1993 was a good year for Sylvester Stallone. Not only did the one-two punch of Cliffhanger and Demolition Man mark a comeback of sorts, they represent his last successful attempts to remain a bankable action hero. Three decades later, both films are still regarded pretty fondly by his fans.
While Cliffhanger is arguably the “better” film, Demolition Man’s sense of playfulness - largely absent from Stallone’s other boomfests - makes it more memorable. Part of that is due to the satiric elements, both clever and silly, as well as the most intentionally amusing depiction of the future since Marty McFly hopped onto a hoverboard.
Stallone could also be seen as engaging in a bit of self-parody, having fun with his own onscreen persona. On paper, there ain’t much difference between John Spartan’s violent methods and those of John Rambo or Marion Cobretti. But sending a brutal 90s cop into a docile futuristic utopia gives the character a fish-out-of-water quality that provides a wealth of comedic opportunities, which the story exploits rather well. As for Sly himself…his previous attempts at being funny have always felt a little forced and outside of his comfort zone. But here, his performance is one of the chief reasons Demolition Man strikes just the right balance of humor and bombastic action.
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Of course, Spartan’s methods of law enforcement shock and repel everyone, save for Linina Huxley (Sandra Bullock), another cop with a fixation on the barbaric 20th Century. Meanwhile, the man who established this peacefully oppressive society, Dr. Cocteau (Nigel Hawthorne), has a nefarious agenda that involves using Phoenix to do his dirty work. This scenario sets up the usual explosive and violent action sequences. Ironically though, Demolition Man is at its best when comedically depicting this not-so-brave new world and Spartan’s reactions to it (as well as its reactions to Spartan).
Fairly successful at the time, Demolition Man has since become one of Sly's more enduring films that doesn’t have Rocky or Rambo in the title. In a way, it’s also a fitting coda to his reign as a reliable action star. As such, Arrow Video has put together a Blu-ray release (as well as a 4K edition) worthy of its legacy. In addition to an excellent video restoration and three audio options, there are a handful of new retrospective bonus features (outlined below), as well as some physical goodies (not available for review).
EXTRA KIBBLES
NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.
U.S. and INTERNATIONAL VERSIONS - In the International Version, Pizza Hut won the “Franchise Wars”. Other than that laughably dubbed switch-out, both versions are identical.
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAMBO - This is a visual essay by Josh Nelson, who draws numerous comparisons between Demolition Man and The Wizard of Oz. Entertaining, but really a stretch.
INTERVIEWS - All new individual interviews with production designer David L. Snyder, stunt coordinator Charles Percini, make-up FX artist Chris Biggs and “body effects” coordinator Jeff Farley.
3 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By director Marco Brambillia & co-screenwriter Daniel Waters; 2) By critic Mike White; 3) By By director Marco Brambillia & producer Joel Silver.
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