ENEMY MINE

US, 1985, 89 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Quaid, Louis Gossett.
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

Enemy Mine is science fantasy in the Star Wars vein, the consequences of Star Wars and the 21st. century. once the initial battle is over, the film becomes something of a parallel with Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune on an island in Hell in the Pacific. Two enemies are stranded and have to reconcile or act out the war with each other. The film is also reminiscent of Robinson Crusoe. Towards the end, with the slaves in the mines, there are echoes of Fritz Lang's Metropolis.

Dennis Quaid is good as the central character. Louis Gossett Jr. is unrecognisable as the alien Drak. There are excellent special effects for the planet, for the galactic battles, for the climax in the mine on the planet.

Direction is by Wolfgang Petersen, a director of German dramas who moved to international fame with The Boat and The Never-Ending? Story. The photography and effects are very good. There is a characteristic Maurice Jarre score.

1. Quality science fantasy? An enjoyable fable? The visual presentation of the future: the galaxies, explorations of space, Star Wars, alien planets, unusual and eerie landscapes, seasons?

2. Special effects? Monsters? The contrast between the humans and the Draks? Panavision photography. Maurice Jarre's score and moods? A fantasy world?

3. The title indicative of the fable: the loving of enemies, war and peace? The moralising tone of the film - involving the audience? Persuasive? Turning the other cheek, sharing with
the enemy, saving the enemy, being prepared to give life for others, the fullness of love? Hope for the future?

4. The cinema influences on the film: Star Wars, Davidge ultimately as an Indiana Jones character? Robinson Crusoe? Hell in the Pacific? Science fantasy like Outland? Echoes of Metropolis?

5. The Universe in the 21st. century: wars. their reasons, the truth? The Draks and their settling and colonising? Human reaction? Spaceships patrolling? The fighters? Davidge and his gung-ho style? The exhilaration of shooting the Drak spacecraft down? The hit, the crash, the pathos in the death of his companion and the final talk?

6. Information about the Draks, hostilities, their appearance - lizard-like, male and female, not human? Audience attitudes towards them?

7. The landscapes of the planet. the monster with its antenna, the turtle-like creature being devoured, the meteor showers, heat and cold, snow? Isolation in space? The two enemies and their crash-landings? Coping with the alien planet, attack and defence. guns and weapons, Davidge losing his gun, the Drak getting the upper hand, the lake on fire, Davidge and the electric shock from the craft? The Drak saving him? Tying him up? The need for food? The meteor storm? The ceasing of hostilities, mutual help? Wariness?

8. The beginnings of sharing, learning the language, the monster attacking and the Drak rescuing Davidge. the shells for the cabin after the collapse of the first one? The beginnings of communication, jokes and banter? Religion and religious themes, respect? The gift of the sacred book? The breaking down of hostilities and prejudice? The possibilities of understanding and friendship?

9. The possibilities of rescue? Davidge's search, discovering the miners? The Robinson Crusoe experience for both of them? Each as Robinson Crusoe, each the other's Man Friday? The Drak's pregnancy, the combination of masculine and feminine in harmony in the one person, the Drak's suggestion that the humans were isolated in themselves? The effect on the Drak, his dying to give birth? His philosophy of life? The pathos of his death and its effect on Davidge?

10. Davidge and the experience of the birth, the baby Drak, his care, love, training? His being called Uncle? The bond between the two? The same yet differences - and the boy Zammis looking at his reflection?

11. The interruption with the spacecraft, the miners and their cruelty, the Draks as slaves? Davidge and his wanting to protect Zammis? Zammis going, caught? Davidge killing one of the miners? His being shot? The dramatic impact as the audience thought he was dead? Lying prone on the ground, spotlit?

12. His rescue, the burial - and the religious book around his neck, the technology to restore him to health? The background of the spacecraft. computer technology and medicine? The support of friends?

13. His decision to go on the mission, his disobeying orders? Landing? The Indiana Jones-type hero of the future? The mine and the works, the Draks as slaves. his rescuing the Draks. their accepting him as Uncle? The confrontation with the humans? Their cruelty? The ugliness of their deaths? The confrontation with the chief miner, his desire for revenge, his control over Zammis? Davidge rescuing Zammis? The space mission rescuing them both? The restoration of harmony?

14. The optimism of the ending? The possibilities of understanding, reconciliation and peace?