MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting

Inadvands Boring, over-political, tech fuzed mess

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Kirandeep Yoder The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Leofwine_draca I watched ENEMY OF THE STATE when it first came out at the cinema a couple of decades ago and remember really enjoying it. Seeing it today, the film has hardly dated at all and in fact feels more relevant than ever in a world dominated by surveillance technology. I think it's a criminally underrated movie that never gets talked about enough, possibly the highlight of Tony Scott's exciting career, and up there with THE BOURNE IDENTITY (which it feels like it inspired a lot) in terms of screen excitement.I love thrillers that are full of energy and ENEMY OF THE STATE is certainly that. There are some holes in the plot but it all moves so quickly and vibrantly that it doesn't matter at all. Will Smith plays the classic wronged man protagonist and, while he wouldn't be my first choice for the role, he's not too bad here, keeping the comedy aspects to a minimum. The supporting cast is even better, featuring a beautiful role for the excellent Gene Hackman which harks back to THE CONVERSATION, a good baddie in the shape of Jon Voight, and tons of familiar talent in the tech team: Seth Green, Jamie Kennedy, Jack Black, Jake Busey, Scott Caan, Ian Hart, Jason Lee, the list is endless.The film is expertly directed and still feels fresh; more importantly, it still looks good, unlike something like MAN ON FIRE which feels really dated these days. There's a ton of incident in the plot and some great paranoid scenes involving bugs everywhere. The physical action is very strong as well, with exciting chase scenes by foot and vehicle and great twists involving Hackman's character. The ending harks back to TRUE ROMANCE and feels a little blatant, but certainly ties up those loose ends nicely.

mistoppi Will Smith definitely doesn't disappoint the audience. He's extremely talented actor, and he adds his own charm to each character he plays. Of course some might find that annoying, but in the end his charm is what makes even the otherwise unlikable characters sympathetic. I read that Tom Cruise was first considered to play the main character. There are people out there who love Cruise but I personally could not like Robert Dean if played by him. I think I've only seen one movie by Tony Scott before, and that was Domino. In Domino I was annoyed by the overuse of the special effects and weird cinematography. In Enemy of the State Scott's input is clear, but it is definitely easier to follow this one. Sure, weird effects are used, but not all the time, and while some shots are still "artsy" in a way, it doesn't affect the whole movie, just few scenes, during which it's not always easy to even notice. Enemy of the State is an excellent thriller. It's the antagonist that makes you sit on the edge of your seat - NSA has satellites and basically eyes everywhere, how is one person going to outrun all that? I love the use of NSA as the antagonist, since it feels all powerful, and it makes the film still very current. This is one of those movies that make conspiracy theorists wet themselves, yet isn't too far fetched. All the chase scenes are excellently executed, and the feeling of helplessness is extremely thrilling. The only annoying thing is that sometimes the technology doesn't seem believable. Would there really be a surveillance camera in a lingerie shop that would be good enough for someone to almost get a full 360 degree view of the shop? That didn't seem real. Enemy of the state is a marvellous movie. It has clever twists and interesting characters, even if most of them are just plain annoying - all that is saved by Will Smith's charisma, and the main character's family. That way there's at least someone who to root for. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it yet. This is, no doubt, one of the best thrillers out there.

juneebuggy This was a more than decent conspiracy thriller, although in saying that I do remember being way more impressed and freaked out by all the big brother technology when I first saw it in 98 than I did now in my re-watch. Most of the techno stuff is now so common place that we don't even consider it and it doesn't feel like such a threat as it did back then.I liked the cast here a lot, Will Smith does a great job as Robert Dean whose life is turned upside down after an old friend slips him evidence regarding a congressman's murder. Dean quickly loses his job & his wife, has his bank accounts frozen and becomes a fugitive whose only hope is a cat loving mysterious former intelligence agent played by the very cranky but oh so good Gene Hackman. Jon Voight is also worth a mention as the head bad guy, as is a very sweaty and bloated Tom Sizemore as Pintero, the mob boss.Some great action sequences along the way, although far fetched to a degree as Will is just a lawyer but after he goes on the run suddenly becomes an action hero, able to evade bad guys, scale balconies and use a pump action shot gun like a hit man. The ending is well done, a little tricky including an excellent shoot out.Exceptional secondary cast here too including Barry Pepper, Jack Black, Lisa Bonet, Gabriel Byrne, Jason Lee and two second generation stars teaming up in Jake Busy and Scott Caan. 2/10/16

NateWatchesCoolMovies Tony Scott's Enemy Of The State is a sensationally kinetic, hyperactive espionage whizbanger that doesn't let up for a goddamned second. It's classic Scott, all edgy, blurred lines filmmaking with a relentless pace, eclectic cast and excessive amounts of unique style to go around. It's the precursor to his purely distilled style which can be found in Man On Fire, Domino and Deja Vu, with leftover residue from his 90's action aesthetic, observable in True Romance, Last Boy Scout etc. When an obstinate US Senator (Jason Robards) refuses to go along with a new bill being pushed through that allows the NSA full access to any citizens private phone calls, emails and communications via state of the art, scary technology (even by 2001's standards), he's discreetly dispatched by a letcherous, sociopathic NSA honcho (Jon Voight playing coldly ruthless to a T). Only problem is, a nature photographer (Jason Lee) accidentally gets footage of the murder. It gets passed off to hotshot lawyer Robert Dean (Will Smith) via circumstance, and from there the chase is on. It's a wicked chase too, one that doesn't let up for its entire two plus hour heart pumping runtime, with no moments to breathe whatsoever. Gene Hackman quasi reprises his role from Coppola's The Conversation as Brill, a crusty, high strung ex NSA agent who's gone rogue and paying dearly for it, as he assists Dean in his quest to bring down the corrupt agency. The film is somewhat ahead of its time, outlining invasions of privacy and corruption that seems tame by today's real life scandals. As thrillers go it's a gem, jumping from one explosive escape to the next, never sacrificing character as it hurtles along. Hackman's grumpy jadedness is a perfect companion to Smith's incredulous everyman, making a dynamic worth following. Voight makes a terrific villain as well, really amping up his scenes with a sick self justification. There's a jaw dropping supporting cast well. Jake Busey, Ian Hart, Jack Black, Seth Green, Gabriel Byrne, Loren Dean and Barry Peoper all show up as various NSA rats. Lisa Bonet, Regina King and Ivana Milicevic are awesome, and Arthur Nascarella and Tom Sizemore have nice bits as hammy mobsters. In the tradition of 24 and The Bourme Identity, it's a loud, chaotic blast of a thriller and one of Scott's best works.