Enemy of the State (1998)

Enemy of the State is a high-stakes techno-thriller directed by Tony Scott and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Known for its fast pace and paranoid tone, the film explores themes of government surveillance, personal privacy, and the fine line between national security and civil liberties. With a star-studded cast led by Will Smith and Gene Hackman, the movie has become a defining thriller of the late ’90s.

Detailed Summary

Opening: Political Murder and Cover-Up

The film begins with a politically motivated assassination. Congressman Phil Hammersley (Jason Robards) is murdered by NSA official Thomas Reynolds (Jon Voight) after opposing a bill that would dramatically expand government surveillance capabilities. The murder is caught on tape by accident—by a nature photographer, Daniel Zavitz—who quickly realizes he’s in grave danger.

Robert Clayton Dean’s Normal Life Implodes

Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith), a labor lawyer in D.C., is living a relatively ordinary life when he inadvertently becomes the target of a massive manhunt. Zavitz slips the murder footage into Dean’s shopping bag without his knowledge while fleeing from the NSA. Once the NSA realizes Dean has the tape, they destroy his life piece by piece—freezing his bank accounts, discrediting him, planting false evidence of infidelity, and tracking him through every piece of technology he owns.

Enter: Brill, the Surveillance Ghost

As Dean’s life spirals, he seeks out a mysterious figure known as Brill (Gene Hackman), a former NSA operative who lives off the grid. Brill initially refuses to help but ultimately steps in after realizing the scale of the conspiracy. The two form an uneasy alliance, combining Brill’s tech-savvy and Dean’s legal instincts to stay ahead of the NSA and expose the truth.

Unmasking Reynolds and Turning the Tables

Through a series of high-stakes chases, wiretaps, and surveillance countermeasures, Dean and Brill finally uncover a way to turn the tables on Reynolds. They orchestrate a confrontation between Reynolds and a group of mobsters (whom Reynolds had previously tried to blackmail) in a hotel room. In the chaos, a shootout ensues, leaving Reynolds and his corrupt team dead.

Movie Ending

In the final scenes, the media picks up the story of Reynolds’ illegal activities and the abuse of NSA power. The surveillance bill is placed under public scrutiny. Dean is exonerated, his reputation restored, and his marriage saved. He returns home, now fully aware of the dangers of unchecked government surveillance.

In a sly epilogue, we see that Brill has retreated even further into isolation, sending Dean a farewell message via a television broadcast. He tells Dean he’s “somewhere in the world where he can’t be reached.” The camera pans over a tropical island where Brill now lives a peaceful, undisturbed life. The final image leaves viewers with a chilling question: In a world with omnipresent surveillance, can anyone truly disappear?

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Enemy of the State does not have a post-credits scene. Once the credits roll, the story is complete. There are no hidden scenes or teases for a sequel.

Type of Movie

This is a techno-thriller / action drama. It blends elements of conspiracy, espionage, political commentary, and chase-based action, with a strong dose of 1990s paranoia about technology and government overreach.

Cast

• Will Smith as Robert Clayton Dean
• Gene Hackman as Edward “Brill” Lyle
• Jon Voight as Thomas Brian Reynolds
• Lisa Bonet as Rachel Banks
• Regina King as Carla Dean
• Jack Black as Fiedler
• Seth Green as Selby
• Gabriel Byrne (uncredited cameo)
• Jason Lee as Daniel Zavitz

Film Music and Composer

The film’s tense and pulsing score was composed by Harry Gregson-Williams and Trevor Rabin. Their music amplifies the paranoia and urgency that define the movie. It leans heavily on electronic sounds, which was innovative at the time and perfectly fits the film’s themes of surveillance and digital intrusion.

Filming Locations

• Washington, D.C. – many outdoor scenes were shot here to ground the story in real political geography.
• Baltimore, Maryland – used for several urban sequences, including the location of Dean’s home.
• Los Angeles – studio shots and interior scenes.

The film’s locations were chosen to create a sense of realism and proximity to power. The visual contrast between D.C.’s iconic landmarks and the shadowy back alleys enhances the theme of visible authority vs. hidden agendas.

Awards and Nominations

• Nominated for Best Sound Editing at the Academy Awards (1999)
• Won: BMI Film Music Award
• Nominated for several MTV Movie Awards, including Best Action Sequence

Although it wasn’t a massive awards contender, it became a commercial and critical success, particularly praised for its slick production and timely subject matter.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Will Smith was Tony Scott’s first choice after the success of Independence Day.
• Gene Hackman’s character is a clear homage to his role in The Conversation (1974), another surveillance thriller.
• The filmmakers used real surveillance technology to design scenes, some of which eerily foreshadowed NSA capabilities later revealed by Edward Snowden.
• Jack Black and Seth Green played early-career roles as tech analysts, showing up in humorous yet disturbing NSA scenes.
• The film used then-cutting-edge CGI to simulate satellite tracking and data analysis—revolutionary for 1998.

Inspirations and References

• The Conversation (1974) – Hackman’s character mirrors Harry Caul, and the themes are nearly identical.
• The movie was partially inspired by growing public concerns over digital privacy, the rise of the internet, and Clinton-era surveillance policies.
• Early drafts were written in the 1990s, reflecting fears about the government’s expanding data monitoring capabilities.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

• Several extended scenes between Dean and his wife were cut to focus on the thriller elements.
• An alternate ending involving Brill getting captured was scrapped in favor of his peaceful island escape.
• A deleted scene included more political fallout, with the media questioning the government’s power, which was ultimately cut for pacing.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Enemy of the State is not based on a book, but it has inspired several novelizations and unofficial spin-offs. Its narrative echoes themes from classic espionage literature but remains an original screenplay.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Dean being chased through the tunnel, losing everything in a single day.
• Brill’s reveal in the warehouse, surrounded by surveillance countermeasures.
• The hotel room shootout with mobsters and NSA agents.
• Dean seeing his own house raided via satellite feed.

Iconic Quotes

• Brill: “You’re either very smart or incredibly stupid.”
• Dean: “I blew up the building.”
• Reynolds: “In the wrong hands, this information is dangerous.”
• Brill: “Fort Meade has 18 acres of mainframes underground. You think they just monitor terrorist calls?”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• Gene Hackman wears a transparent raincoat and uses soundproof booths, directly nodding to The Conversation.
• The NSA’s headquarters in Fort Meade is depicted with accurate internal schematics, thanks to research and insider consultants.
• Dean’s alias “Bobby Z” is a nod to screenwriter David Marconi’s earlier draft character.

Trivia

• Hackman and Smith only worked together in a handful of scenes, most of their interactions were shot separately.
• This film predicted real surveillance techniques used by the NSA, long before the Snowden leaks.
• It was one of the first major films to use digital compositing for real-time satellite imaging effects.
• A young Gabriel Byrne shot a scene as Brill’s former partner but was cut from the final version.

Why Watch?

If you’re into thrillers with real-world implications, Enemy of the State is essential viewing. It’s fast-paced, intelligently written, and surprisingly prescient. Watching it today feels almost prophetic in light of modern data privacy debates, and the chemistry between Will Smith and Gene Hackman is phenomenal.

Director’s Other Movies

• Top Gun (1986)
• True Romance (1993)
• Man on Fire (2004)
• Déjà Vu (2006)
• Crimson Tide (1995)

Recommended Films for Fans

• The Conversation (1974)
• Minority Report (2002)
• Snowden (2016)
• Three Days of the Condor (1975)
• The Bourne Identity (2002)
• Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
• Eagle Eye (2008)
• The Lives of Others (2006)