“Demolition Man” (1993) starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes / Z-View

Demolition Man (1993)

Director: Marco Brambilla

Screenplay: Daniel Waters, Robert Reneau, Peter M. Lenkov, story by Peter M. Lenkov, Robert Reneau

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, Benjamin Bratt, Bob Gunton, Glenn Shadix, Grand L. Bush, Pat Skipper, Steve Kahan, Mark Colson, Andre Gregory, Troy Evans, Don Charles McGovern, Bill Cobbs, Dan Cortese, Jack Black, Adrienne Barbeau (voice), Rob Schneider, Jesse Ventura and Denis Leary

Tagline: The world’s most dangerous cop. The world’s most ruthless criminal. The 21st Century isn’t big enough for both of them.

The Plot…

In the near future, a maniac named Simon Phoenix (Snipes) kidnaps a busload of people.  Phoenix then fortifies himself in an abandoned warehouse protected by his gang.  A thermal reading shows no signs of the hostages.  The clock is ticking to keep the captives alive.  As the police prepare an assault, LAPD Detective John Spartan (Stallone) goes in alone.  Spartan works his way to Phoenix and they battle.  When Spartan gains the upper hand, Phoenix ignites an accelerate to blow up the building.

Spartan makes it out with Phoenix under arrest.  He then learns that the hostages were in the building.  All killed by the blast.  Because Spartan didn’t wait for authorization to go in, he is made a scapegoat.  Both Phoenix and Spartan are sentenced to the California Cryo-Penitentiary.  They will be placed in suspended animation for the length of their sentences.

Thirty-six years pass.

Simon Phoenix is revived from cryofreeze for his parole hearing.  Phoenix escapes his cuffs.  He kills the warden and guards.  Phoenix makes his escape into a world where violence is a thing of the past.  Phoenix is easily tracked. Officers are sent to arrest him. Phoenix kills them all.  It is then decided, they will revive John Spartan.  Spartan arrested Phoenix before.  He can do it again… they hope.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

In the original script the entire movie takes place in the future.  Fred Dekker, who did uncredited rewrites, suggested the movie open in the past to show Spartan and Phoenix’s clash.  Dekker’s rationale, “If you don’t show Kansas, Oz isn’t all that special.”

When Demolition Man was released overseas, references to Taco Bell (dubbing and digitally) where changed to Pizza Hut.  Taco Bell wasn’t known in many overseas countries.

Lori Petty was originally cast as Lenina Huxley.  After a few days of filming, Petty left and Sandra Bullock got the role. Creative differences and/or lack of chemistry with Sly Stallone have been given as reasons for the change.

Jack Black appears as one of the Wasteland Scraps.  Adrienne Barbeau is heard (uncredited) as the mainframe computer’s voice.  Rob Schneider appears uncredited.

A scene where Sly Stallone fights Jesse Ventura was cut before the film’s release.

The Demolition Man song was written by Sting for Grace Jones and appeared on her album Nightclubbing, released in 1981.  It was re-recorded by Sting for use in Demolition Man‘s end credits.  Sting then released Demolition Man featuring the song and other live tracks.

The opening sequence of Demolition Man (with the helicopter under attack, bungee jump to the roof, gunfights with gang and fight with Simon Phoenix) is one of Sly’s best.  It has a John Woo feel to it.

When I first saw Demolition Man I thought it had too much comedy/satire.  The film has grown on me over the years.

Demolition Man (1993) rates 4 of 5 stars.