74
Metascore
13 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90Screen DailyAllan HunterScreen DailyAllan HunterThis is a documentary that carefully, meticulously builds a case and then blindsides the viewer with revelations, second thoughts and fresh evidence that makes you reconsider everything you thought was certain.
- 90The New York TimesBen KenigsbergThe New York TimesBen KenigsbergKennebeck weaves uncertainty into the formal design, staging re-enactments mingled with original audio, for instance. The movie is a spoiler deathtrap, but the questions it raises are fascinating.
- 85TheWrapAlonso DuraldeTheWrapAlonso DuraldeEnemies of the State is a chilling watch, both for what it contemplates and for the internal path that each viewer will take while experiencing it. That some will come away from the film unwilling to accept its conclusions merely proves the film’s point.
- 83The Film StageJared MobarakThe Film StageJared MobarakIts in-depth dissection of what the concept of “truth” has become in an age of blindly devoted acolytes spreading information faster than it can be confirmed.
- 75The PlaylistJason BaileyThe PlaylistJason BaileyEnemies of the State is powered by a sense of momentum – it’s a story filled with unexpected twists and turns, and not just in terms of “plotting.” Kennebeck finds herself wrestling with the prickly proposition of unraveling where, exactly, the truth lies; it’s the job of any good documentary filmmaker, of course, but in this particular case, it’s a journey of discoveries and often disturbing ones.
- 75Slant MagazineChris BarsantiSlant MagazineChris BarsantiThe film’s concession to the fungible nature of presented reality comes across not as indecisive but courageous.
- 70VarietyTomris LafflyVarietyTomris LafflyWhile Enemies of the State does not necessarily provide all the answers, it sneakily sharpens your analytical radar by its haunting end. And in today’s conspiracy-theory-fueled world, that just might be everything.
- 67IndieWireEric KohnIndieWireEric KohnThe movie walks a jagged line between conflicting sources, and overplays some of the more outrageous claims to the detriment of the trenchant investigation at its core. However, Kennebeck still musters a fascinating and provocative study of today’s misinformation age simply by adopting its elusive terms.
- 60Film ThreatHanna B.Film ThreatHanna B.One cannot deny that the director provides all the clues possible, while still leaving it to the viewers to decide if this is a film, as one of the many lawyers featured mentioned, about “people being paranoid or is the system really out there to get them.”
- 40Austin ChronicleJenny NulfAustin ChronicleJenny NulfEnemies of the State fumbles along like a bad thriller, with shocking turns that land with a dull thud.