Enemy of the State

Name: Enemy of the State
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Released: November 16, 1998
Duration: 132 min
Rating: 67
Cast: Gene Hackman, Will Smith

1998

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Critics

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 154 Ratings

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8.6

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8.6	Your Score
8.6	User Score Universal acclaim based on 154 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: November 16, 1998

Starring: Gene Hackman, Will Smith

Summary: A successful lawyer finds himself the target of a treacherous NSA official and his goons after receiving evidence about a politically motivated murder.

Director: Tony Scott

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 132 min

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Awards & Rankings

46	#46 Best Movie of 1998
35	#35 Most Discussed Movie of 1998
39	#39 Most Shared Movie of 1998

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

USA Today - Mike Clark

The picture is solidly crafted, performed to the hilt and full of humor. Read full review

Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan

A solid and satisfying commercial venture with more than enough pizazz to overcome occasional lapses in moment-to-moment plausibility. Read full review

Rolling Stone - Peter Travers

Bruckheimer and director Tony Scott have wisely set their course by Will Smith, who is sensational in a dramatic role that leans on him to carry a movie without the help of aliens or Big Willie-style jokes for every occasion. Read full review

L.A. Weekly - Manohla Dargis

This paranoid thriller has all the failings we expect...but Enemy of the State also has enough wit, talent and narrative thrust to mostly transcend those flaws, at least until that ludicrous finish. Read full review

Village Voice - Dennis Lim

Enemy of the State isn't really a smart film, but it makes a concerted stab at pretending to be one. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine - Maitland McDonagh

Tony Scott's thriller is flashy, but it's not dead stupid and it's never dull. Read full review

Christian Science Monitor - David Sterritt

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. Read full review

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User Reviews

G-RadA.

Sep 6, 2007

Truly a Jerry Bruckheimer masterpiece.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

Mcgillacuddy

Jun 16, 2014

Runaway films have been mesmerizing movie goers for years, but this film right here is the king of all runaway films. This is, by far, Tony Scott's best film. It is an action thriller that grabs and holds your gut from beginning to end and never lets go.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

JTrapman

Nov 14, 2014

If there is one of Tony Scott's films I would 10 star, this is it. Of course his repertoire is stellar. Enemy of the State is perhaps one of the most divulging films of the secretive spying State to have hit our consciousness. Yet 16 years later we seem as a whole to care less about theirIf there is one of Tony Scott's films I would 10 star, this is it. Of course his repertoire is stellar. Enemy of the State is perhaps one of the most divulging films of the secretive spying State to have hit our consciousness. Yet 16 years later we seem as a whole to care less about their intrusion into our lives as we did then in our ignorance.
Of course Snowden revealed so much of what Scott divulges in this mega paced, brilliant masterpiece. It is thus easy to understand his so called suicide during the making of another expose film might just have been taken from this film's storyline.
Today we are beset with even greater evils as they crawl out from under the shadows, however I recommend this film to everyone as it never loses its shine no matter how many times one watches it. To students of the game, it is essential viewing.
God rest your beautiful soul Tony and may your delivery of truths behind the veil at least help waken up generations to their self made prisons and release the desire left to us at the end of this film. We need it more than ever...… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Andys_Reviews

Aug 26, 2012

Quite an enthralling and captivating film. It does take a bit of time to get going but once it does it keeps the pace pretty well until the end. If I have one criticism, it

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Spangle

Jan 9, 2015

Enemy of the State is a very slick political spy thriller directed by Tony Scott, the late director who certainly could be called a master of thrills. He does a great job here creating an entertaining and well made thriller that certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat for the most partEnemy of the State is a very slick political spy thriller directed by Tony Scott, the late director who certainly could be called a master of thrills. He does a great job here creating an entertaining and well made thriller that certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat for the most part as every twist and turn really grabs you. For the first three quarters of this one, it certainly does not break much new ground, but is very entertaining and contains great performances from Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, and Barry Pepper. It does a great job creating thrills without having to resort to guns for the most part, which is always a breath of fresh air for me. However, towards the end, it all goes off course and it really puts a damper on the movie for me. One scene in particular kind of hits the breaks and felt very, very Hollywood. Throughout all of the preceding elements, this one felt very realistic, which is what really contributed a lot to the thrills provided, but the ending, again, kind of kills that a bit for me. However, this one is still very timely all the way to 2015, even though it was released in 1998 and really delivers on every front you can ask from a film of this type.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

heeldavid

Jul 24, 2014

The late Tony Scott's Enemy Of The State reminds me a lot about of 70s movies like The
Conversation. Smith and Hackman are great for eachother as the leads.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JaredC.

Aug 14, 2007

The violence is top notch, the language and dialogue is perfect, the story is great, but the engagement is nothing, I had a blank brain of interest for this film.

0 of 4 users found this helpful

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