Overview
A lawyer's quiet life is shattered when he becomes the target of a vast government conspiracy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- propulsive
- paranoid
- tense
- action movie night
- 1990s nostalgia
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an energetic and topical political thriller whose stylish action and performances overcome implausible plotting and thin characterization.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
NSA agents use satellites, wiretaps, tracking systems, and telecommunications access to dismantle Dean's private life.
The film repeatedly intercuts fast-moving action with satellite views, wiretaps, screens, and monitoring operations.
Dean is framed through planted evidence and then loses his job, marriage stability, and social credibility under constant monitoring.
Reynolds orders a politically motivated murder to advance an intrusive national-security surveillance system.
Films like Enemy of the State, and why
The Pelican Brief
Shares a paranoid political-thriller structure, government conspiracy, surveillance technology, and a pressured ordinary protagonist.
The Bourne Identity
Shares Tony Scott-style propulsive action, institutional corruption, conspiratorial pursuit, and a resourceful protagonist on the run.
The Conversation
Shares a tech-driven conspiracy thriller premise, escalating surveillance, and a protagonist fighting powerful institutions.
The Net
Shares 1990s action spectacle, political paranoia, high-tech monitoring, and a charismatic everyman hero targeted by the state.
Movie Details
- Director
- Tony Scott
- Release Date
- 1998-11-20
- Runtime
- 132 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (4440)
Cast
- Will Smith
- Gene Hackman
- Jon Voight
- Regina King
- Loren Dean
- Jake Busey
- Barry Pepper
- Jason Lee
- Gabriel Byrne
- Lisa Bonet
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, FXNow, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Enemy of the State about?
- A Washington lawyer becomes the target of a ruthless surveillance operation after unknowingly receiving evidence of a politically motivated murder.
- What is Enemy of the State like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Enemy of the State as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Enemy of the State violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Enemy of the State as moderate.
- What did critics think of Enemy of the State?
- Critics broadly found the film an energetic and topical political thriller whose stylish action and performances overcome implausible plotting and thin characterization.
- Which films are like Enemy of the State?
- Films with a similar feel include The Pelican Brief, The Bourne Identity, The Conversation, and The Net.
- How long is Enemy of the State?
- Enemy of the State runs 132 minutes.
- Where can I watch Enemy of the State?
- In United States, Enemy of the State streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, FXNow, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
