Demolition Man (1993) Arrow Limited Edition 4K UHD Review

Plot: Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes go head-to-head in this classic sci-fi/action blockbuster from Joel Silver, the producer of Die Hard and The Matrix.

In 2032, arch criminal Simon Phoenix (Snipes) awakens from a 35-year deep freeze in CryoPrison to find a world where crime is almost non-existent – a serene utopia ripe for the taking. With the police no longer equipped to deal with his 90s-style brutality, they revive ‘Demolition Man’ Sgt. John Spartan (Stallone), the no-holds-barred police officer unjustly sentenced to CryoPrison who originally took Phoenix down. Old-school cop against old-school criminal, settling their scores on the streets of San Angeles? The future won’t know what’s hit it.

With a script co-written by Daniel Waters (Heathers, Batman Returns) and a supporting cast that includes Denis Leary, Benjamin Bratt, and Sandra Bullock in her breakout role, Demolition Man is an awesome mix of action and humor!

Review: I recently picked up Arrow’s new 4K Box Set of Demolition Man starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes as it looked like an essential addition for my physical media collection. I’m glad I did as has it several hours worth of special features and 2 alternate versions of the film.

There is the US Theatrical Cut which features Taco Bell and then there’s the International Cut which features the bizarrely dubbed Pizza Hut version. This was due to the fact that in Europe Taco Bell wasn’t really a thing back then so the joke would have fallen a bit flat. I remember seeing this when it came out in theaters back in 1993 and in the UK I’m pretty sure we got the Taco Bell version as this was the first time I’ve seen the Pizza Hut one. I definitely prefer the US version as the cast are clearly saying Taco Bell but in the International cut the Pizza Hut dubbing just seems jarring.

The film itself is a top 5 of all time for Stallone and Snipes for me as it is endlessly entertaining with some fantastic action scenes, a killer script and satire which has become more of a reality than we could have expected. Stallone mocks his Rambo persona as a man of action trapped in a non-violent society so he has to try and adapt to this boring new world.

Demolition Man has a classic opening scene with a genuine sense of scale, but as is also discussed in the video essay on this 4K set, we see a burning Los Angeles which wasn’t a million miles away from what was going on there in 1992 with the riots.

Wesley Snipes shines in his best villain role to date as Simon Phoenix clearly channeling The Joker as he cackles maniacally while taunting John Spartan (Stallone). He has some great lines and is at times hilarious while also being a complete psychopath.

On the action front we get several fight scenes with Phoenix and Spartan constantly trying to kill each other with my favourite arguably being the fight in the museum. There are one-liners galore and the film proves that even when the action genre was changing in the 90’s Stallone could still remain relevant. The supporting cast is also perfect with Sandra Bullock in one of her most appealing roles as Lelina Huxley, a cop who is obsessed with 20^th century culture and is longing for some action. She helps Spartan adjust to his new life while also learning that things were not all sunshine and roses in the 20th century. Denis Leary is at his ranting best here as Edgar Friendly, who may or may not be the villain of the tale. Nigel Hawthorne is wonderfully pompous as Cocteau who sees himself as the saviour of San Angeles when really he is a fascist trying to control people.

I love the concept that while criminals are cryogenically frozen their brains are trained in new skills, for example, Spartan is now a seamstress which provides several laughs.

The visual effects are still impressive so the film still stands the test of time over 30 years later; like I said, it’s arguably even more prescient now than it was back then as people try to neuter society and get offended by everything.

At times Elliot Goldenthal’s score is a little dated sounding, but for the most part it holds up and works well for the movie.

4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films, approved by director Marco Brambilla
• Includes both the domestic ‘Taco Bell’ and international ‘Pizza Hut’ versions of the film presented via seamless branching
• 4K Ultra HD (2160p) presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 and Dolby Atmos audio options
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Brand new audio commentary by director Marco Brambilla and screenwriter Daniel Waters
• Brand new audio commentary by film historian Mike White of the Projection Booth podcast
• Archive audio commentary by Marco Brambilla and producer Joel Silver
• Demolition Design, a new interview with production designer David L. Snyder
• Cryo Action, a new interview with stunt coordinator Charles Percini
• Biggs’ Body Shoppe, a new interview with special make-up effects artist Chris Biggs
• Tacos and Hockey Pucks, a new interview with body effects set coordinator Jeff Farley
• Somewhere Over the Rambo, a new visual essay by film scholar Josh Nelson
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery
• 60-page perfect bound collector’s book featuring new writing by film critics Clem Bastow, William Bibbiani, Priscilla Page and Martyn Pedler
• Limited edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Laurie Greasley
• Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Laurie Greasley
• 6 postcard sized artcards
• Three Seashells’ and ‘Edgar Friendly graffiti’ stickers
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Laurie Greasley

The special features are fantastic and will keep you entertained for hours; I’ve seen several people whining about the slipcover, but I love the packaging and think it looks great. I now have the 3 seashells sticker on my fridge…

There is no Blu-ray copy of the film included which is odd, but I already have it in my Stallone box set so that isn’t a problem.

The only thing I wish was included are the deleted scenes as I know Jesse Ventura was meant to have a more significant role rather than the extended cameo we essentially got.

Overall, Demolition Man is a classic of the genre and one of Stallone and Snipes’ best films; it has some great action scenes, hilarious satire and this 4K set is the best the film has ever looked or sounded. Having both cuts of the film is perfect for completists and the rest of the special features are sure to keep you entertained for many hours.