With the recent report that a long-overdue sequel to 1993’s tongue-in-cheek action movie Demolition Man is potentially underway – coming via Sylvester Stallone’s recent Instagram Q&A, no less – fans and critics have naturally been taking a look back at the original movie with fresh eyes. The consensus seems to be that the movie holds up, standing out as one of Stallone’s most entertaining and original movies to date.
As expected, there are also those who disagree. Given Stallone's impressive body of works, it's not hard to see why there'd be some contention to declaring Demolition Man as his crowning achievement. Without further delay, here are five reasons why Demolition Man is Sylvester Stallone’s best movie, as well as five even better alternatives.
DEMOLITION MAN: It’s Smart, Subversive & Funny
Bearing many similarities to Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World – with Sandra Bullock’s character even being named Lenina Huxley in the movie – Demolition Man strikes a fantastic balance between action, comedy, and self-parody, with its decidedly sharp script not only poking fun at the action genre, but the real world, too.
By 1993, Stallone was intimately familiar with more traditional, straight-faced action flicks, and had also unsuccessfully dabbled in comedy – with Oscar and Stop or My Mom Will Shoot! being infamous examples – but Demolition Man confidently keeps one foot in each world. The result is one of the actor’s most refreshing, re-watchable efforts to date.
BETTER ALTERNATIVE: Nighthawks (1981)
Beloved amongst fans of Stallone, Nighthawks is one of his most underappreciated movies, nonetheless. The movie follows Stallone’s Detective Sergeant Deke DaSilva as he attempts to put a stop to international terrorist Heymar “Wulfgar” Reinhardt – played brilliantly by Blade Runner’s Rutger Hauer – and his bloody reign of terror.
The movie doesn’t offer any unique twists on the cat-and-mouse crime thriller, but is surprisingly effective, especially given its infamously troubled production. Dark, tense, and gripping throughout, Nighthawks is anchored by two terrific lead performances from Stallone and Hauer.
DEMOLITION MAN: It Aged Well
Set primarily in an over-sanitized future where anything considered remotely controversial or unpleasant is banned, Demolition Man is perhaps more relevant today than it ever has been. Still, the movie never feels preachy, also satirizing the rampant, over-the-top violence of the action genre in general.
Combined with the movie’s fun action, fish out of water comedy, endearingly unique setting, and fantastic performances, Demolition Man holds up in 2020 more than almost any other Stallone movie.
BETTER ALTERNATIVE: Cliffhanger (1993)
What separates Cliffhanger from the majority of Stallone’s usual action fare is its uniquely perilous setting, with the movie’s mountainous backdrop making for some beautifully shot, heart-stopping action sequences.
Stallone’s Gabe Walker is a rescue ranger rather than a cop or a soldier, forcing him to trade in guns and explosives for climbing ropes and wits for much of the movie’s runtime, with John Lithgow’s superbly corrupt military officer Eric Qualen keeping his back very firmly against the wall the entire time.
DEMOLITION MAN: Snipes & Bullock Are Perfectly Cast
While Sylvester Stallone is ordinarily the main draw of the action movies he’s so famous for, Demolition Man’s supporting cast gives him some real competition in that regard. Sandra Bullock is effortlessly likable as the smart, action-hungry Lieutenant Lenina Huxley, whose romanticism of 20th-century violence is both funny and endearing.
Wesley Snipes really steals the show, however, as the ostentatiously evil Simon Phoenix – whose infectiously fun brand of villainy is strangely magnetic, playing off excellently against Stallone’s John Spartan.
BETTER ALTERNATIVE: Cop Land (1997)
Placing Stallone alongside Hollywood legends Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, and Ray Liotta, Cop Land assembles something of a dream team both in front of and behind the camera, also being directed by James Mangold of Logan, Walk the Line and Ford v Ferrari fame. The movie sees Stallone’s idealistic Sherriff Freddy Heflin attempt to tackle the rampant corruption in the NYPD.
Fortunately, the movie more than lives up to its stellar cast and crew, offering a taut crime thriller that dials down Stallone’s typically pervasive action sequences in favor of drama, suspense, and character.
DEMOLITION MAN: There’s Tons Of Action
It goes without saying that action is something audiences have come to expect from Sylvester Stallone movies, and Demolition Man doesn’t disappoint in that regard, offering more than its fair share of shootouts, explosions, fistfights, futuristic weapons, and car chases.
The movie also takes advantage of its artificially utopian setting, with the world’s lack of grit and violence making its action sequences feel all the more chaotic and satisfying.
BETTER ALTERNATIVE: First Blood (1982)
The quintessential Stallone movie, First Blood kicked off the Rambo franchise in suitably brutal fashion – but is also notably more melancholic and introspective in its portrayal of violence than the sequels that followed.
The movie sees troubled veteran John Rambo forced to viciously defend himself after he runs afoul of the nefarious, corrupt law enforcement of Hope, Washington. While some may prefer the schlockier trimmings of the sequels, there’s no doubt that First Blood remains the best and most iconic entry of the series.
DEMOLITION MAN: Stallone Is At His Best
It’s no secret that Sylvester Stallone isn’t the biggest fan of weaving comedy into his action roles. After all, he famously attempted to downplay the humorous elements of Tango & Cash and even left Beverly Hills Cop when its creators refused to change the script.
In Demolition Man, however, Stallone gets the best of both worlds. John Spartan is very much a deadpan action hero thrown into an absurdly sanitized world, with the movie’s humor coming from the juxtaposition of these two elements rather than Stallone’s performance. Combined with the fact that Stallone’s action chops were still top tier in 1996, Demolition Man’s John Spartan stands out as one of his best-ever roles.
BETTER ALTERNATIVE: Rocky (1976)
The first movie people tend to think of when they hear the name Sylvester Stallone, Rocky is arguably the most iconic, uplifting sports movie ever put to screen. What’s even more impressive, however, is that Stallone himself also wrote the movie – which follows debt collector turned amateur boxer Rocky Balboa as he’s pitted against the intimidating Apollo Creed.
Much like the title character himself, Rocky was something of a triumphant underdog, grossing an incredible $225 million on a budget of just $1 million, spawning one of cinema’s most enduring and beloved franchises.