Demolition Man (1993)

Director: Marco Brambilla

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock

A police officer is brought out of suspended animation in prison to pursue an old ultra-violent nemesis who is loose in a non-violent future society.

The viewer is immediately dropped smack bang into the action in an opening scene so impressive it looked like the film’s climax.

It is 1996. Sociopathic criminal Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes), keeps a busload of people hostage in an abandoned building. After failing to save the hostages – and involuntarily causing their deaths – Sergeant John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) – together with Simon – is sentenced to several decades sub-zero rehabilitation.

In 2032, Simon escapes during his parole hearing, killing several officers. The City of San Angeles has since become a crime-free city and the police is no longer used to violence and don’t carry guns. When Simon kills several more people and causes havoc in the city, they realize there is only one man wo can stop him: the same man who captured him back in 1996 – John Spartan.

John finds it difficult to adapt to the ‘new’ world and this causes many funny moments. It’s just a bit unrealistic that the population could – or would – have adapted so easily and quickly to the new way of life in just 36 years, especially considering the fact many of the characters were older. It was a bit exaggerated, but nevertheless still fun. There’s also plenty of satire.

Sandra Bullock stars as Lieutenant Lenina Huxley, who works together with John – well, sort of – to capture Simon. She serves mainly as comic relief, as her character is never to be taken seriously.

Being a big budget Sylvester Stallone film, there is action galore – Hollywood big budget style! Both Stallone and Snipes are in top form and I rather enjoyed Snipes as the villain. And boy, they seriously meant to give this film a CLIMAX!

‘Demolition Man’ earned $159 million on a budget of around $60 million. The film earned nominations for Best Science Fiction Film, Best Costumes, Best Special Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Villain.