After a botched rescue attempt in a building packed with explosions that kill innocent people whilst trying to apprehend Public Enemy Number One Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes) in Los Angeles circa 1996, super brute cop John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) is cryogenically frozen, but when Phoenix is paroled and escapes using unusually advanced brain-tech in what has become San Angeles after an earthquake levels LA and San Fran, Spartan is brought back into the fold amidst a growing number of what are termed ‘MurderDeathKills’ in a society that has become pacifist, presided over by Doctor Raymond Cocteau (Nigel Hawthorne), who is keen to eliminate an underground rebel called Edgar Friendly (Denis Leary).
Spartan has trouble adapting to his new environment, but has the back-up of 1980s obsessive cop Lenina Huxley (Sandra Bullock in her first major role) and pretty soon becomes enamoured with the new way of life. However, Phoenix has another darker grand plan….
Following in the footsteps of previous dystopian offerings like LOGAN’S RUN, DEMOLITION MAN rises about the same old clean future ideal by tapping into the satire of the piece (the gag about an oldies radio station that plays advertising jungles is one of the key stand-outs) and is a perfect vehicle for Stallone, whose action persona is off-set with highly amusing chemistry with Bullock, who all but steals the show as the wide-eyed nostalgic.