There’s a saying that goes “they just don’t make them like they used to”. That statement is fairly applicable to a movie like Enemy of the State. A case could even be made that it was late director Tony Scott’s best film. The movie would debut in 1998 to solid reviews and an eventually decent box office turnout by the time it finished its theatrical run. At the time this was to be expected of course, having hosted a cast of heavy hitters and an experienced director in Tony Scott who would continue to make movies until his untimely passing.
The story scripted by Marconi is the epitome of what made Enemy of the State all the rage back then, and even now. In fact, maybe even more so now.
There was no reason for Enemy of the State to fail, and if it had, it would have been beyond surprising. With a roster that included Gene Hackman, Will Smith, Jon Voight, and even rising talents like Seth Green and Jack Black, it would’ve had to have had terrible direction equipped with an awful script. Two factors of course, that were definitely of no concern. David Marconi’s script follows ace lawyer Robert Dean, who has the misfortune of coming into possession of a recording of an assassination committed by a top tier National Security Agency operative. The tape in question is passed to him without his knowledge, thus making him the target of one of the United States’ most powerful government entities.
The story scripted by Marconi is the epitome of what made Enemy of the State all the rage back then, and even now. In fact, maybe even more so now. Social media has made it easier for citizens of the world to be tracked and traced, and this film was made more than two decades ago. If Marconi’s screenplay made light of the government’s surveillance abilities during the 90s, just imagine their capability in the present day. Bringing his words to life the most are Hackman, Smith, and Voight. Smith was in the early stages of movie stardom and his intense performance here helped seal the deal. Hackman and Voight were already cinematic legends at this point, so the choice to add them to the mix was a no brainer. The three of them, with the assistance of Scott’s guidance behind the camera, create a very real universe that in truth, is terrifying to think about. Their narrative shows how powerful the government is, and how they choose to use that power on private citizens whenever they choose.
Enemy of the State is a fun film from the past because of everything it’s layered with. There’s a bit everything that makes it enjoyable. Great writing, good acting, fair drama, and the right amount of action and suspense make Enemy of the State one of the better films of that decade. Its subject matter is also still an important topic of discussion, and one of the things sure to make the movie an eventual classic as the years continue to pass. It also signals the end of an era in filmmaking, but hopefully one that can make a comeback.
