Movie audiences love plots concerning the everyday person caught up in extraordinary circumstances. From Cary Grant in "North By Northwest" and Harrison Ford in "The Fugitive," to John Travolta in "Blow Out," and Robert Redford headlining "Three Days of the Condor," watching these actors portraying men pushed to their limits has always thrilled moviegoers.
Now, thanks to mega-action film producer Jerry Bruckheimer and veteran director Tony Scott, you can add Will Smith's onscreen persona to that illustrious list of famous characters who spend two hours or so (of our time) trying to unravel a conspiracy, clear their name, and avoid being killed.
An updated retreading of the "evidence can be bad for you" scenario found in films such as "Blow Out" (itself based on the similarly plotted "Blow Up"), this is a satisfying techo-conspiracy thriller. Vastly more intelligent when compared with the testosterone-laced pedigree for which Bruckheimer and Scott are famous (with films such as "Armageddon" and "Con Air" being produced by the former and "Crimson Tide" and "Top Gun" being directed by the latter), the film does contain a smattering of such revved up action.
For the most part, however, the filmmakers are apparently more concerned with delivering a thinking person's thriller than a mindless, "smash-bang" action flick, and in that respect, they've admirably succeeded (unless you're looking for another brain dead film like "Armageddon"). In that regard, the use of advanced technology for domestic spying is effectively used and comes off as fun and somewhat spooky (considering what may be possible now or in the near future).
As such, the film's coolest effect uses that frozen panning technique (popularized in the "swing" Gap commercial) to zip around Smith's paused character viewed on a surveillance videotape. Although it defies logical physics unless the lingerie shop has many surveillance cameras all trained on the exact same area, it's still a neat visual effect.
All in all, and while Will Smith's recent string of box office mega-hits will end with this film -- its R rating will ensure that by limiting the potential audience -- the picture does appear to be a crowd pleaser and our preview audience seemed to enjoy it thoroughly.
This is despite the fact that at times the film feels as it isn't quite firing on all cylinders. While it does have some thrilling moments -- the first chase scene is well-executed and appropriately taut with suspense -- similar, but later scenes go through the same motions but don't quite burn with the same, and needed, intensity.
Will Smith ("Men In Black," "Independence Day") -- playing more of the straight man then he's done in his past films -- makes up for that occasional lack of intensity. Although he throws in a few quips here and other smart aleck remarks there, Smith appears to be striving for a transition into more "grown up" roles. More than adequately filling the conspiracy laden shoes of his highly acclaimed predecessors, Smith is quite good in the role of the bewildered lawyer who suddenly finds his world turned upside down.
In most conspiracy thrillers, part of the "fun" of watching them unfold is trying to figure out the central villain's identity while the protagonist does the same. Scott, working from a screenplay by David Marconi ("The Harvest"), opted to give the audience superior position over Dean, by allowing us to identify the head conspirator right from the start.
While this occasionally works in some films where the audience worries about the hero unknowingly putting himself in peril by crossing the villain's path, that tactic isn't used here. Instead, Scott and Marconi just get the ball rolling and allow the subordinate henchmen to supply the conflict for the protagonist. Although that works, it's not as effective as having the continuous sparring between the two "heavyweights."
As that main villain, Jon Voight ("The Rainmaker," "Mission: Impossible") is decent but not outstanding. Like many of his fellow former headlining actors, he's now pretty much relegated to playing the heavy, and while appropriately meanspirited and intense, his shallowly constructed character prevents him from really sinking his teeth into the role.
Faring better is Gene Hackman ("Crimson Tide," "Unforgiven") as the ex-covert operative and only possible salvation for our bewildered hero. One of the most reliable actors working today, Hackman -- decked out in his 1960's NASA style glasses and other appropriate garb -- delivers a performance different than one probably expects, but he's still quite good in the role.
Supporting performances are decent, including Lisa Bonet ("Angel Heart," TV's "The Cosby Show") as Dean's former girlfriend and current informant, but it's the bevy of actors -- such as Jake Busey, Jack Black and Jamie Kennedy -- playing the NSA covert operatives and "techies" who provide the film with substance.
Although the film occasionally feels as if it's running on autopilot and subsequently some of the suspense scenes in the middle don't have quite the "zip" they deserve, overall the movie works quite well and has a fun, well constructed, and audience pleasing ending. While it might not rank up there with the best conspiracy films, it's certainly a solid entry in the genre. We give "Enemy of the State" a 7 out of 10.