I can’t even believe this movie is real. But it is. And it’s glorious. Every super-high-concept-inch of it. A true product of 1993. Was blown away when I saw the film in theaters. The script by Daniel Waters, Robert Reneau, and Peter Lenkov is absolutely wonderful, balancing smart satire with the expectations of a summer blockbuster, despite the film being an October release. Though apparently heavily edited from its initial, more violent cut, this is a wild and rollicking action adventure that had a futurist sci-fi angle with reverse rules and strange interpersonal dynamics. Concerning two men on opposite sides of the law — one a super-cop (Stallone), the other a super-villain (Snipes) — who are cryogenically frozen only to wake up in a future society they no longer recognize or understand, the film becomes one of the more wacky and insanely fun romps from this era, primarily due to the great star performances from both leads, and a deep supporting cast including Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, Benjamin Bratt, Rob Schneider, David Patrick Kelly, Denis Leary, Jack Black and Jesse Ventura in small background roles, and personal favorite character actor Bob Gunton, who can do smug better than anyone on the planet.
Well reviewed by critics and a worldwide box office hit, Demolition Man has gained immense popularity throughout the years; it was a staple HBO item back in the day, and it can’t be underestimated how massive it was on VHS and DVD. It’s stunning to think that this was director Marco Brambilla’s only major directorial highlight, with his only other credit being the ill-fated Excess Baggage. A pioneering visual installation artist, Brambilla took his skills as an intense imager maker and brought a distinct and extremely unique style and eye to one of producer Joel Silver’s more subversive audience pleasers. And because the tonally adventurous script always seemed like it was dipping one toe into weirdness and one toe into the familiar, you’re left with a film that carries a curious, playfully violent attitude that feels almost impossible to replicate. Features a robust score from Elliot Goldenthal, terrific cinematography by Alex Thomson, and razor sharp editing by Stuart Baird. I am beyond pleased that this film hasn’t gotten the reboot treatment.
Podcasting Them Softly 