Enemy of the State is a ’90s movie that attempts to scare us with the plot of a U.S. government willing to pass legislation giving it complete authority to spy on its citizens, a completely insane notion… that was carried out in reality just a few years after the movie was released.
Eerie prescience aside (though it greatly enhances this movie’s ability to hold up over the years), Tony Scott’s Enemy of the State is a great action thriller that features Will Smith at the height of his powers, taking on more of a mature role during an epic run that featured Bad Boys, Men in Black, and Independence Day. And, due in large part to Gene Hackman’s presence in the film, this also features a ton of recognizable names, from Regina King and Lisa Bonet to Jack Black, Jon Voight, Seth Green, Jamie Kennedy, Jake Busey, Barry Pepper, Scott Caan, Gabriel Byrne… the list goes on and on.
This movie is also a nominee for the Flipping Through Channels on a Saturday Afternoon and This Comes On and You Can’t Turn It Off Hall of Fame. Does it deserve induction?
Check out our episode on Enemy of the State below, or listen wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
