Enemy Mine (1985)

Enemy Mine (1985)
To be frank, I did not think 1985’s Enemy Mine would be anything special. Based on the trailer, it looked like to be one of those forgettable 80’s sci-fi flicks with cheesy special effects and no story. Ironically, the movie is nearly forgotten as time pass, but it really is not that bad of a film. I think the movie is a little dated (in terms of special effects), but the message behind the film is not. Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. carry the film as two completely opposite beings as enemies but eventually form a bond with one another.

The film had a long production road- a costly one that nearly got the film shuttered by 20th Century Fox. The film was originally helmed by Richard Loncraine. His work on the film was received negatively. It was so bad, he actually got fired. His shooting in Iceland looked nothing remotely science-fiction and Gossett’s makeup was atrocious. With the negative dailies received, the executives needed to do something. They hired Wolfgang Petersen to reshoot the film. Petersen, who was known for his 1981 film Das Boot, did not like science fiction in the vein of Star Wars. However, he did enjoy Ed Khmara’s script and found it more than a “shoot-em-up” picture set in space. From scratch, he started the film anew; the version as we know it today.

Based on a series of novellas, this film takes place in the far distant future. The galaxy is being colonized. Humans and a species called Dracs are at war with one another, over control of planets. During one fated space battle, Willis Davidge (Dennis Quaid) a space pilot, crashes into the volcanic planet of Fryine IV. A Drac named Jeriba or “Jerry” (Louis Gossett Jr) likewise crashes on the planet. Enemies at first, the two of them must put their differences aside if they will have any opportunity to survive. In time, they may be able to form a special friendship.

As the two main characters who share most of the screentime, it is important for Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. to deliver strong performances. On that end, they succeeded. The chemistry they have with one another is excellent. Regarding their characters, they could have been developed more but that is no fault of the performers. I have never been high on Quaid as an actor but give credit to where it is due. He made his stranded character believable.

The story itself is the weakest link. With the direction change and script rewrites, the story itself seems muddled. The message itself is very clear; that people with completely different backgrounds can form special friendships. I just needed more character development. There were some interesting ideas explored such as the Dracs are a species that are both male and female, thus allowing the Dracs to become pregnant.

Petersen was definitely a better fit when compared to Loncraine. The production design is outstanding. I felt like I was on this volcanic planet. The makeup and prosthetics used for the Dracs is downright scary and I appreciate that. Yeah, the visual effects are dated and a bit cheesy. Well, it is 1985 after all. Still, there was some fun action scenes to be had.

Overall, Enemy Mine is not the disaster it could have been. It was a financial disaster for the studio, but the quality is sufficient. It’s one of those films that is not talked about all these years later as it has been deemed “forgotten.” If you want to see a science fiction movie anchored by Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr, well here ya go. It could have used a better script, but we cannot have everything I suppose.

My Grade: B

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