Enemy (2013)

Last updated:
April 18, 2025

Denis Villeneuve’s Enemy (2013) is an enigmatic, surreal thriller that digs into the psyche of identity, repression, and duality. Loosely based on José Saramago’s novel The Double, the film is a slow-burn psychological puzzle that leaves much open to interpretation. With haunting visuals, a deeply unsettling tone, and a final scene that’s burned into the minds of many, Enemy is a film you don’t just watch—you obsess over.

Detailed Summary

Introduction: A Life of Repetition and Isolation

Adam Bell (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a reserved history professor in Toronto who lives a monotonous and emotionally distant life. He lectures about authoritarian regimes and cycles of control, lives in a bland apartment, and maintains a cold relationship with his girlfriend Mary (Mélanie Laurent).

Discovery of the Doppelgänger

Adam rents a movie recommended by a colleague and, in one scene, notices an actor who looks exactly like him. Deeply disturbed yet fascinated, he begins to obsessively investigate this actor, named Anthony Clair—also played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Adam discovers that Anthony is a small-time actor who lives with his pregnant wife Helen (Sarah Gadon).

The eerie similarity between them isn’t just physical—they even have identical scars.

Identity Crisis and Role Reversal

As Adam and Anthony meet, the lines between their identities blur. Anthony is more assertive and manipulative, quickly deciding to use his twin’s existence to his advantage. He suspects his wife is cheating on him and coerces Adam into a bizarre switch—Anthony wants to spend time with Mary, while Adam is left facing Helen, who oddly seems to suspect what’s going on but plays along quietly.

This switch leads to emotional chaos and a crumbling of each man’s already fragile reality.

The Climactic Car Crash

As Anthony drives Mary to a hotel pretending to be Adam, she realizes the deception. During a tense car ride, the two crash, resulting in what we assume is their death. Meanwhile, Adam, now seemingly settled into Anthony’s life, opens the door to a bedroom… and sees a giant spider cowering in the corner.

The Final Scene: What Was That Spider?

Yes, that’s right. A giant spider. It’s one of the most shocking and unexplained final moments in modern cinema. The expression on Adam’s face—resignation, acceptance, perhaps even peace—suggests that the spider is a metaphor for something internal, not external. More on that in the “Easter Eggs” section.

Movie Ending

Enemy doesn’t offer easy answers. The final moments suggest that Adam has accepted his new identity, but the spider in the last shot hints at the recurring nature of his psychological struggle. Some interpret the spider as a symbol of guilt, feminine power, or fear of entrapment in domestic life.

There’s no neat resolution. That’s the point. It’s an unresolved loop—perhaps mirroring the authoritarian cycles Adam lectures about in the beginning.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Enemy does not feature any post-credits scenes. However, like many of Denis Villeneuve’s films, the impact doesn’t rely on additional footage—it lingers with you long after the credits roll.

Type of Movie

Enemy is a psychological thriller with elements of surrealism, mystery, and drama. It’s the kind of film that evokes Kafka, Lynch, and Cronenberg—dark, cerebral, and unsettling.

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal as Adam Bell / Anthony Clair
Mélanie Laurent as Mary
Sarah Gadon as Helen
Isabella Rossellini as Adam’s mother
Stephen R. Hart as the Concierge

Film Music and Composer

The haunting, minimalist score was composed by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans. The music enhances the film’s dreamlike tone, building dread with unsettling strings and ambient tension. It’s sparse but incredibly effective.

Filming Locations

Enemy was shot in Toronto, Canada, and the city plays a critical role in the atmosphere of the film. The high-rise apartments, subdued color palette, and cold urban environment mirror Adam’s isolation and sense of detachment. Toronto’s anonymous, almost sterile feel amplifies the themes of existential dread.

Awards and Nominations

Canadian Screen Award for Best Director – Denis Villeneuve
Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress – Sarah Gadon (nominee)
Best Canadian Feature Film at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) – nominated
The film has since become a cult favorite and is widely praised by critics and cinephiles.

Behind the Scenes Insights

Denis Villeneuve and Jake Gyllenhaal worked together again in Prisoners (released the same year), and their collaboration on Enemy was much more experimental.
Gyllenhaal reportedly had a tough time separating the dual roles emotionally and mentally.
The spider imagery was not in the original novel and was added entirely by Villeneuve as a visual metaphor.
The movie was shot in under a month with a limited budget.
Villeneuve has publicly refused to explain the ending, encouraging viewers to interpret it on their own.

Inspirations and References

Enemy is loosely based on the novel The Double (O Homem Duplicado) by Nobel Prize-winning author José Saramago. However, the film is more symbolic and abstract than the book, introducing surreal elements not present in the original text—most notably, the spider motif.

The film also nods to:

Kafka’s existential themes
Lynchian dream logic
Cronenberg’s body horror and psychological paranoia

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no officially released alternate endings, but early drafts of the script did not include the final spider scene. The ending was added later and became a central talking point for the film’s legacy.

Book Adaptations and Differences

While based on Saramago’s novel, the film strips down the narrative and leans heavily into psychological horror. The novel features more humor and satire; Villeneuve’s adaptation is much darker and more cryptic.

Major differences:

No giant spiders in the book.
The novel includes more explicit social commentary on bureaucracy.
The ending in the book is more straightforward, without the surreal turn.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

Adam spotting his double in the film scene
The first face-to-face meeting between Adam and Anthony
The hotel confrontation with Mary
The final spider scene

Iconic Quotes

“Chaos is order yet undeciphered.”
“You know, for someone who doesn’t like to be followed, you sure leave a lot of clues.”
“You have to ask yourself, ‘What’s more important: your job or your relationship?’”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

The spider motif recurs throughout the film in both subtle and overt ways—check ceiling patterns, streetcar cables, and dream sequences.
Adam’s mother says he’s always been “the only one,” potentially suggesting the dual identity is a mental fracture.
A key line in the classroom lecture about control and repetition subtly echoes the plot structure.
A mural depicting a giant spider appears briefly in the background early in the film—blink and you’ll miss it.
The key to the secret sex club is labeled “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” which might hint at Adam’s suppressed desires.

Trivia

The film’s budget was around $3 million, a fraction of most psychological thrillers.
It was shot before Prisoners, but released afterward.
The production used identical lighting setups for both characters to simplify post-production blending.
Villeneuve described the film as “a dream of a man who is having a nervous breakdown.”
The spider is symbolic of femininity, fear, and being trapped—it has been widely debated by fans and scholars.

Why Watch?

Watch Enemy if you enjoy films that challenge your perception of reality. It’s not about flashy action or clean storytelling—it’s about discomfort, slow reveals, and unsettling ideas. If you’re the kind of viewer who likes interpreting rather than being told, this one’s for you.

Director’s Other Movies

Recommended Films for Fans

The Double (2013)
Under the Skin (2013)
Black Swan (2010)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
The Machinist (2004)
Lost Highway (1997)
Possession (1981)