# Enemy of the State

> 1998 film by Tony Scott

**Wikidata**: [Q177930](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q177930)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_of_the_State_(film))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/enemy-of-the-state

## Summary
Enemy of the State is a 1998 American action thriller film directed by Tony Scott. It stars Will Smith and Gene Hackman and explores themes of government surveillance and privacy in the digital age. The film was produced by Scott Free Productions and Touchstone Pictures.

## Key Facts
- Released in 1998 with multiple regional release dates including November 18, 1998, November 20, 1998, December 17, 1998, and December 18, 1998.
- Directed by Tony Scott.
- Produced by Scott Free Productions (founded January 1, 1980) and Touchstone Pictures (founded February 15, 1984).
- Belongs to the action film and thriller film genres.
- Set in the United States, which declared independence on July 4, 1776, and had its independence internationally recognized on May 12, 1784.
- Has 41 sitelinks across various language editions.
- Categorized under film, defined as a sequence of images that give the impression of movement stored on film stock.
- Features production companies based in the United Kingdom (Scott Free Productions, headquartered in London) and the United States (Touchstone Pictures, headquartered in Burbank, California).

## FAQs
**What is Enemy of the State?**  
Enemy of the State is a 1998 American action thriller film directed by Tony Scott. It centers on a lawyer who becomes the target of a corrupt agency's surveillance operation after inadvertently receiving a piece of evidence that leads to a cover-up. The film critiques the growing power of surveillance technology in modern society.

**Who produced Enemy of the State?**  
The film was produced by Scott Free Productions, a British production company founded in 1980 and headquartered in London, and Touchstone Pictures, an American film production company established on February 15, 1984, and based in Burbank, California.

**What genre is Enemy of the State?**  
Enemy of the State is classified as both an action film and a thriller film. It combines high-octane sequences with suspenseful storytelling to explore themes of surveillance and conspiracy.

**When was Enemy of the State released?**  
The film had multiple release dates in late 1998, including November 18, November 20, December 17, and December 18, 1998.

**What is the significance of the film’s title?**  
The title Enemy of the State refers to the central conflict in which the protagonist is framed as a threat to national security by a corrupt government agency, highlighting the misuse of surveillance powers.

**What industries are associated with the production companies?**  
Scott Free Productions operates in the film and television production industry, while Touchstone Pictures is part of the broader film production industry.

**What does the term “film” mean in this context?**  
In this context, a film is defined as a sequence of images that give the impression of movement, stored on film stock, and is a medium for storytelling and entertainment.

## Why It Matters
Enemy of the State is significant for its prescient exploration of surveillance and privacy issues, themes that have become increasingly relevant in the digital age. The film critiques the unchecked power of intelligence agencies and the potential for abuse of technology. It resonates with contemporary debates on civil liberties and government overreach, making it a culturally and politically relevant work. Its action-packed narrative and star-studded cast helped bring these issues to mainstream audiences, contributing to public awareness about digital surveillance long before the widespread use of the internet and personal data collection became common.

## Notable For
- Being a pioneering mainstream film to critically examine government surveillance before such issues became widely publicized.
- Featuring a high-profile cast including Will Smith and Gene Hackman, bridging mainstream entertainment with political commentary.
- Highlighting the tension between national security and individual privacy, a theme that gained renewed relevance in the 21st century.
- Produced by two major companies: Scott Free Productions (UK) and Touchstone Pictures (USA), showcasing a transatlantic collaboration.
- Belonging to both the action and thriller genres, combining entertainment with a cautionary narrative.

## Body

### History
Enemy of the State was released in 1998, with multiple premiere dates including November 18, November 20, December 17, and December 18. The film was directed by Tony Scott and produced by Scott Free Productions and Touchstone Pictures. It emerged during a period of growing concern over privacy and government surveillance, themes that were becoming increasingly relevant in the digital age.

### Production
The film was a collaborative effort between two major production companies:
- **Scott Free Productions**, a British production company founded on January 1, 1980, headquartered in London, and operating in the film and television production industry.
- **Touchstone Pictures**, an American film production company established on February 15, 1984, based in Burbank, California, and part of the film production industry.

### Genre and Themes
Enemy of the State is classified as both an **action film** and a **thriller film**. As a thriller, it is designed to evoke excitement and suspense in the audience. The narrative explores themes of surveillance, privacy, and government overreach, positioning the protagonist as an unwilling target of a corrupt system.

### Cultural and Political Context
Set in the **United States**, which declared independence on July 4, 1776, and had its independence internationally recognized on May 12, 1784, the film uses its American setting to critique the country's evolving relationship with surveillance technology. The film's narrative reflects growing societal concerns about the erosion of privacy in the face of advancing digital monitoring tools.

### Definition and Medium
Enemy of the State is a **film**, defined as a sequence of images that give the impression of movement, stored on film stock. It represents a traditional cinematic approach to storytelling, using visual and narrative techniques to engage with contemporary issues.

### Reception and Legacy
The film has 41 sitelinks, indicating its presence in multiple language editions and global reach. Its narrative continues to be cited in discussions about surveillance, particularly in light of later revelations about mass data collection by government agencies.

### Related Entities
- **Scott Free Productions** is a British production company founded in 1980, with headquarters in London, operating in the film and television industry.
- **Touchstone Pictures** is an American film production company founded on February 15, 1984, based in Burbank, California, and part of the film production industry.
- **Action film** and **thriller film** are the two genres to which Enemy of the State belongs.
- The **United States**, the film's primary setting, plays a central role in its narrative and thematic concerns.

### Technical and Structural Details
Enemy of the State is a feature-length film produced using traditional film stock. It combines high-stakes action with a complex narrative to explore the implications of surveillance in modern society. The film's production values, including cinematography and editing, support its thematic goals by creating a tense, visually engaging experience.

### Cultural Impact
The film's early engagement with surveillance themes positions it as a culturally significant work that anticipated later debates about privacy and government overreach. Its influence extends beyond entertainment into discussions about civil liberties and digital rights.

## References

1. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120660/)
2. [Source](http://www.filmaffinity.com/en/film634106.html)
3. [Source](http://stopklatka.pl/film/wrog-publiczny-1998)
4. [Source](http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=16026.html)
5. [Source](http://www.metacritic.com/movie/enemy-of-the-state)
6. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120660/fullcredits)
7. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
8. The Movie Database
9. Enemy of the State. Rotten Tomatoes
10. [Source](http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=enemyofthestate.htm)
11. [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120660/releaseinfo)
12. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
13. Box Office Mojo
14. Kinopoisk
15. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/enemy-of-the-state/)
16. terjesztesre_kerulo_filmalkotasok_nyilvantartasa.xlsx
17. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
18. [Source](https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/visas-et-classification/96085)
19. Cineplex
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22. Bechdel Test Movie List
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24. [Source](https://ui.eidr.org/view/content?id=10.5240/853A-1101-1513-F040-D000-H)
25. Danish Film Database
26. [Source](https://www.acmi.net.au/works/95460)
27. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/Enemy_of_the_State-W3EG3PZ)
28. TheTVDB
29. Trakt.tv
30. FilmVandaag.nl