★ 3 / 10
**A very dated and unsatisfactory film, which carries
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…
**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.
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★ 8 / 10
Don't let this be forgotten
bowmanblue
I always forget that Dennis Quaid was in this. Possibly because he seems to have been born to play gruff, middle-aged characters and I sometimes forget he was…
I always forget that Dennis Quaid was in this. Possibly because he seems to have been born to play gruff, middle-aged characters and I sometimes forget he was ever young! Just like a lot of people seemed to have forgotten about 'Enemy Mine.' I know that a sci-fi film without wall-to-wall light-sabre action doesn't always appeal to the masses, but I'm hoping there are enough people out there who still appreciate this - quite uplifting - character-driven piece.In the far future us humans are having one hell of a war with an alien species about who owns what in the cosmos. Casualties run deep on both sides and our plucky young space pilot, played by Quaid, ends up shooting down a rival alien on an uninhabited planet, only to find himself stranded there, too.What follows is effectively a two-man show, Quaid portraying the 'good guy' and Louis Gossett Jr heavily made-up in full reptilian garb as the alien. However, seeing as there's no way off this rock, the two of them are going to have to do their best to work together in order to survive. Both actors play their part in elevating this film from just a run-of-the-mill sci-fi B-movie into something much deeper. You'll get to know the two people and learn that our enemies aren't always the bad guys.Besides the delight in seeing great (alien) make-up and practical effects, there's a decent enough amount of humour which comes in the form of 'banter' between our two culturally-opposed leads. This humour never feels forced and comes from the natural misunderstandings that arise between them and lightens the tone enough for you to enjoy the film without feeling it's making light of their situation.There are a few plot points I won't go into in case you haven't seen this, but if you don't mind a less action-packed film which relies on character over set-pieces, definitely don't let this one pass you by.
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61%
TOMATOMETER
· 28 reviews
69%
AUDIENCE
· 10K ratings
6.9/10
55.5K
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Can't hear the voices. Bad audio.