enemy of the state may be the best thriller about a innocent man on the run since the movie version of Mission : impossible . admittedly , such movie be largely the same story tell over and over again with differ interpretation , but director Tony Scott 's retelling be one of the most innovative .  these movie almost always revolve around a man catch in the grip of some paranoid government agency . this time , it be the audience that need to be paranoid , because if such a situation ever happen in real life , we be all up the creek . what make this one so creepy be the fact that some of the technology depict actually exist .  the affable Will Smith play a Washington , DC attorney name Robert Dean . the character be somewhat prone to get himself into hot water , and when he bump into a old school chum , he get some information a federal agency will literally kill to get back . to compound the problem , Dean do not even know he possess such dangerous information . even when it become apparent that some group be after he , as well as he family and friend , he be at first clueless as to what they want and then totally unaware of where what they want be . he be get a definite problem .  the people out to get he work for the Federal Information Agency , which have manage to link together all of we telecommunications technology . they can tap any type of digital telephone and pager at will . they can instantly pull up record on any citizen . they have install video camera everywhere and can tap into most private security camera . if necessary , they can follow people almost anywhere by call up any of hundred of satellite spin around Earth . the agency be truly a nightmare come true .  what Dean do not know he have be a videotape of a murder . the agency have dispatch a uncooperative congressman and make it look like a accident . the scene be unwittingly record by Dean 's old friend , who , realize what he have and be chase by the bad guy , slip it to Dean moment before he own death .  all of this be do at break neck speed . the movie start with a bang , and they keep come until it be over . there be some very fancy camera work and lot of well do special effect . the music be innovative , with a full orchestra play melodically against a intense electronic theme .  will Smith seem to be able to do anything . he have be a tv star . he remain a very successful singer . he be star in two huge hit , man in Black and Independence Day . this summer he play in Wild , Wild West . in enemy of the state , however , the limit of he act range be more apparent . it be not because this be any more serious than he other film , but because he be play against two act giant , Gene Hackman and Jon Voight . Voight be truly menacing as Thomas Reynolds , the man in the agency behind the murder . Hackman be superb as Edward Lyle , the technological master who be Dean 's one chance of survival . not only have these two be make movie since before Smith be bear , they both receive Academy award nomination when they be about he age . I do like Smith a great deal , and it be possible that he will turn out to be a late bloomer , much like Clint Eastwood and Harrison Ford , who both seem one - dimensional until they be nearly forty .