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unusual and gripping
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Great film and DVD.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Enemy of the State is one of those suddenly-hot thriller subgenre of films that, because of convoluted plots characterized by bursts of action and unexpected twists, are fun to watch even if they defy logic. In addition to being an in-your-face experience, this kind of movie exudes self-confidence, never doubting for a moment that the viewer will buy into the premise (no matter how ludicrous it might be) and come along for the sheer exhilaration of the ride. When such a film fails, it usually does so spectacularly. When it succeeds, as in the case of Enemy of the State, it offers a solid two hours of pure, escapist entertainment. This movie has two tremendous assets: a fast pace that doesn't allow the viewer to contemplate plot flaws and the charismatic performance of burgeoning superstar Will Smith. Smith's work in Enemy of the State, which requires him to portray the proverbial ordinary guy caught up in extraordinary circumstances, may be the most accomplished of his career. He succeeds in making audiences believe that Robert Dean is just like us, not an over-the-top clown or macho superhero with bulging biceps. We identify with him. Conspiracy theorists will love Enemy of the State, which combines elements of Three Days of the Condor (where the protagonist must solve a mystery to save his life), The Net (where the hero's identity is wiped out), and The Game (where nothing is quite as it seems) with a high-tech dosage of George Orwell. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this film is that there's nothing outlandish in the levels of technology postulated by the script. It's all very real, although whether it's actually used this way is open to debate. When those who distrust the government remind us that Big Brother is Watching, they could be correct. This paranoia and fear is what Enemy of the State feeds off. Robert Dean is a hotshot young attorney on the fast track to prominence. There's little he won't do for a client, including tangling with known mobsters. Robert's wife, Carla (Regina King), is also a lawyer, but, unlike her husband, she's strictly by-the-book. Her passion is the Constitution, and she doesn't like what she sees in a new piece of legislation up for a vote on Capitol Hill that will give the National Security Agency (NSA) the power to use any kind of advanced, electronic surveillance equipment without previous permission or authorization. Robert essentially ignores Carla's gripes, figuring that this kind of law will never affect him. He's wrong. The wheels are already in motion. An incriminating digital tape passed on to him without his knowledge is about to put his life and family in danger as government agents seek to clean up all evidence of a sanctioned murder. The victim was a United States congressman. The culprit was Thomas Reynolds (Jon Voight), a high-ranking State Department official on loan to the NSA who felt that the congressman's opposition to the surveillance bill would ground it. Unfortunately for Reynolds, the killing was captured on camera by a naturalist (Jason Lee) studying geese migration. Before Reynolds' team can eliminate the witness, he slips a copy of the tape into one of Robert's shopping bags. The NSA realizes this, although Robert doesn't, and he suddenly finds himself in the crosshairs without understanding why. With his life being systematically dismantled (credit cards canceled, wife thinking he's having an affair, fired from his job), he seeks out the mysterious Brill for help.Read full review
This is an exciting paranoia picture which adds an ultra-tech sheen to territory already well trod in 'The Pelican Brief', 'The Net', 'Chai nReaction' and 'The Fugitive', and subsequently by 'Minority Report'. The essence of the story is the same - a law abiding citizen becomes an incidental victim of a cover up for a corruption scandal. Instead ofrolling over and dying like everyone else, the innocent man goes on therun, during which time he loses all the usual aspects of his identity. The whole power of the state of is focussed on capturing him, but somehow h eeludes them, finally bringing the information that justifies him and allows him to return to his life. This film ups the ante in various ways, treading enough new territory tomake it genuinely memorable. First, it moves much faster than any of its predecessors. Will Smith is a fast-talking fast-mover in any film, but here the director has wisely subdued Smith's trademark comic repartee, making him a lean, mean actionhero. Second, it wires up the technology to a fever pitch. Satellites that can resolve a human face, computer enhancement technology that can 'see' the other side of an object. Somehow, though, the film manages to keep the highest of the hi-tech credible, although, as another reviewer has said, if we really had this technology they would have got Osama bin Laden years ago. Third, Smith gradually discovers a former NSA specialist known as 'Brill', played by Gene Hackman. This is a whole new twist on the paranoia picture, because Hackman is able to neatly turn the tables on Will Smith's persecutors, putting them through the same pattern of smear and depersonalisation that they used on him. Ultimately, the exciting and unexpected shoot-out that Smith and Sheen bring about is not enough to get the evidence they need. So... Finally, it's an honest NSA agent, played by Jack Black, who decides to record the villain's confession and saves the day - a touching and faith-restoring end to this movie, nicely prepared for by Black's doubts at the start. There's a lot of innovation in this well made and nicely balanced film. Ultimately it doesn't achieve the depth of 'the Fugitive', and the political backdrop is less developed than 'The Pelican Brief'. But it does stand head and shoulders above most of the rest of the paranoia-picture crowd. Well worth purchasing, then: this _is_ a film you will want to see more than twice.Read full review
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