Demolition Man (1993)

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.

Director:

Marco Brambilla

Writers:

Peter M. Lenkov (story), Robert Reneau (story)

Stars:

Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock

1 win & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sylvester Stallone	...	John Spartan
Wesley Snipes	...	Simon Phoenix
Sandra Bullock	...	Lenina Huxley
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Dr. Raymond Cocteau
Benjamin Bratt	...	Alfredo Garcia
Bob Gunton	...	Chief George Earle
Glenn Shadix	...	Associate Bob
Denis Leary	...	Edgar Friendly
Grand L. Bush	...	Zachary Lamb - Young
Pat Skipper	...	Helicopter Pilot
Steve Kahan	...	Captain Healy
Paul Bollen	...	T.F.R. Officer
Mark Colson	...	Warden William Smithers - Young
Andre Gregory	...	Warden William Smithers - Aged
John Enos III	...	Prisoner (as John Enos)

Storyline

Frozen in 1996, Simon Phoenix, a convicted crime lord, is revived for a parole hearing well into the 21st century. Revived into a society free from crime, Phoenix resumes his murderous rampage, and no one can stop him. John Spartan, the police officer who captured Phoenix in 1996, has also been cryogenically frozen, this time for a crime he did not commit. In 2032, the former cities of Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Barbara have merged into peaceful, utopian San Angeles. Unable to stop him with their non-violent solutions, the police release Spartan to help recapture Phoenix. Now after 36 years, Spartan has to adapt himself to the future society he has no knowledge about.

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Plot Keywords:

year 2032 | totalitarianism | censorship | cyberpunk | cryonics | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for non-stop action violence, and for strong language

Did You Know?

Trivia

(at around 5 mins) In the building demolition scene of the Belknap Hardware and Manufacturing Company, Louisville, Kentucky, the buildings that were demolished first were for the public to see Wesley Snipes and Sylvester Stallone in person in a symbolic way. The building used in the movie was only three stories tall, and the demolition crew had to pour gasoline all over the building to set it on fire, so that it would glow for a few seconds before they imploded the entire structure. It was filmed at night for better effects, and you can hear Director Marco Brambilla cheering after the building has fallen.

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Goofs

When Spartan drives for the first time with Huxley, Spartan says "I come out of cryoprison and I'm Betsy F***ing Ross" but he is not given a credit fine for swearing.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Zachary Lamb - Young: Remember when they used to let commercial airlines land in this town?
Helicopter Pilot: Yeah. Well, I don't understand where we're going, or why the hell we're bothering anyhow.

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Alternate Versions

The television version omits the refernce that Simon Phoenix makes to cannibal killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

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Connections

Referenced in Nostalgia Critic: The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2016)

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Soundtracks

Nobody Doesn't Like Sara Lee
Written by Fred Ebb and Mitch Leigh
Courtesy of Sara Lee Bakery

User Reviews

Not as bad as people say!

This is one of those films that it is popular to think is rubbish. I'm not quite sure why. Don't take it seriously and it's a fun ride.

Wesley Snipes and Sly Stallone play off each other well as the forces of bad and good -- old foes that have come out of chryo-generic storage hundreds of years into the future.

Sandra Bullock as the nostalgia [for Stallone's time, naturally] struck cop isn't even rubbish and annoying -- a first time for everything!

Watch out for a fun performance by Nigel Hawthorne also.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 October 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Demolition Man

Filming Locations:

Park Place Office Campus - 3345 Michelson Drive, Irvine, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$57,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,262,432, 10 October 1993

Gross USA:

$58,055,768

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$58,055,768

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Silver Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo (4 channels)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1