Tag Archives: Wesley Snipes

Demolition Man Satirizes and Celebrates Big Screen Violence

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One of the biggest action movie stars of all time, Sylvester Stallone (D-Tox, Cobra) saw his box office fortunes slowly dwindle as the 1990s gave way to the 2000s. Box office hits like Cliffhanger and The Specialist gave way to some misfires including Get Carter and Driven. But 1993 proved to be a good year for Stallone as he followed up Cliffhanger with his return to dystopian sci-fi for the first time since Death Race 2000. Like most of his movies, Demolition Man sold tickets but divided critics at the time of its release.

Synopsis

In 1996, Sgt. John Spartan, the ‘Demolition Man’, defies orders and hunts down crime lord Simon Phoenix to an abandoned building in urban Los Angeles. Though he captures Phoenix, Spartan inadvertently causes the deaths of 30 hostages. Both Spartan and Phoenix are sentenced to an experimental cryogenic prison. Thirty-six years later, Phoenix somehow escapes and discovers a seemingly peaceful utopia free of crime. When law enforcement finds themselves unable to deal with a violent 90s psychopath, they turn to their only option – the ‘Demolition Man’.

Demolition Man Mixes 80s Action With Dystopian Satire

Somewhere in Demolition Man’s basic ‘rogue cop’ narrative is an occasionally clever dystopian satire. Despite its screenplay-by-committee (Daniel Waters, Robert Reneau, and Peter M. Lenkov), there’s a few clever references to sci-fi classics and some interesting commentary. The utopian setting of San Angeles comes at the cost of an authoritarian state that outlaws vices and most personal freedoms. Putting action hero Stallone in a world where violence no longer exists is often funny, but it feels like the movie misses out on a big opportunity. That is, Demolition Man both satirizes and celebrates action film violence.

Putting action hero Stallone in a world where violence no longer exists is often funny …

First and foremost, however, Demolition Man is the kind of action movie that defined the 1980s. It’s filled with big, loud spectacle where no one’s ever really in any danger unless you’re a background character offscreen. First-time director Marco Brambilla does a good job putting all the explosions and shootouts on screen – it looks every bit as good as its budget. In particular, the opening scene and a futuristic car chase are impressive stuff, even 30 years later. This is brawny action film-making you don’t see these days. Yet that’s also part its problem – it was dying genre even in 1993. Simply put Demolition Man has more muscle than brain.

Demolition Man Lets Stallone Recycle the Kind of One-Liners That Defined 80s Action Stars

At the time Demolition Man’s release, Sylvester Stallone was still a bankable, big-time movie star. Following up on the year’s earlier success, Cliffhanger, Stallone’s in his comfort zone here. Brambilla gives Stallone plenty of opportunities to flex for the camera, while Waters et al’s screenplay ensures he has the kind of one-liners that defined the 80s action star. Too bad these one-liners frequently undercut the dystopian satire. But it’s Wesley Snipes (Blade) who steals the show as the megalomaniac villain, Simon Phoenix. Snipes appears to be having a lot of fun chewing the scenery in a performance that’s as colourful as the movie itself.

Brambilla gives Stallone plenty of opportunities to flex for the camera, while Waters et al’s screenplay ensures he has the kind of one-liners that defined the 80s action star.

For a silly sci-fi action movie, Demolition Man boasts quite the supporting cast. Still a year away from superstardom courtesy of Speed, Sandra Bullock (Bird Box) has charisma to spare playing the 20th-century-obsessed Leona Huxley. She doesn’t get much to do other than botch common expressions as a recurrent gag. Comedian Denis Leary is fun when he’s ranting, but miscast for the role. Somehow Demolition Man convinced Sir Nigel Hawthorne to turn up in a key supporting role – he doesn’t look too put out either. A young Benjamin Bratt turns up as well in a small, but fun, role.

Demolition Man a Brawny, Occasionally Clever, Dystopian Action Movie

Maybe Demolition Man isn’t quite as clever as fans want to believe today. Certainly, nostalgia has elevated its standing along the pop culture landscape. There’s some clever satire and a handful of prescient moments that predict some of our 21st century culture. And Stallone and Snipes are both in peak form, backed by a game supporting cast, and several testosterone-laden action scenes. In spite of its satire, this is also a dumb action movie hampered by too many eye-rolling one liners. Like its main character, Demolition Man is a relic of 80s action film-making that was long in the tooth even in 1993.

Blood & Brawn: When 80’s Action Heroes Go Horror

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Ah, the 1980’s was a simpler time. You could watch episodes of your favourite television show in any order. Continuity wasn’t an issue. And our action heroes weren’t bogged down with angst And introspection. Less cerebral, more brawn, it was shoot first, then shoot again. It was the era of the Arnold Schwarzenegger’s and Sylvester Stallone’s. Most 80’s action heroes weren’t defined by the range of their roles. But everyone once in a while, these larger-than-life icons ventured outside their comfort zones and into the horror genre. Below are a few examples of some the 1980’s biggest action heroes trading in car chases for chills.

Steven Seagal – Against the Dark (2009)

Like his action hero brethren, Seagal’s post-80’s film career saw a sharp plummet into straight-to-video hell. And contrary to what some might suggest, Seagal never enjoyed the A-list status of a Stallone and Schwarzenegger. He also lacked their big-screen charisma – he’s arguably among the more wooden of the 80’s action heroes. Odds are you have heard of Seagal’s post-apocalyptic vampire movie, Against the Dark. Don’t feel bad – it landed in straight-to-video purgatory for a reason. Aside from a few good fight scenes, Against the Dark is derivative and shows little understanding of how horror works. Seagal had a few good movies – Under Siege and Above the Law, for instance – but this isn’t one of them.

Sylvester Stallone – Eye See You (2002)

By the turn of the century, Sylvester Stallone’s career was in decline. Box office failures, like his Get Carter remake, beget straight-to-video thrillers like Eye See You. Also known as D-Tox, this wasn’t technically Stallone first venture into what might be considered horror. Early 80’s vehicle, Cobra, has some horror elements. But Eye See You downplays traditional Stallone action for a more slasher-oriented formula. Yet in spite of its isolated winter setting and impressive cast, Eye See You is dull, unimaginative, and absent the scares and gore horror fans anticipate. Director Jim Gillespie can’t even drum up the guilty pleasure scares he managed in I Know What You Did Last Summer. Fortunately, Stallone would get his groove back with another Rocky movie and The Expendables franchise.

Arnold Schwarzenegger- End of Days (1999)

Yes, Predator could be considered a horror movie. But I’m going to classify it as an action-sci/fi thriller, thereby making End of Days Arnie’s first real horror movie. Peter Hyams directed the ‘Austrian Oak’ in this Y2K-themed thriller pitting Schwarzenegger against The Devil himself. Think of End of Days as Rosemary’s Baby meets … just about any Schwarzenegger action vehicle. And this is where the problems arise when action stars try horror. Ends of Days tries to cram traditional horror with very conventional 80’s action. Schwarzenegger is clearly more in his element when he’s fighting assassins from a religious section. But he looks completely lost otherwise. A good cast that includes Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Pollak, and Robin Tunney, have to keep straight faces while playing characters named ‘Bobby Chicago’. A finale hamstrung by poor CGI pulls the rug out from what could have been an effective ending.

Harrison Ford – What Lies Beneath (2000)

Horror isn’t just for up-and-coming young stars. Occasionally, the genre attracts big-name, established talent, as was the case with 2000’s What Lies Beneath. Robert Zemeckis, Harrison Ford, and Michelle Pfeiffer – how’s that for creative talent. It’s really impressive when you consider that, beneath all of Zemeckis’ film-making talent, What Lies Beneath is a pretty run-of-the-mill ‘haunting’ thriller. Despite its generic story, What Lies Beneath certainly benefits from high production values and Zemeckis behind the camera. And Ford is about as far removed from Indiana Jones and Han Solo as you can imagine. Consider this safe horror for non-horror fans.

Wesley Snipes – Blade (1998)

This is how you mix action and horror with a big-name action movie star. Wesley Snipes was born to play the Marvel human-vampire antihero, Blade. Long before there was a cinematic universe, Blade was free from expectations and the pressures of having to connect to a bigger world. Instead, director Stephen Norrington could focus on this self-contained story that effectively blended updated vampire lore with gritty action violence. Though the CGI effects-laden climax hasn’t aged well, Blade is still a decent movie and stand-out precursor to what was yet come for Marvel.

Sigourney Weaver – The Alien Franchise

Yes, Sigourney Weaver is an 80’s action hero. Simply put, Ellen Ripley is an iconic character. It’s not an Alien movie – at least not a good one – without Sigourney Weaver. Ridley Scott’s Alien remains the most pure horror movie in the franchise, but James Cameron’s Aliens effectively blends action and horror. Regardless of style and tone, it’s Ellen Ripley’s character arc that defines the franchise. Equal parts tough and vulnerable, Weaver’s performance arguably paved the way for an evolution of the action hero stereotype in subsequent decades.

Bruce Willis – The Sixth Sense (1999)

Though Bruce Willis has never gone full ‘Nicolas Cage’, he’s proven himself to be not overly selective with some of his film roles. Perhaps as a result, Willis has a few movies that fall under horror and/or the broader category, psychological thriller. Nonetheless, it would be difficult to argue that Willis has a better horror movie in his filmography than The Sixth Sense. While he’s often derided for his twist endings, M Night Shyamalan’s directorial debut was a genuine phenomena. You just don’t see ‘leg’s at the box office like The Sixth Sense anymore. Compelling, scary, and, yes, the twist still works.