Demolition Man Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: In a pussified, yet dystopian, future, you must send a maniac to catch a maniac.

Review: You would have never believed it back in '93, but this movie is gradually looking to be quite plausible. Although the film's initial inspiration was clearly "Brave New World," the story has taken on a life of its own within pop culture. With things like the ever-illusive, 3 seashells, the verbal morality statute, and, of course, virtual fucking, you have to give credit to "Demolition Man." At its core, the story is just a popcorn sci-fi/action, but there is an imaginative side that allows it to become poignant in a way. Sure, things can be incredibly cheesy, with cornball one-liners at every turn, but you have to excuse certain aspects given the era.

One undeniable flaw is that the story is not set far enough in the future. I mean, the movie came out in 1993 and by 1996 society was intended to have fallen into chaos? And this chaos lasted until around 2010-2016? The film is set in 2032 which would mean massive changes occurred in only 15-20 years? Uh, no. They probably should have set this in 2075 or something in order for society to have settled down into the state we are shown. However, I do have a theory that there were plans for a sequel which is why the year was set at what it was. There are multiple references to Spartan's daughter being alive yet we never see her. Maybe they were setting up a sequel where she would come into play. This might also address why the film limits itself to southern California only. Maybe they didn't want to commit to how the rest of the world looked?

So what are the positives of this future society? Well, they have cool-looking cars that are powered by something called capacitance gel. Everything is incredibly clean and beautiful looking. Many aspects of daily life are automated or voice-activated. Crime has been reduced to negligible levels, and violence, in particular, has been virtually eliminated. The people are nice and friendly even if a bit uptight. Overall, it would appear to be a paradise if taken at face value.

As for the negatives that create this dystopia, they are aplenty. Everyone is utterly pathetic mentally and physically. Although the film has too many fit characters, they're super weak and easily defeated. Anything considered "bad" has been banned; this includes salt, smoking, most sports, meat, caffeine, chocolate, and it goes on and on. You also can't have physical sex or get pregnant without a license; you also must get pregnant in a lab. There is feasibly no physical contact in general as even greetings have a space between the two hands. You can't use profanity or you will be fined and possibly arrested. This leads to implications of thought-crimes and a lack of freedom of speech. Most characters are shown to be cowardly and easily overwhelmed by minor stress due to how simplistic and pampered their lives are. As I previously mentioned, the society has essentially become totally pussified. But there is so much more to be weary of as surveillance is everywhere (including audio), and all people have been implanted with a microchip that allows for tracking and relegation of daily living tied to the chip. The other downside is that anyone who resists this nightmare is forced to live in the sewer system and risk starvation. Finally, the only music is stupid commercial jingles, and the only restaurant left is fucking Taco Bell. Oh hell no!

Many parts of the story, as well as the characters, are simplistic but somehow it all comes together entertainingly. The actors work well with the material despite how lame the dialogue can be sometimes. Of course I should acknowledge Sandra "world's most beautiful woman" Bullock. Yeaaah...that title is outlandish, but this is one of two times she was pretty damn cute (the other being "Speed") especially in those tight, police outfits. Stallone turns in his usual level of performance--you know, lots of dialogue screaming--but there is a degree of subtlety I appreciate. In fact, there are tiny gestures and nuances throughout the film that enhance the entertainment factor. Then there is Wesley Snipes as the villain. I think this role let him have a lot of fun with his character that is usually absent from most roles he takes. As for the rest of the characters, they are interesting in you pay attention to the details of their reactions. I mean, Otho is pretty much playing Otho again!

If you can look past the natural levels of cheese, this is a fantastic sci-fi that is bordering on classic levels. If they only took the material a little more seriously, I could easily picture this being mentioned alongside "Equilibrium" in the underrated department. Regardless, this film is awesome, fun, and more relevant now than ever. In a landscape of politically correct retards running amok, this movie stands out as the disturbing, visual representation of their endgame should society succumb to such outright idiocy. Definitely check this one out or revisit it with fresh eyes. In the mean time, I'm still trying to figure out how to use the godforsaken 3 seashells!

Notable Moment: When Denis Leary's character, Edgar Friendly, says his classic speech: You see, according to Cocteau's plan. I'm the enemy. Because I like to think, I like to read. I'm into freedom of speech, freedom of choice. I'm the kind if guy who would sit in the greasy spoon and think "Gee, should I have the T-bone steak or the jumbo rack of barbecued spare ribs with the side order of gravy fries?" I want high cholesterol. I want to eat bacon, and butter, and buckets of cheese, okay? I want to smoke a Cuban cigar the size of Cincinnati in a non-smoking section. I wanna run through the streets naked with green Jell-O all over my body reading Playboy magazine. Why? Because I suddenly might feel the need to, okay pal? I've seen the future. You know what it is? It's a 47 year-old virgin sitting around in his base pajamas, drinking a banana-broccoli shake, singing "I'm an Oscar-Meyer Wiener."

Final Rating: 6.5/10