Enemy of the State

"It's not paranoia if they're really after you."

1998 2h 12m EN

👍

7.1

SOLID

🍅

71%

FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

7.3

IMDB

★7.1TMDB · 4,450🍅71%Rotten Tomatoes●67Metacritic★7.3IMDB · 272,421

ActionDramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

When the videotape of the murder of a congressman unknowingly ends up in the hands of labor lawyer and dedicated family man Robert Clayton Dean, he is framed for the murder. With the help of the mysterious Brill, Dean attempts to throw the NSA off his trail and prove his innocence.

“It's not paranoia if they're really after you.”

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Cast

Will Smith
Robert Clayton Dean
Gene Hackman
Brill
Jon Voight
Reynolds
Regina King
Carla Dean
Loren Dean
Hicks
Jake Busey
Krug
Barry Pepper
Pratt
Jason Lee
Daniel Zavitz

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tony Scott
Writers: David Marconi
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Mid-budget at $90M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

28 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CAST

Did you know

361+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tony Scott, shot by Dan Mindel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Harry Gregson-Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Chris Lebenzon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Will Smith and Gene Hackman and Jon Voight carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tony Scott directs. Dan Mindel behind the camera. Harry Gregson-Williams scores. Chris Lebenzon cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Mid-budget at $90M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
228 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
4361+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
5Directed by Tony Scott, shot by Dan Mindel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Harry Gregson-Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Chris Lebenzon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Will Smith and Gene Hackman and Jon Voight carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "It's not paranoia if they're really after you.".
10IMDB entry: tt0120660 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 20 themes, including "washington dc, usa", "wiretap", "satellite", "national security agency (nsa)".
12Released under 18 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Dan Mindel
Original score: Harry Gregson-Williams
Editing: Chris Lebenzon
Production design: Benjamín Fernández
Makeup / hair: Ellen Wong
VFX supervisor: James E. Price
Sound: Christopher Boyes
Stunt coordinator: Chuck Picerni Jr.
Runtime: 132 min · 2h 12m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $90,000,000
Box office: $250,649,836
Return: 278% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Enemy of the State (1998)
Rotten Tomatoes: 71% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 67/100
IMDB rating: 7.3/10 · 272,421 votes
MPAA: R

Awards

5 wins & 16 nominations total

Also by

Tony Scott

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

YouShouldKnow2017-10-25
★ 9/10
What was just a movie then is quickly becoming reality now. With the erosion of our rights and privacy online, this movie should have served as a harbinger of a world we do not want to live in. We are introduced to the same arguments politicians, the wealthy and the agencies brought forth after the terror attacks we endured. The exact same rhetoric is used in this film ("if you have nothing to hide..."). At times, it looks like the real world emulates fiction or worse, this film was a blue print. From a protagonist unaware or unwilling to see the state of affairs, who's unwittingly caught in the path of bad guys, to what might then have been a tinfoil hat wearing, paranoid conspiracy theorist, but would now (post Snowden) be a a very concerned citizen, this film has what it needs to tell a good story. What's great too is the ending, which is bittersweet. It reflects pretty well what goes on in the highest spheres where the working class has little to no influence. All in all, a great film for everybody.
Wuchak2018-06-02
★ 8/10
Fast-paced surveillance-oriented action/thriller with Will Smith, Gene Hackman and Jon Voight RELEASED IN 1998 and directed by Tony Scott, "Enemy of the State” is an action/crime/thriller starring Will Smith as a DC lawyer who unknowingly apprehends evidence of a serious crime involving a formidable politician (Jon Voight) and is subsequently targeted by his NSA goons (Jack Black, Seth Green, etc.) and heavies (Scott Caan, Jake Busey, etc.). He ultimately partners with an ex-NSA surveillance curmudgeon (Gene Hackman). The quick-editing is akin to other popular action flicks of the era, like “Armageddon” (1998), but it’s done expertly and there are enough lulls in the relentless action and character-developing moments to prevent it from being overkill. The surveillance element and Hackman bring to mind Coppola’s “The Conversation” (1974), but the story moves way faster, has more thrills and the characters are more interesting. Lisa Bonet (Jason Momoa’s babe) is stunning as the protagonist’s secret connection and former woman-on-the-side while Regina King is capable as the wife. There are several teases of ravishing women on the periphery. This is a gripping, action-packed thriller that has quality characters and is entertaining throughout. The creators took the time & effort to throw in inspired little gems, like “Baby” the friendly orange & white cat (I have a cat just like him). Smith and Hackman have great conflict-habituated but respectful camaraderie. THE MOVIE RUNS 2 hours, 12 minutes and was shot in Baltimore & Phoenix, Maryland; Washington DC; and Southern Cal (L.A., West Hollywood and Pasadena). WRITER: David Marconi. GRADE: A-
John Chard2020-07-18
★ 9/10
The government's been in bed with the entire telecommunications industry since the forties. They've infected everything. Enemy of the State is directed by Tony Scott and written by David Marconi. It stars Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, Regina King and Lisa Bonet. Music is by Harry Gregson-Williams and Trevor Rabin, and cinematography by Dan Mindel. A lawyer becomes targeted by a corrupt politician and his N.S.A. goons when he accidentally receives key evidence to a politically motivated murder. Superb action thriller, we find Tony Scott on fine story telling form, backed up by Smith (how great to see the actor and not the star) and the always awesome Hackman adding his character driven gravitas to the stew. We are frighteningly drawn into a very real hi-tech world, which in turns becomes thought provoking and intriguing. Scott knows how to work an action scene and edge of the seat sequences, and he doesn't disappoint here. The running time of 2 hours 10 minutes is arguably a touch too much, but there is never any moments of extraneous sequences or pointless filler, the screenplay ensures that all conversations and character activities mean something, and therefore should be noted. A hot buck roll call of rising actors are in on the fun, namely Barry Pepper, Scott Caan, Jake Busey, Jamie Kennedy and Jack Black, which leaves us with a smart and thrilling pic that's served at a breakneck pace. Enemy of the State delivers wholesome genre entertainment. 9/10