Enemy Mine Reviews

Summary During a lengthy space war, the lives of two wounded enemies become dependent on their ability to forgive and to trust.

• Action

• Adventure

• Drama

• Sci-Fi

Although you probably haven't heard much about Enemy Mine this season, you might want to check it out. You'll be pleasantly surprised. [23 Dec 1985, p.C2]

If you are a science-fiction fan (and I am), Enemy Mine is a fun diversion, maintaining a precarious balance between laughable and melodramatic. But you do get the feeling they had hoped for an earth-shaking metaphor. [27 Dec 1985, p.21]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Amazing and very surprising movie! What attracts the most are the unexpected events that take place during film time, and the form of communication between the man and the alien.

Enemy Mine is one of my favorite sci-fi films.

The movie has the potential to be a truly great story about communication between alien species; it could have been a space thriller with a mind and a heart. Instead, it gives us an alien that is too human, too familiar. It takes that amazing planet and gives it food, water, gravity and atmosphere that are suitable for both humans and Dracs. It depends on plot gimmicks like the convenient arrival of enemies and the equally convenient arrival of friends to the rescue. It doesn't dare enough.

In trying to cover so many bets, Petersen has created a film without an identifiable style or subject of its own.

A costly, awful-looking science-fiction epic with one of the weirdest story lines ever to hit the screen.

One of the largest wastes of money ever. More than $33 million was spent on this futuristic version of THE DEFIANT ONES or HELL IN THE PACIFIC, both infinitely superior films. The basic flaw is that its premise is older than your great-grandfather's hat.

A unique science fiction movie that surprised me. It is based on a book from Isaac Asimov. Humanity is at an interstellar war with the Drac who resemble humanoid reptilians. No side is winning however. In a space battle the human pilot Willis and his Drac enemy Jareeba managed to shot down each other and both crash land on a barren planet. In order to survive they have now to work together. Here I stop to avoid spoilers. The story is refreshing and not your typical science fiction stuff. It focused on character growth and ask serious questions about war, hatred and understanding each other. If you want a popcorn science fiction spectacle I think this is the wrong movie. If you want something that makes you think and grabs you emotional this is more for you. It is touching and immersive. On the bad side I think they overburdened a bit the messages of the movie. Could be just me but a warning should be fair. The actors fully delivered for me and we have a strong main cast with Dennis Quaid as Willis, Louis Gosset Jr. as Jarreba and Bumper Robinson as Zammis. Really strong performance that keep me engaged in the movie. I enjoyed the special effects, sets and costumes back then but don’t know if they hold up today. For its time and budget it was however more than satisfying. Overall I think this is worth to watch if you want something different. Unique movies like that a rare in our times so you have to go to older movies or classics. An 8/10 is fair for me.

This film entertained me, but, more importantly, it made me seriously and in-depth contemplate humanity: What humankind may need to suffer in order to survive the long term — from ourselves! — is an even greater nemesis (perhaps a multi-tentacled ET?) than our own politics of difference, against which we could all unite, attack and defeat — all during which we'd be forced to work closely side-by-side together and witness just how humanly similar we are to each other.

This is such a weird movie. It's heart is in the right place and I love that it commits to the material but it's just such an odd little film with a great turns by hunky Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. As Drac. It concerns a man that crashes on a desolate alien planet with only one other his enemy. Over time they forge a connection and than sort of a family as a child is born and the alien is asexual. The movie is definitely interesting and it does some intriguing things with the material that offers subtext about racism and understanding. Although it is emotionally resonant and engaging the movie never completely connects the way it should. That being said, it's still a fascinating but flawed production. Budget: $48m Domestic Box Office: $12m Worldwide Box Office: $12m 3.5/5

Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival

• 2 Wins & 3 Nominations

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA