Review of Enemy Mine (1985) by Adrian A — 01 Mar 2008

This is a very touching and beautifully photographed movie that I have sat through several times.

I remember hearing a Questions and Answers session with Gene Roddenberry (creator of Star Trek) recorded at a convention in the USA. One fan stood up and asked Mr. Roddenberry if he felt that we on Earth would EVER meet aliens from another planet in the not too distant future, to which he replied,.

"God, I hope not. People of Earth cannot get on together, so how would we treat aliens if we met them?".

This movie illustrates his point beautifully, but goes on to prove that when the odds of survival are against you, it's only by getting on that you survive. There are valuable lessons to be learned here.

I have to mention the score, as so few others have done so. The music for Enemy Mine was written by Maurice Jarre who also wrote the music for Lawrence Of Arabia and compliments the movie beautifully. The model work seems a bit primitive by today's standards, and some of the Matte work is a bit obvious, but the sets in general are huge and ambitious and there are more plusses than minuses. I highly recommend this as a film that MUST be watched.