MovieChat Forums > Enemy Mine (1985) Discussion > A story with a message 20 years ahead of...

A story with a message 20 years ahead of its time?

posted 17 years ago by archer75
10 replies | jump to latest

HAving just purchased enemy mine on DVD to replace my video, watched it again and thought about Spielberg's tagline "they're already here" which is a reference to Bush's view of terrorist cells already in the US.

Enemy Mine, if made today, would draw direct comparrisons between the struggle between the UN and Iraq, or betweem Middle East and Israel. When Jerry reads, he could almost be reading from the Koran.

Truth is truth is a comment often used when discussing similarities in religions. The ignorance that the two races show for each other and their coming together at the end, through the raising and rescuing of Zammis could be seen as a far sighted vision of a world where differing races and religions could live in harmony if they could see past the initial differences.

Any thoughts?

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] phreschke 16 years ago

The themes discussed in Enemy Mine will - unfortunately - never get old or outdated. There will always be hatred without reason, there will always be senseless struggle between men out of simple lack of acceptance.

The message was adequate in the 80's (and before that), is adequate today and will be adequate for a long time still.

[–] D0ts 16 years ago

that was favorite movie of my early childhood. forget crapy effects. it looked pretty good to me when i was 6.
I agree that idea is universal and it could have different context whatever that story would happening now, or 2o years, or 6o years ago. watching it once again recently I thought that similar story might have happened (except the baby thing :) lets say in WW2 between american and japaneese fighter pilots somewhere in pacific islands. I meen story of humanity overcomeming prejutice is universal.

[–] lantzn 15 years ago

You didn't have to go to the Pacific Islands to see this prejudice. There were many camps in America that were holding Americans of Japanese decent because of such beliefs. How sad war can be.

[–] Canadian Villain Garth Vader 16 years ago

Not necessarily ahead of its time. I mean, there was that whole "Cold War" thing going on at the time. You could take this basic plot and set it against pretty much any conflict from any time period.

[–] ssj_blackhowling 16 years ago

I agree, Hatred and racism is just as strong back then as it is now. It is simply directed in other directions but all comes from the same source of hate.

P.S

This film ****ing rules!

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Lunchbox-3 15 years ago

Just watched it again for the first time in a few years. The part that stood out to me was Davich reading from Jeri's book, the line he reads is (paraphrased) "when your enemy shows you violence do not return his violence but rather show him love." Yet when they start talking about territorial rights, it goes back to Davich saying "we legally annexed this land!" and Jeri saying "but we were here first!" and then they both get up in each other's grills ready to fight. It's just like today. Muslims, Jews and Christians all claim their holy books preach peace but they always find ways to justify war over disputes that generally involve nothing more important than land.

[–] leader (1730) 2 months ago

Exactly.