Customer Reviews

Demolition Man [VHS]

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(58)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Demolition Man is one of those rare action flicks that seem to have intellegence beyond the guns and explosions. Sylvester Stallone plays John Spartan, a reckless cop who has made it his mission to bring down his arch-enemy Simon Phoenix. Phoenix is a crime lord who has kidnapped 30 bus passengers. John Spartan rushes in and attempts to save them and apprehend Phoenix, but the passengers apparently die in an explosion set by Phoenix. John Spartan is arrested for the deaths of the passengers and charged with involuntary manslaughter, and both men are sent to a cryogenic prison, and frozen. But decades later in the year 2032, Phoenix escapes, and all hell breaks loose.

The world has become peaceloving, and there are no more violent weapons on the streets, and physical contact of any kind is frowned upon. So you can imagine the kind of time a criminal like Phoenix would be having. The only way to stop him is to thaw Spartan, and soon the 2 enemies go at it all over the futuristic city of San Angeles. Sandra Bullock also stars as the cop who becomes the partner of Spartan in the future, and she starts to question everything she has been brought up to believe in.

This is where the film becomes an intellegent satire as well as an action film. The future, while bright and crime-free, has left the world without freedom. Salt, red meat, and even sex has become illegal. The police encode chips into peoples hands so they can keep track of them wherever they go. But once Spartan is released, he takes an immediate disliking to the brave new world. Interlaced in all of this is plenty of humor in the dialogue, as Stallone's character does and says things that freaks out the people around him who have never seen behavior like that before. As for the action, this film has some incredible action scenes. There is a brawl between Phoenix and Spartan on a futuristic highway going 70 miles an hour, and plenty of shootouts. This DVD doesn't offer much in the way of extras, but there is a good commentary by the director, and standard/wide picture sizes of the film, and a trailer. One of the best action movies of the 90's, right up there with T2.

1996: The city of Los Angeles is an absolute wreck. Crime abounds, with the most notorious bad guy around, Simon Phoenix(Wesley Snipes) taking it all in like one big joke. John Spartan (Stallone) has been after this guy for several years, but in the process of finally arresting Phoenix, the building around them explodes, appartently taking several innocent hostages up with it. Spartan is stripped of his rank and sentenced to cryogenic imprisonment for 70 years.

2032: Spartan has served 36 years of his sentence. Phoenix, who was imprisoned in the same facility, escapes and begins to reinvigorate his reign of terror. The only problem is that the LA that Spartan, Phoenix, and the rest of us all know and love has turned into a megalopolis called San Angeles, a politically correct paradise where there is absolutely no violent crime---correction, no crime of any kind---whatsoever. (There is also no profanity, and anyone who swears is fined for violations of the Verbal Morality Statute.) Consequently, people have forgotten how to deal with a fugitive like Phoenix. The only solution is to bring Spartan out of the freezer, which is exactly what happens.

This movie introduced me to action movies, particularly Stallone movies, and the movie soundtrack genre. The special effects will blow you away all by themselves. This was also the first movie I ever saw with Sandra Bullock. Perhaps it's because of her airy portrayal of Lt. Huxley that made me think of her as my favorite actress for a while. But that's another story.

I think that San Angeles is a funny bone-tickling example of political correctness gone to far. Either that or it's social conservatism. Sometimes I wonder if San Angeles is the kind of world people in the family values crowd would like to live in. In any case, even if you don't like action movies very much, I think you will like this one.

This is an enormously entertaining film that is slyly intelligent, chock full of action, and quite humorous. The time is the future, 2032 AD. The location is California, and the police just ain't what they used to be, as the future is a sanitized, politically correct world, where only the most benign behavior is the standard by which all live. Even bad language is a no no. The police of the future have nothing in common with the police of the past. Guns are outlawed, as is all physical violence. Los Angeles is no more, having merged with San Diego into a new entity known as San Angeles, which is ruled by the architect of the new society, Dr. Raymond Cocteau, who is played with sage aplomb by the late Nigel Hawthorne. He is not, however, all that he seems.

This is, indeed, a "brave new world" and Lenina Huxley, played with delicious comic abandon by Sandra Bullock, is a police woman who waxes nostalgic for the past. The LAPD is now the SAPD. Her colleague, Alfredo Garcia, played with Eagle Scout earnestness by Benjamin Bratt, epitomizes the new order of things. He is a Dudley-do-right without the wherewithal to set right what is soon to go wrong. His is a future where everyone's whereabouts are known to the police, as all are tagged with a device that allows the police monitor their whereabouts. His is a future where all obey instantly, and civility is the standard of the day. His is a future where all address each other by their full names. His is a future where meat is no longer a food item, the use of salt is illegal, and corporate franchise wars have left Taco Bell to reign supreme as THE restaurant of the time. His is a future where sex is a non-contact activity.

The violent past intrudes on this sanitized future in the persona of Simon Phoenix, played with over-the-top abandon by a blond Wesley Snipes, who, like a phoenix arising out of the ashes, is freed from his cryogenic prison and unleashed upon an unprepared SAPD. Clueless in the face of such testosterone charged violence, the SAPD arrange to have twentieth century super lawman John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) released from his own cryogenic prison in hopes that he will be able to deal with the chaotic nature of Simon Phoenix and stop his senselessly violent rampage. Lenina Huxley is teamed up with Spartan in order to help him adjust to this brave new world. She is over-the-top with happiness at this development, as her fondness for nostagia will be sated by the opportunity to get up close and personal with a blast from the past.

Needless to say, Spartan and Phoenix clash, as old warriors are wont to do. There is enough violence, mayhem, and action to satisfy the most die hard fans of this genre. What happens will not disappoint the viewer, as old scores are settled, inequitable situations are righted, and a brave new world gets a little fine tuning for the better. This action flick, sci-fi crossover does not fail to entertain, and it does so more intelligently than most films in this genre. Make no mistake, however, while Wesley Snipes gives her a run for her money, it is Sandra Bullock who steals the show with her drolly delivered dialogue, her deft comedic timing and innate charm. Sylvester Stallone, as wooden as ever, is not even a blip on the radar.

God, has it been 10 years already since this movie came out? I still remember renting it when it was first available on video and watching it about three times before I returned it to the store. It wasn't necessarily excellent for me, but the action and humor was what kept me coming back. That and Wesley Snipes. And it's very nice to see how well it's help up after all this time.

Basically every other reviewer has written a plot, so I won't bother. What I will say is that it's almost shocking to see an action movie (starring Sly, no less) with such a great and intelligent script. Yes, I said intelligent. You know those movies where the basic premise is so intriguing, but the outcome is anything but? Well, Demolition Man takes full advantage of it's admittedly silly set-up. How are two maniacs from the 20th century going to respond to an almost too-good-to-be-true Utopian society in 2036? Simple: with explosives, guns and plenty of naughty words. Whenever something isn't blowing up in this movie, we're treated to some very comical situations. Citations are given for bad language, Taco Bell is the only restaurant in San Angeles, three seashells have replaced toilet paper, the only "oldies" you'll find on the radio are commercial jingles, police are just as clueless as the next civilian on how to handle criminals and the list pretty much goes on and on. The humor is the bulk of why I like this movie so much, but the action is also pretty good.

Stallone is given kudos for being able to keep a straight face throughout such ludicrous situations, and Sandra Bullock makes for a cute sidekick/love interest, but it's Wesley Snipes who steals the movie as psychopath Simon Phoenix. Sporting bleach blonde hair and funky looking eyes, he's great fun to watch. It's amazing how underrated this guy is; I don't think people realize just how good Snipes actually can be until they really sit down to think about it. Would the Blade films be as much fun if someone else were cast in the title role? Would New Jack City have been watchable without him? I don't think so.

The DVD is okay; anamorphic widescreen, 5.1 surround and all that, but the features are typically slim for an early Warner release. I suppose a 10th anniversary edition is now out of the question; ah, well. At least we get a director's commentary and the film does look great.

Great price, so highly recommended. Pick it up and take that 10 year trip to the past to visit 30 years into the future.

Wes usually takes the hero role but maybe he should consider taking more villians. He makes Simon Phoenix a vibrant crackling character that really owns this movie. Everyone does a game job and seems to be having fun in this one. Even Sly is tolerable!

The film begins in present day and then catapults into futuristic LA after the world is nearly destroyed by our violent tendencies. As Phoenix opines "the world has turned into a bunch of robed sissies". How do our hero and villian get transported into time? Well it seems a mix up back in the day got our two leads locked in cryo-prison where they stayed frozen in their distinctive eras. At a parole hearing Phoenix escapes and the new world is needless to say ill equipped to handle a criminal as violent as he is. This leads to the reanimation of Stallone and the chase is on.

They do a good job with the fish out of water element and as I said they have some good supporting work. Bullock, Leary, and Bratt do good jobs in their roles and the story while a little flat at times never bogs down too much. The movie knows it is here to entertain and it does that in spades.

I completely disagree with Amazon.com's review of this movie. I couldn't even get past the first five minutes of "Austin Powers," but we watch this movie any time we want to laugh. I can't point to one part of it we like more than others -- basically it's just a good, funny action movie. Enjoy! END

This movie is pretty accurate!

1) Cars of the "future" look similar to what they look like now!

2) Arnold became governor (close enough, considering he can't actually become the president)!

3) Wesley Snipes is in jail

I mean, I could go on and on and on!

Los Angeles in the year 1996. The streets are ruled by acts of violence and terror, nothing and nobody is safe. Simon Phoenix is one of the worst criminals that Los Angeles has ever seen, and only one man can stop him - L.A.P.D. officer John "Demotion Man" Spartan. When John apprehended Phoenix, he was surprisingly found as an accessory to the recent crime and was also sent to the "Cryo Prison". During John Spartan's sentence, Los Angeles' theme and society had dramatically changed from one of violence to one of peace. Phoenix, revived for a parole hearing managed to escape and uses Los Angles to his advantage. The Police are unable to stop him with their non-violent solutions and have no choice but to let out John Spartan to stop him. Now, Spartan not only has to stop Phoenix, but to adapt himself to the future society he has no knowledge about. The humor in the movie is exceptional, and Wesley Snipes is great as Simon Phoenix. A silly, but fun movie to watch.

There is normally a glut of action oriented science fiction movies that come out each summer and it's hard to pick out the good ones from the bad ones. At times I can be as eager as the next guy to just have a fun popcorn movie that doesn't rely on any deep storytelling, but just good old high flying action. Demolition Man, while not deep, still pulls off some detailed storytelling while still keeping that mindless mayhem most action junkies look for. That being said Demolition Man isn't exactly top gun material either, but it is a worthwhile romp into an interesting (if not completely believable) future.

The premise alone is enough to pique my interest. It's a combination fish-out-of-water story and action cop flick. Lets talk about the former since that's where the story comes from. The beauty of fish-out-of-water scripts is seeing the reactions of the fish in question and how they cope with the new world they are in. This movie has a lot of fun with that concept without getting too over the top. It's really entertaining seeing Stallone trying to figure out stuff (especially the three shells incident). The future society is almost campy in how it's done, but it's very polished camp. It is the kind of camp that doesn't come off as camp. Though technically speaking the society in the movie is virtually impossible the way they show it you still can't help but enjoy all the little situations that happen within it.

The characters are really polished... save one. But lets talk about the polished ones first. You have some really talented actors here portraying their characters perfectly. From the starring cast to the supporting cast you get a wonderful ensemble that fits into their respective roles like a glove... save one. That one character Simon Phoenix, which feels way too cartoonish and aloof to fit in as well as the other characters in the movie. Don't get me wrong. Wesley Snipes did a superb job acting the role. It's just the role itself could have used some tweaking. With this kind of tight acting I will have to give props to Brambilla for some excellent directing here. The city design is equally polishes, using just enough future stuff to make it believable. The special effects are good, but keep in mind this being an action movie the explosions do get over the top. The fight scenes are nicely choreographed as well, showing some prowess on Snipes' part. In the end the production values are definitely worthy of high status.

Demolition Man looks a lot like a mindless action movie, and it actually is. Only this one has a little more brains in it than most. It knows how to have fun with its role. If you love action sci-fi with a good dose of comedy then you found your match here. If you like some depth to your storyline as well as action then you too found something here. While it's not high grade science fiction by any means Demolition Man is still a worthwhile jaunt if you crave a lighter diet of sci-fi.

The first time I saw this film, I did so because there was nothing else on the boob tube. It quickly became one of my top 5 favorite films of all time. This script is so wonderfully fresh, and Stallone really shows his comic genius with his delivery. Sandra Bullock was teriffic in this role, and although I've seen this film at least 50 times, it still makes me laugh and marvel at the clever plot and hilarious dialog. I highly recommend this film to anybody who enjoys a great comedy and thrilling action!