Enemy of the State (Blu-ray) (1998)

"...more than enough pizazz...  Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
"The picture is solidly crafted, performed to the hilt and full of humor.  Mike Clark, USA Today

Editor's Note Robert Dean (Will Smith) is a labor lawyer who is unknowingly in possession of evidence related to a serious politically motivated crime. Government agents eager to hide their guilt believe that Dean is on to them, and proceed to turn his life upside-down, ruin his reputation, and frame him for various incidents, thanks to the latest in high-tech government surveillance techniques. In an attempt to clear his name and reclaim his life, Dean teams up with the reclusive Brill (Gene Hackman), a former federal employee who has as much high-tech equipment and expertise as the government itself. Hackman's role is an extension of Harry Caul, the character he portrayed in Francis Ford Coppola's brilliant 1974 film, THE CONVERSATION. Smith scores as a man who is desperate to reclaim his identity and prove his innocence. This intense technological thrill-ride from director Tony Scott questions how much access the government should have to the communications of private citizens, and leaves the viewer with the unsettling feeling that Big Brother is definitely watching. Watch for the uncredited appearances of Jason Robards, Seth Green, Tom Sizemore, and Philip Baker Hall.

	Barry Pepper
	Gene Hackman
	Jon Voight
	Will Smith
	Chris Lebenzon - Editor
	Daniel Mindel - Cinematographer
	David Marconi - Writer
	Harry Gregson-Williams, et. al. - Original Music By
	Jerry Bruckheimer - Producer
	Tony Scott - Director

In Tony Scott's ENEMY OF THE STATE, a lawyer unwittingly discovers evidence of a serious politically-motivated crime. Federal agents eager to cover up their crime proceed to turn his life upside-down and ruin his reputation, thanks to the latest in high-tech surveillance techniques. The film features various connections to Francis Ford Coppola's brilliant 1974 film, THE CONVERSATION.

"Why are they after me?"----Robert Dean (Will Smith)|"You have something they want."----Brill (Gene Hackman)|"I don't have anything!"----Dean|"Maybe you do and you don't know it."----Brill

"What the hell is happening?!"----Dean|"I blew up the building."----Brill|"Why?!"----Dean|"Because you made a phone call!"----Brill

"If you live another day, I'll be very impressed."----Brill to Dean

Rolling Stone
"...[A] dynamic thriller....[Will Smith] is sensational..." 12/10/1998 p.133

Entertainment Weekly
"...A high-adrenaline action thriller....Smith is a fresh choice..." -- Rating: B 01/08/1999 p.50

USA Today
"...[A] brisk, grown-up thriller...Will Smith delivers a terrifically ingratiating performance..." -- 3 1/2 out of 4 stars 12/11/1998 p.9E

New York Times
"...It has a hurtling pace, nonstop intensity, and a stylish, appealing performance by Will Smith..." 11/20/1998 p.E1

Ultimate DVD
4 stars out of 5 -- "Hackman is fantastic....[The film is] one of Scott's best." 07/01/2006 p.101

ReelViews 7 of 10
Enemy of the State is the latest entry into the 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. - James Berardinelli

Chicago Sun-Times 7 of 10
Enemy of the State uses the thriller genre to attack what it calls "the surveillance society," an America in which underground computers at Fort Meade monitor our phone calls for trigger words like "bomb," "president" and "Allah." It stars Will Smith as a Washington, D.C., lawyer whose life is dismantled bit by bit (and byte by byte) because he possesses proof that a congressman was murdered for opposing a bill that would make government snooping easier. - Roger Ebert