Michael Atkinson's review of Demolition Man cited in Jose Arroyo's Action/Spectacle Cinema touches on some interesting points about the film, such as its play on dystopian/utopian tropes. Science fiction cinema commonly when predicting the future would show vistas of dystopia and chaos. Films such as Escape from New York (1981) and Robocop (1987) used its portrayal of society as a pessimistic view of where the excess of the 1980's would lead. Demolition Man subverts this trope and applies its view of society to its 1990's logic. With the rise of political correctness Demolition Man's view of the future is a utopia but at what cost. Sylvester Stallone stars as John Spartan a cartoon character, super-cop the one man equivalent of a swat team. Frozen then thawed out in 2032 to combat his also recently unfrozen nemsis Simon Pheonix (Wesley Snipes). The backdrop is the utopia of San Angeles a harsh contrast from the world portrayed earlier in the burning war zone of 1997 Los Angeles. Both men are violent vestiges, men out of time, a meta reference to the outdated cliché of the 80's action hero. Actors like Stallone himself and Arnold Schwarzenegger muscle bound symbols of the 80's action stars needed to make room for the 'average Joe every man' action stars like Bruce Willis (Die Hard, 1988), Tom Cruise (Mission Impossible, 1996) and Keanu Reeves (Speed, 1994). Both Stallone and Schwarzenegger would attempt to evolve. Schwarzenegger started his collaboration with Danny DeVito making Twins (1988) and Junior (1994). Not leaving behind his action roots he would alternate action films and comedies all through the 1990's. Total Recall (1990) followed by Kindergarten Cop (1990) then Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), Last Action Hero (1993) and then True Lies (1994) etc. Stallone some would argue hasn't the range to hit the comedic notes Schwarzenegger does but Stallone I would argue hits dramatic notes Schwarzenegger cannot. So through the 1990's Stallone stuck to his action roles but it was Cop Land (1997) that gave him a chance to hit the dramatic beats that made him famous, films like Rocky (1976) and First Blood (1982). Copland is the penultimate stage of the postmodern era of the 80's action hero. Stallone plays a simple Sheriff in a community of New York cops, he is a outsider cast opposite Martin Scorsese regulars Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel and Ray Liotta. Stallone's character is treated like an idiot by these other cops, the film has the same regard for him as audiences do for the Stallone's films appose to De Niro's. One is highbrow the other lowbrow. The postmodern 80's action hero's journey is completed when the 2000's nostalgia era kicks in. Stallone makes new additions to his old franchises Rocky Balboa (2006) and Rambo (2008) before it comes full circle with The Expendables (2010). Creed (2015) comes as a epilogue it all handing over the torch to the next generation. Demolition Man marks a meta turning point for the Stallone and its utopian setting creates the perfect way to explore these themes and find a place for Stallone to work in a changing world. He would of failed if he had to continue to play against type like the suited up detective he plays in Tango & Cash (1989). A film that blatantly rips of the opening action sequence to Jackie Chan's Police Story (1985) and no one seemed to notice.
Subversive action and review of review. Demolition Man directed by Marco Brambilla.
Wesley Snipes in Demolition Man (1993)
References
Arroyo, J 2000, Action/Spectacle Cinema - A Sight and Sound Reader, British Film Institute, London.