SummaryA successful lawyer finds himself the target of a treacherous NSA official and his goons after receiving evidence about a politically motivated murder.
Directed By:Tony Scott
Written By:David Marconi
Enemy of the State
Metascore
Generally Favorable
67
User score
Generally Favorable
7.2
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
68% Positive
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
32% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
88
The picture is solidly crafted, performed to the hilt and full of humor.
80
An enormously entertaining visit to planet paranoia, but its escapist pleasures titillate only in direct proportion to the degree of persecution complex that you bring into the theater with you.
User score
Generally Favorable
75% Positive
101 Ratings
101 Ratings
21% Mixed
28 Ratings
28 Ratings
4% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
Nov 14, 2014
10
If there is one of Tony Scott's films I would 10 star, this is it. Of course his repertoire is stellar. Enemy of the State is perhaps one of the most divulging films of the secretive spying State to have hit our consciousness. Yet 16 years later we seem as a whole to care less about their intrusion into our lives as we did then in our ignorance. Of course Snowden revealed so much of what Scott divulges in this mega paced, brilliant masterpiece. It is thus easy to understand his so called suicide during the making of another expose film might just have been taken from this film's storyline. Today we are beset with even greater evils as they crawl out from under the shadows, however I recommend this film to everyone as it never loses its shine no matter how many times one watches it. To students of the game, it is essential viewing. God rest your beautiful soul Tony and may your delivery of truths behind the veil at least help waken up generations to their self made prisons and release the desire left to us at the end of this film. We need it more than ever...
Jun 16, 2014
10
Runaway films have been mesmerizing movie goers for years, but this film right here is the king of all runaway films. This is, by far, Tony Scott's best film. It is an action thriller that grabs and holds your gut from beginning to end and never lets go.
75
In too much of a hurry to be much of a people picture. And the standoff at the end edges perilously close to the ridiculous, for a movie that's tried so hard to be plausible.
70
This paranoid thriller has all the failings we expect...but Enemy of the State also has enough wit, talent and narrative thrust to mostly transcend those flaws, at least until that ludicrous finish.
70
The social criticism is as unforced as the humor (and the references to "The Conversation") in this 1998 conspiracy thriller, whose spirited action is balanced by an almost contemplative attitude toward surveillance phobias and the movie cliches they've spawned.
50
The movie has plenty of high-tech power, spinning out action so explosive you'll hardly notice how preposterous the story is or how cardboard-thin the characters are.
50
The strong parts are the rip-offs of "The Conversation." The worst part is the lack of understandable character motivations.
Nov 11, 2025
9
An fantastic action movie Jerry Bruckheimer of and Tony Scott directing, showing s high octane thriller of huge proportions, with good action, humor, great acting of all actors and a fine plot which culminates in another not so surprising end, but this movie is definitely one of the best of its genre in the nineties !
Apr 3, 2024
9
The writing, cinematography, direction, casting, soundtrack and premise are all superb. The film has aged remarkably well. Watching this in 2024 reminds me of how good Hollywood used to be in the 90's. A solid movie especially for fans of the action thriller genre.
Mar 13, 2025
6
It's alright, it feels repetitive through some its scenes and the ending shootout resolution does not really mesh well with the tech fueled surveillance plot it focused on during its entire runtime.
Oct 2, 2019
6
Probably one of Tony Scott's better films, pretty entertaining but plot is holey.
May 6, 2018
6
look at that ball.. Enemy Of The State The vulnerability and the intense drama sequences are score on high pitches that speaks to the audience where even its amazing background score too factors in. David Marconi's screenplay is the real gem that bridges between the fiction and practicality in here. The execution by the director Tony Scott fails to justify the script where neither d.o.p. nor editing works on its favor. Will Smith is genuinely good in his portrayal and is supported with a great cast like Jon Voight and Gene Hackman. Enemy Of The State lacks a fresh concept or perspective, but the gripping screenplay and stellar performance is enough to hold the audience for its more than 2 hours of runtime.
Production Company:
- Touchstone Pictures
- Jerry Bruckheimer Films
- Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films
- Scott Free Productions
- No Such Productions
Release Date:Nov 16, 1998
Duration:2 h 12 m
Rating:R
Tagline:Invasion of Privacy
Awards
Online Film & Television Association
• 4 Nominations
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations
Image Awards (NAACP)
• 3 Nominations
