Film Review: Demolition Man (1993)

A film can be considered to be “misunderstood masterpiece” and “ahead of its time” despite initially doing exactly what its creators intended. One of such, rather are, examples is provided by Demolition Man, 1993 science fiction action comedy directed by Marco Brambilla.

The plot begins in (then future) 1996 Los Anglees, which is the place where gangs became so vicious that LAPD must use extreme measures to deal with them. When psychopathic gang leader Simon Phoenix (played by Wesley Snipes) takes large number of hostages, LAPD Sergeant John “Demolition Man” Spartan (played by Sylvester Stallone) conducts rescue mission which would end badly, with dozens of hostages dead. Although Spartan arrested Phoenix, he is deemed responsible for unnecessary carnage and, like Phoenix, condemned to be put in cryogenic prison. In 2032 Phoenix gets parole hearing and manages to escape, ending in strange new world of San Angeles, seemingly utopian megalopolis without violence and pollution, where all bad habits, foul language and unauthorised sex was outlawed. San Angeles policemen sent to deal with murderous escapee aren’t accustomed to his ultra-violent and murderous ways and prove useless when confronting his martial and other skills. So, Spartan, as the only man who managed to take down Phoenix long ago, is awoken from his cryosleep and receives special parole under condition to join the search for the seemingly unstoppable maniac. Spartan, who is trying to adapt to strange new world with the help of enthusiastic Lieutenant Lenina Huxley (played by Sandra Bullock), begins to wonder whether Phoenix’s escape wasn’t the lucky accident and whether it has something to do with the conflict between Dr. Raymond Cocteau (played by Nigel Hawthorne), founder and leader of the regime and Scraps, non-conformist rebels that had escaped underground under leadership of Edgar Friendly (played by Denis Leary).

When it first appeared in cinemas, Demolition Man didn’t look like a film ahead, but instead it looked like a film behind its time. It was produced by Joel Silver, legend of action genre who had made his name in 1980s with classics unmistakably associated with the epoch. He had injected almost 57 million US$ into budget, resulting in bombastic spectacle filled with plenty of spectacular action scenes featuring gunfire, car chases, martial arts, explosions, violence and, last but not least, machistic bravado underlined with effective one-liners. Sylvester Stallone, who had also made his name in 1980s with similar sort of films, plays one of his most generic, but also quite effective roles, relying on combination of raw physicality and natural ways of acting. This proved quite beneficial for the film, because Spartan was the most “normal” character in the film and the only one with whom late 20th Century could properly identify. This wasn’t the case with character of villain, played over-the-top by Wesley Snipes, wearing bleached hair which the actor during production hated and who would later inspire NBA star Dennis Rodman to build his own image upon. Snipes is, despite simplicity of his character, very effective in the role and he also display superb command of martial arts skills. True discovery in the film is Sandra Bullock, actress who was only at the gates of proper stardom but who nevertheless adds a lot to film with combination of humour and irresistible charm. Their work was helped by small army of diverse actors, including Nigel Hawthorne, British star of cult television series Yes, Minister, who is very good in the role of sinister villain despite apparently being at odds with director and producers on the set. Denis Leary, popular stand up comic and MTV star, exploits a lot of its stardom by ad-libbing rants in the second half of the film.

Good cast is handled well by Marco Brambilla, Italian-Canadian director for whom this was a feature debut (and whose latter career, sadly didn’t amount to much). Brambilla, despite his later claims of being displeased with the film, did a more than adequate job, helped not only by Silver’s steady hand as producer, but also by good cinematography of Alex Thomson, decent music score by Eliott Goldenthal, superb editing by Stuart Baird and excellent combination of stunt work and special effects. Although film loses a little bit of steam near the end, when exposition gives way to brainless, chaotic and sometimes predictable action, Brambilla has managed to create future world that looks realistic, seemingly utopian, but cold, sterile and ultimately oppressive; having prologue set in apocalyptic 1990s Los Angeles and having scenes in dirty, but more relaxed underground made the film look convincing and unlike many visions of future in 1990s Hollywood, this one aged very well. Although critics weren’t enthusiastic, audience was, and Stallone scored another big box office hit only months after Cliffhanger and Arnold Schwarzenegger, his main rival at the time (who is, ironically, referenced and future US President in the film), had first major career disappointment with Last Action Hero.

However, it was only the passage of time which helped Demolition Man start looking something more than bombastic 1980s-style action film. Script, despite being rewritten by three different authors, kept references and influences of the science fiction classics, especially those of dystopian variety, like Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World and Woody Allen’s film Sleeper. And the script began looking prophetic when its vision of future, which was originally just a mild satire of initially silly trends of “political correctness” of Clinton’s America, began to look disturbingly precise in displaying our own increasingly oppressive world in which increasing amounts of activity are banned, citizens monitored and instantly punished for even the most minor violations, individuality is suppressed and presumed grands saviours from government and corporate established revealed to be cynical, ruthless psychopaths. Many critics and scholars today are willing to view Demolition Man, which takes obviously critical approach towards that state of affairs, as some sort of libertarian manifesto. Yet, at the very end of the film protagonist, just like the wisest of statesmen, refuses to take extreme positions and urges everyone fighting over safety vs. personal freedom to find some sort of common sense compromise. World today could have been much safer and more pleasant place to live if more people with power, influence and loud mouths would listen to that advice.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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