of suspense and surprises and explosive action. Wickedly cool, nerve-wreckingly tense and ingenious. It has a terifying feel to it. Riveting, sizzeling and exhilerating. your pulse will pound every… More
  A full-throttle and adreniline-pumping edge of your seat thriller. An unstoppable ride of suspense and surprises and explosive action. Wickedly cool, nerve-wreckingly tense and ingenious. It has a terifying feel to it. Riveting, sizzeling and exhilerating. your pulse will pound every step of the way to it's explosive end. A brilliant all-star cast. Will Smith and Gene Hackman are pure dynamite.

• Mark H

  
  Well paced, underrated thriller.

• Lenny M

  
  Will Smith (World) vs. Corrupt Govt.

• Alexander W

  
  Really liked this film. The acting was great, its a nice story which moves about and keeps you entertained. A light and entertaining movie.

• Tim S

  
  Will Smith is a charming mother fucker.

• danny d

  
  really good action flick, smart and well done

Read all 20 featured audience ratings