Enemy of the State

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Enemy of the State is a 1998 film written by David Marconi, directed by Tony Scott, and starring Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, and Lisa Bonet. The film grossed over $250,000,000 worldwide ($111,549,836 domestically - all figures in USD).

Tagline: It's not paranoia if they're really after you.

1 Plot
2 Trivia
3 See also
4 External link

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Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

As the movie opens, legislation is pending to expand surveillance powers of law enforcement agencies. Republican Senator Phil Hammersleigh (Jason Robards, uncredited), who is trying to stop the bill, is killed by rogue NSA agents supervised by Thomas Reynolds (Jon Voight). The operatives are not aware that the murder is being recorded by a video camera used to track populations of geese.

A geese population researcher named Daniel Zavitz (Jason Lee) removes the tape from the camera. Upon playing it, Zavitz discovers it contains footage of the murder. However, Zavitz is seen by an NSA agent while recovering the tape from its camera. The agents pursue Zavitz.

Will Smith plays Robert Clayton Dean, a labor lawyer working in trade union cases. While shopping for his wife, Dean encounters Zavitz, fleeing the NSA agents. Unbeknownst to Dean, Zavitz drops the videotape into his shopping bag and escapes, only to be killed in traffic. Using high-tech satellite technology, the NSA quickly discovers that Dean must be in possession of the tape, and a chase develops.

The only person who might be able to help Dean is Brill (Gene Hackman), who traces the rogue unit in the NSA. After the tape is accidently destroyed, they stage an encounter and create a Mexican standoff between the NSA agents and a mafia representative (Tom Sizemore, uncredited) along with a dozen or so mobsters, who have been threatening Dean. A large shootout ensues, with Dean and Brill among the survivors as Reynolds and nearly all of the men involved in the conspiracy and the mobsters are killed. The plot to behind the legislation is revealed and only two survivors are left to tell the truth (Jack Black, Jamie Kennedy), who are reluctant to confess.

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Trivia

The movie had a TSCM consultant in the staff, who also played a minor role as a spy shop merchant.
The movie deals heavily with issues that cropped up again in the debate over the United States Patriot Act. Coincidentally, the antagonist and foremost proponent of the anti-privacy bill (Reynolds) is shown in the film to have a birthday on September 11.
Mel Gibson and Tom Cruise were considered for the part that went to Will Smith. George Clooney was also considered for a role in the film, which may have been the Reynolds role.

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