Intriguing But Without A Past

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2019)

19 March 2001. While I really liked Enemy, I couldn't but wonder why for so much concentration on the main characters we never really found out much about their past and what made them do what they do. Overall the movie wasn't a "Saving Private Ryan" which in itself wasn't a bad thing. I particularly liked the interplay between Law and Harris and the low tech but high minded duel between the two. What would have been even better was a Russian produced film with a Russian script and Russian directed film. I came away from the film wondering if the portrayal in the movie was severely bias against today's America's so called "enemy". The movie was richly lavish, the context, texture, the patience all made the movie a delightful thriller and emotional package. Ed Harris came across real well both as a person and cold-bloodedness. The real debate here is who really was the better sniper? [3/30/08]: This movie really holds up well with repeating viewing and whether or not the past of these characters are revealed seems to be irrelevant to the real here and now, present concern about love, male competition. The fascinating interplay of two plot lines - the eventual sniper duel and the love triangle make for a balanced and intellectually, emotionally satisfying connection. The double-agent spy in the form of a little boy is even intriguing along with the eventual outcome of the boy's mother. There is epic mythology, media propaganda, the infamous Krushchev, inevitable Premier of Russia. This movie remains a strong 8/10 and even improves with age.