Drama

Science Fiction

Enemy Mine

Bavaria Film

SLM Production Group

Kings Road Entertainment

20th Century Fox

United States of America

English

Dennis Quaid

Louis Gossett Jr.

Brion James

Richard Marcus

Carolyn McCormick

Lance Kerwin

Bumper Robinson

Jim Mapp

Scott Kraft

Lou Michaels

Andy Geer

Henry Stolow

Danmar

Mandy Hausenberger

Herb Andress

Jack Luceno

Barry Stokes

Ulrich Günther

Emily Woods

Colin Gilder

Charles M. Huber

Frank Henson

Jazzer Jeyes

Doug Robinson

Mark McBride

Menyhért René Balog-Dutombé

Tony L. Moore

Tom Baker

Stephen J. Friedman

Stanley O'Toole

Wolfgang Petersen

Edward Khmara

Tony Imi

Hannes Nikel

Jane Feinberg

Mike Fenton

Troy Neighbors

Werner Achmann

Herbert Strabel

Rolf Zehetbauer

Monika Bauert

Bernhard Neureiter

Grahame Ménage

Gary Clayton

Ron Pender

Heiner Harss

Mel Kutbay

Mike Le Mare

Scott Brose

Alan Paley

Bruce Walters

Ellen E. Lichtwardt

Dave Carson

Christine Jahn

Don Dow

Martin Grace

Tony White

Karl-Heinz Vogelmann

Alfie Emmins

Micky Wilson

Robert Hathaway

Hunt Downs

Chris Walas

Maurice Jarre

Carol Walas

Bob MacDonald Jr.

Barry Longyear

Ariel Levy

Eddie Powell

Bill Weston

Terry Cade

Daniel Parker

Chris Taylor

Brian Wade

Jan-Michael Brandt

Dieter Meyer

Harry Nap

Walter Pucker

Scott Wodehouse

Bert Batt

Robert Hottarek

Gerd Huber

Thomas Jauch

Albrecht von Bethmann

Peter Dürst

Richard Eglseder

Josef Farnbauer

Zoltán Horváth

Michael Murchan

Peter Bond

Stanley B. Gill

John Ireland

Günther Ruckdeschel

Karola Storr

Markus Blunder

Jack Coggins

Michel Gemmell

Ray Gilberti

Bernie Grill

Randy Jonsson

Clive Prior

Ellen Lichtwardt Goodchild

Susan Fritz-Monahan

Kathy Sykes

Filipe Manuel Neto

**A very dated and unsatisfactory film, which carries a rather naive message about war and conflicts.**

This is one of those films that promises a lot when we read the synopsis, but ends up being disappointing: in its attempt to please different audiences, from sci-fi to drama and also action, it fails to satisfy anyone and I believe it was this feeling, more or less general, that led it straight to the oblivion bin where I found it.

Released in the golden age of sci-fi, when the genre experienced a very notable development and popularity, the film has a relatively warm story and begins with a war between humans and a reptilian alien species called “drac”. We follow the combat between two spaceships in a remote part of the universe until they both crash on the same planet. From here on, in order to survive, both will have to collaborate with each other, which opens the door to dialogue and mutual understanding.

I can understand what makes some people appreciate this film or want to see it: it has some good quality action that Wolfgang Petersen's solid direction emphasizes and enhances, and a script with a flowery and progressive message about prejudice and the importance of having a frank and open dialogue. That is, the film still comes in the aftermath of those ideas of peace and love from the 70s, where it seemed that all wars could end if there was a willingness to talk and understand whoever was on the opposite side.

However, neither the script nor the director are flawless: the film is excessively slow and has a variable and inconstant rhythm, we feel that it wastes time with a sentimentality worthy of a soap opera and injects a lot of melodrama without any advantage, like those people who stay for ten minutes talking before getting to what matters. With all this, the action, although good, is scarce and does not justify the film for fans of a good space fight. And the message of peace underlying the script forgets that all wars begin due to conflicts of interest, not exactly due to a lack of dialogue and mutual prejudices: I can understand my enemy very well and think that war is horrible, but decide to fight anyway if consider that I have a good chance of winning and, thus, have access to an advantage or gain that I would not be able to obtain otherwise.

Despite Dennis Quaid's sound and fame, the best actor in the film is Louis Gossett Jr., in an alien costume. The actor is not brilliant, he is average, but he manages to be incredible in the role, especially when he has an immature and charisma-free scoundrel like Quaid at his side. I've seen a few movies with him, and what he does here is essentially overact it and look stupid. Brion James deserves an honorable mention for the skillful villain he brought to life, but he adds little to the film.

Technically, it fits into the broad spectrum of mid-budget sci-fi films from the 80s: we have decent enough cinematography and some creatively invented aliens, to which must be added some good special effects. The general appearance is old: it is a visually very dated film and the sets and costumes, although effective, are unable to appear realistic. The sound isn't bad, but the soundtrack doesn't do much for the overall work.

ENEMY MINE Theatrical Trailer [1985] 4K

Max Landis on ENEMY MINE

Enemy Mine Trailer

Best Movies

Enemy Mine

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Dennis Quaid

Louis Gossett Jr.

Brion James

Richard Marcus

Carolyn McCormick

Lance Kerwin

Bumper Robinson

Jim Mapp

Scott Kraft

Lou Michaels

Box office

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