Enemy of the State (1998)

Enemy of the State is the kind of high-octane thriller that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go, turning a frighteningly plausible idea—how quickly modern surveillance can erase your privacy—into pure, propulsive entertainment. Tony Scott directs with restless style and crackling momentum, threading chases, paranoia, and dark humor through a story that keeps tightening the screws without ever needing convoluted twists. Will Smith sells the panic and ingenuity of an ordinary guy suddenly outmatched, while Gene Hackman brings a lived-in gravitas that makes every scene feel smarter and more dangerous. It’s not for the squeamish—there’s harsh language, sexual material, and bursts of violence—but if you want a slick, urgent ’90s thriller that still feels uncomfortably current, this one delivers.

Enemy of the State is trying to be a fast, paranoid chase thriller about government overreach, and Tony Scott absolutely commits to that high-octane, constantly-moving style. The problem is it often runs on sheer momentum rather than logic, so if you’re the type who needs plausible procedure, grounded motivations, or rich character work, the plotting will start to feel like a loud magic trick that keeps changing the rules. Will Smith’s likability and Gene Hackman’s grizzled presence do a lot of heavy lifting, and the surveillance-tech anxiety still has bite, but the film’s “one thing after another” formula can make the climax feel more ridiculous than cathartic. If you want slick ‘90s adrenaline and don’t mind some eye-rolling contrivances (plus strong language, sexual material, and bursts of violence), it’ll deliver; if you want a smart, realistic conspiracy drama, you may leave irritated.