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 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.

Leofwine_draca ENEMY MINE is a movie that walks a fine line between being good and being not-so good. Half of the time, it has an intelligent story, more original than most and with a nice moral message which cries out against prejudice - it's no coincidence that the actor playing the alien is black. The film remains unpredictable throughout and thanks to strong characterisation you learn to sympathise with the two leads and their predicament. But, unfortunately, the script isn't so hot. Dennis Quaid is resorted to acting like an idiot and using childish insults for the first half before his character "matures", and then when we learn that the alien is having a baby, the screen is suddenly awash with sentimentality and schmaltz. This intensifies once we're introduced to the incredibly annoying alien kid, but then it's okay because things quickly change track for an action set-piece finale.The direction is steady under the hand of Wolfgang Petersen, who handles the various action sequences with some aplomb (remember, this is the guy who breathed life into the cat-and-mouse antics of aircraft hijack thriller AIR FORCE ONE in 1997). As for the special effects, well they look just like that, effects, and are pretty dated, but I did like the hostile alien landscape and the excellent meteor showers that take place. As for the various monsters and alien bugs inhabiting the planet, well they're about the same level of quality as STAR WARS, so can be enjoyed for what they are. Keep an eye out for the pit-dwelling beastie which drags victims to their death with a nasty tentacle/tongue - amusing stuff.As for the acting, well Dennis Quaid is just Dennis Quaid, as always, and mildly likable when he's not being a jerk. Louis Gossett Jr manages to deliver a good performance despite being hidden behind an alien reptile mask. Brion James shows up briefly and goes way over-the-top, as per usual, as a scarred psychotic villain. The film's finale is odd and more than a little jarring. After a relatively slow-paced running time (a little overlong, incidentally), we're suddenly treated to a cheesy action-fest as Quaid single-handedly invades a mining camp and takes down the sadistic guards who rule it. This bit is fun thanks to the imaginative deaths for the villains (which are pretty unpleasant, although bear in mind this is only a PG-13 film), including a nice arrow through the throat, a guy falling in a crusher and another man falling into a vat of molten steel - "frying tonight", indeed. The final outcome is more than a little predictable, however. Despite the many flaws, Enemy Mine is a watchable slice of family science fiction and it's a film which has its heart in the right place, and as such deserves credit.

grantss It is the late-2000s and Earth is at war with the Dracs, an alien race. During a battle, an Earth fighter pilot, Willis Davidge (played by Dennis Quaid), crash lands on a neutral, seemingly uninhabited planet. A Drac also crash-lands on the planet. Initially the two try to kill each other but soon they discover that they need each other to survive...An interesting story of friendship and tolerance, with a good message regarding race relations, and the stupidity of war. Quite emotional at times, especially in the middle third or so.However, very similar to Hell in the Pacific, made in 1968 and starring Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune. This movie was set in WW2 and involved a US pilot and a Japanese naval officer being marooned on an island together. Similar story progression (to a point) and similar moral themes. Other than the feeling that this has been done before (though in a different setting and with a different ending), there are a few other negatives to Enemy Mine. Final few scenes are cheesy action scenes and ruin, to a degree, the emotional buildup of the movie.Furthermore, the production values of the movie are quite poor. Yes, I know this was made in 1985 but the special effects in Star Trek (series and movie) and Battlestar Galactica (the original series), all made well before this, are much better.Overall, worth watching, especially if you haven't seen Hell in the Pacific yet. Better still: see Hell in the Pacific instead. It has a tighter plot, is not sci fi, so is more realistic and relatable, has better production values and is more subtle in its approach.

SnoopyStyle Late in the 21st century, humans finally finds peace at home and venture out into space. There they discover the race of reptilian Dracs and war breaks out. Far from home, Will Davidge (Dennis Quaid) is a fighter pilot engaged in a dogfight with the enemy. He crashes onto a desolate alien planet with his enemy Jeriba Shigan (Louis Gossett Jr). He is taken prisoner by the Drac but the language barrier prevents them from communicating. Meteorites rain down on the planet from time to time. Eventually both realizes that they must cooperate to survive.It's a minor sci-fi movie with a big message. The special effects are generally inferior but that's not where the movie's strength is. It's the relationship between the two leads. It's a compelling relationship. I'm always a sucker for people trying to communicate by learning each others' languages. Honestly, the baby is weird but it pays off at the end. Many TV shows have done episodes like this movie. Star Trek has done it at least twice. It's a very compelling sci-fi standard story.