Enemy Of The State Review

Overall Rating

Suspenseful, well-written and extremely well-directed. Will Smith and Gene Hackman show some brilliant acting skills and prove why they are Hollywood A-List actors.

I can't really think of any - I never tire of watching this DVD!

This Jerry Bruckheimer movie is one that surprised me. Usually relegated to the midweek, late night slot on BBC1, this is one which I'd heard of, but didn't really think much about. Until I was bought the DVD, that is. After watching it, I thought it odd that such a good movie didn't get that many movie-goers to see it.
The movie is based on the story of a senior NSA officer (John Voight) killing a Senator who is opposing a law giving the NSA the right to monitor anybody they choose. The murder is accidentally filmed by a nature photographer.
This photographer is killed by the NSA, but not before he hands over the evidence to a lawyer, Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith, showing he can act quite well in a non-comedy role). Dean has no idea of this, and finds himself hunted by the NSA, who frame him for the murder of a friend, so that, if he goes public with the evidence, nobody will believe him.

While the end is a little predictable, Enemy Of The State is a surprisingly good movie. Director Tony Scott (brother of Ridley Scott and co-owner of production company "Scott-Free") wisely chooses to limit Will Smith's one-liners and focuses on his quite good acting skills. In fact, this movie proves that Smith could have a future outside comedy roles. Trevor Rabin and Harry Gregson-Williams have produced a soundtrack that they should be very proud of. Gene Hackman, as always, is excellent as Brill, the former NSA agent who reluctantly helps Dean. John Voight is quite good, many of his fans citing it as one of his better roles.
The screenplay is very slick too. Former NSA employees helped the production team, and a number of the gadgets used are purportedly the kind the NSA use, and the fact that the majority of the NSA characters in this movie are in their mid twenties is also, we are told, a true reflection of the world's largest intelligence gathering organisation.
The final shoot-out, in a restaurant, is well directed by Tony Scott. It's quick, violent and must have been time-consuming to co-ordinate and film. The whole of Scott's directing is first-rate.
The DVD contains a number of obligatory extras, like deleted scenes, the trailer shown in cinemas, a documentary on the production of the movie and of the final showdown. All obligatory, but some people may find them interesting.
It also seems apt that this movie has surveillance of suspects as a main theme, given today's climate. It's also surprising that this movie dates back to the late 1990's, when it wasn't as big an issue as it is today.
My advice is that criticisms in TV listing magazines should be ignored. This movie is a brilliant one and I fully recommend it.

Members' Comments onTom H's Review

• Anonymous101 on 19th Feb 2007

  This film was a lot better than what I expected, Gene Hackman is a legend.

• daneee69 on 20th Feb 2007

  I fully agree! Enemy Of The State was on the TV only a couple of weeks back. I didn't realise it was on, and I had a pleasant surprise when I stumbled upon it!