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 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 179 Ratings

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8.2

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 179 Ratings

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Enemy of the State

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: November 16, 1998 | R

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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Critic Reviews

Mike Clark

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 3 users found this helpful21

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 3 users found this helpful21

FilipeNeto

Sep 12, 2019

This movie is a gigantic manhunt, where a liberal-minded lawyer is inadvertently caught in the middle of a conspiracy involving the murder of a congressman at a time when important secrecy laws were to be voted on. Unknowingly, these lawyer has strong evidences that compromises the killersThis movie is a gigantic manhunt, where a liberal-minded lawyer is inadvertently caught in the middle of a conspiracy involving the murder of a congressman at a time when important secrecy laws were to be voted on. Unknowingly, these lawyer has strong evidences that compromises the killers and they will use every means to neutralize him.

That lawyer is probably the luckiest guy in the world, because he had people with him who had a lot more experience than him and who knew the danger he faced better than himself. In fact, the script is good, but the fact that the central character spends so much time in the dark about what's going on around him is hard to swallow. He spends half movie thinking that he is being targeted by a mob group because of a totally different situation. Also, 90% of the movie is pure cat and mouse game. Will Smith is good enough to appear credible in his character, but he can't compete with the charisma and strength of Gene Hackman, who shakes the movie from the moment he enters. Without him, this movie would not be so good. Jon Voight also did a good job, as a villain. The remaining cast is limited to what they have to do, which has not stopped many famous actors from agreeing to participate.

Technically, it's a regular movie. Tony Scott ensured a satisfactory direction, giving coherence and elegance to the film, ensuring a pleasant pace and no dead moments. Good photography, good sound and video effects (especially in action scenes), good special effects (when needed) and a discreet but decent soundtrack round out a movie full of qualities, though not particularly noticeable, or set apart from the panorama of movies involving persecution and state plots.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SuperbaDMIke

Jun 15, 2022

The Enemy of The State is a thrilling movie with Will Smith being a dramatic actor.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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

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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59	#59 Best Movie of 1998
47	#47 Most Discussed Movie of 1998
40	#40 Most Shared Movie of 1998