Demolition Man

Finally, we get the uncut version for home viewing! :)

The UK DVD is missing two hits to the head of Stallone in the final fight, along with a double ear-clap (the BBFC used to cut these routinely, even from 18 films!) for fear of imitabilty. However, they have seen the stupid and ridiculous errors of their ways and this Blu-ray edition is fully uncut :)

Enjoy - its a clever, funny, thrilling 90s actioner.

His career faultering somewhat, Sylvester Stallone decided to try somthing new and branched out into the realmes of sci fi, this being his first attempt, 'Judge Dredd' in 1995 being his second. While most people including some of the fans shunned it, i personally think that it is a breety good film all round. It's a typical Stallone film, with plenty of guns, explosions, a bad guy, and of course a hero which is Stallone himself in the form of John Spartan.

John Spartan is a cop who has been on the trail of master criminal Simon Phoenix for two years, and when he finally does catch him, the building that they are in blows up killing thirty or so innocent people. Of course Spartan is blamed for the incident, resulting in him being incarcerated in a cryogenic prison for thirty odd years.

Finally he is released in the next century, in the year 2032 where the world is very different. All harmful things have been made illegal; smoking, drinking, contact sports, and even salt etc, sex has become a non contact affair as well (much to the dismay of Spartan) and people even recieve criminal credits for swearing, somthing that Spartan (and phoenix) get a lot of.

The reason for his early release is so that he can once again catch Phoenix who has escaped from the cryogenic facility and is causeing havok in the streets of the new San Angeles (San Dieago and LA have merged). None of the police force can handle him and only the outmoded ways of John Spartan and the help of Lenina Huxley to show him the new ways, can save the city from certain peril.

Stallone is perfect in his role as the tough 'old fashioned' cop who is released from Cryosleep to help the new SAPD. A blonde Wesly Snipes is also brillaint in his role as the heartless criminal Simon Phoenix who starts a meaningless rampage through the city. Originally Stallone wanted Jackie Chan to play this role, however he turned it down as he did not like playing bad guys.

However both stars work very well together, producing some very exciting fight scenes, Snipes being a black belt, and Stallone's experience from the Rocky films helping them. In fact Wesley Snipes was so fast on camera that the producers had to ask him to slow down as he was too much of a blurr.

Of course, lets not forget Sandra Bullock who replaced Lori Petty after a few days filming, and is very well suited to her role as Lenina Huxley, and helped to bring that vital mixture of comedy into the film with her studies of the past. Both her and Stallone work well on-screen together with the scene in her apartment being a great laugh. Benjamin Bratt played Alfredo Garcia who is named after the Sam Pekinpah Film, 'Bring me the Head of Alfredo Garcia' from 1974.

As regards to the extras on this DVD, unfortunately there are none what so ever bar scene selection, interactive menus and subtitles, theres not even a trailer. This is a shame as a featurette or a behind the scenes documentary would have been nice for some of the die hard fans. However for the time being we'll just have to make do with the wonderful film itself.

Overall though, 'Demolition Man' is brilliant action packed movie, just what you would expect from a Stallone, or even a Wesley Snipes movie. A treat for fans of both stars or just action and/or sci-fi fans in general and with just the right mixture of comedy and action i highly recommend it to all!

The unmistakably 90s action/sci-fi cult classic arrives on Blu-ray to inspire us all with joy joy feelings!

I last saw 'Demolition Man' on a VHS recorded off TV. So to say I was impressed by the Blu-ray would be an understatement. Warner Bros have clearly put some effort into this transfer, as it's one of the best catalogue releases I've seen.

Firstly, I did not pick up on any digital noise reduction. There's a VERY fine layer of grain covering the image throughout, lending a nice and filmic quality to the picture. Close-ups display an excellent amount of facial detail, especially on Stallone and Snipes, but even on the smooth-faced citizens of San Angeles (a futuristic makeup choice, or so I am led to believe). While there are more than a few soft shots here and there, the overall level of quality is pin-sharp. You might just be able to make out the small print on that 'Lethal Weapon 3' poster in Huxley's office.

I also did not detect any edge enhancement; and even if there is some then it must be barely noticeable. Black levels also appear well resolved, with plenty of clear shadow detail.

My only real boggle with the picture quality would be its skin tones. For most of the film, everyone appears overly tanned (orange, even). But I'm not sure if this is more to do with the source material than it is a fault with the Blu-ray transfer, so I may be fretting over nothing. Otherwise, colours are strong throughout.

'Demolition Man's' DTS-HD 5.1 audio track doesn't disappoint either. Elliot Goldenthal's score benefits appropriately, while the various sonic qualities appear to be correctly balanced. Gunshots and explosions pack an audible punch, hand-to-hand combat sequences are satisfyingly meaty and dialogue is perfectly clear (or, in the case of Stallone, as clear as it can be). Nothing is lost in the overall mix.

As for extras, Warner Bros weren't quite as generous in this department. All that's included is the original theatrical trailer and a director/producer commentary ported over from the DVD which is sadly lacking the presence of the movie's stars. I'd love it if Stallone and Snipes got together to record a commentary one day, but I won't get my hopes too high.

Just to clarify, I should point out that this UK Blu-ray is indeed uncut, and features the original Taco Bell print.

Verdict

The film is nothing short of entertaining, and the high definition transfer is exceptionally strong for a release of this calibre. If you're an action fan, and unless extra features are a deal breaker for you, then this Blu-ray is highly recommended.