Enemy of the State
_Enemy of the State_ has every reason to be a bad movie. It was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, famous for the fiascos of _Armageddon_ and _Con Air_. It was directed by Tony Scott, marred by his stylish-but-hollow career (Beverly Hills Cop 2, Revenge, The Fan). The plot--innocent man caught in conspiracy--has been done countless times before. Even the dialog in the trailers is bad: "You got something they want!"/"I don't know what you're talking about!"
Then why did I enjoy the film so much?
EOTS is the techno-geek's dream film - a film that successfully integrates modern technology into its labyrithrine plot.
This must be hard to do: it takes many years for a film of this caliber to be conceived, written, then to be pitched, produced, directed, and edited, all before said technology becomes obsolete. _The Net_ is a prime example of how a film rooted in technology would have been much better had it only been released two years earlier.
I haven't been thrilled by Hollywood's treatment of advancing technology since _Wargames_ and _Blue Thunder_ hit in '83. And that may have been because I was totally unaware of it. The John Badham one-two punch were seminal in my love both for modern technology and cinema.
_Enemy of the State_ integrates advanced surveillance techniques into the standard Hitchcockian formula. Satellites, normally used for pointing outward, are pointing _downward_, to the point that chase scenes are under surveillance, not unlike Christof's in _The Truman Show_. Computers are used in conjunction with security systems to simulate, single out, and magnify the taped events.
Enemy of the State goes one better: it incorporates the talents of the best "geeks" in Hollywood to sit behind the technology. They have a contagious enthusiasm that radiates a yahoo-we're-gonna-destroy-an-innocent-man's-life mentality. They have fun, and they've no idea how deadly their participation becomes. Kudos, especially, to character nerds Jack Black and Jamie Kennedy. It's not that you root for them, but you enjoy their presence.
The final trick up Bruckheimer's sleeve is Gene Hackman. Not that Hackman's in it, but that he is playing the same role that he did in Francis Coppola's _The Conversation_ in 1974. Brilliant. In both films, Hackman plays Harry Caul, a timid but expert surveillance expert. In the first film he becomes increasingly weary over his profession, especially as it turns on him. In this film, he has become a recluse, working for himself, paranoid and rightly so.
He comes to the aid of Robert Dean (Will Smith), a high-profile attorney who unknowingly becomes a recipient of a disk containing evidence of a high-profile murder. Thomas Reynolds (Jon Voight), not taking any chances, decides to destroy Smith's credibility, if he were to go public with the evidence. The rest of the film Dean is fighting to clean his record, rid himself of bugs, and stay alive.
The film has several nifty touches, like a detailed (but improbable) virtual surveillance scene in a lingerie shop. It has a running gag with a blender. It has one of the best used cameos of Gabriel Byrne. And it marks the return of Lisa Bonet--where has she been?
Alas, the film does fall apart in the end, with a final shootout that is as cheap as it is predictable. But for the majority of its playing time, _State_ gives a good, thrilling ride. Best to watch this on the big screen with great sound.
Nick Scale (1 to 10): 7
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