Key Takeaways
- Sylvester Stallone’s admiration: Stallone considers Demolition Man a great movie that reflects contemporary society.
- Wesley Snipes' performance: Snipes delivered a memorable character with his energetic portrayal of Simon Phoenix.
- Behind-the-scenes challenges: Stallone faced dangerous stunts, including a near-death experience while filming.
- Film's legacy: The film’s relevance and quality are still debated among fans today.
It’s no secret here that we at JoBlo love Demolition Man – the cast, the futuristic setting, the Taco Bell. And it turns out that Sylvester Stallone himself is a huge fan of Demolition Man as well, recently discussing it alongside Rocky and Rambo, no doubt his most iconic performances.
Stallone recently sat down with GQ to get nostalgic about some of his most memorable movies, kicking it all off with cult favorite Demolition Man, in which Sly plays a cop who is cryogenically frozen, awoken once a crime lord busts loose. “I think it was a great movie. It’s one of the few films that really [holds] up. And it’s almost close to happening. There’s certain kind of mannerisms and…we call it the “gentilization of society.” Everything’s so meek…That’s so far back, and I thought [at the time] it was just very, very contemporary…I thought it was really well done.”
Stallone also had major praise for Demolition Man co-star Wesley Snipes, who played Simon Phoenix. “Wesley was wild, he’s a wild man, very energetic, good fighter. When we were doing kicks…I could feel it and it was good. But Wesley, he really dug down there and gave a very memorable character. Things with his hair and his voice…he was good, he was at the top of his game then.”
And what’s a behind-the-scenes recollection with a near-death experience? Check out these scares Stallone had while making Demolition Man: “I thought the set design was brilliant. It was what we call a practical set. Those things really worked…” And yes, he means the giant claw, going on to say, “Those are the two most dangerous stunts I’ve ever done…Sometimes the hydraulics would go sideways and the strength of those metal claws would tear you up. And the other thing is, when they froze me originally and they put me in this round tub [with] thick plexiglass, you couldn’t break it with a sledgehammer. And they started pouring in warm oil and it’s filling up [to my chin]. It’s supposed to cut.” But it didn’t, with the liquid going far higher than intended, leaving him locked in the tub which was bolted shut. Thankfully, some of the crew members came through courtesy of sledgehammers and hatchets, freeing Stallone of certain doom. And to think, one of his last completed movies would have been Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!
Where would you rank Demolition Man in Stallone’s filmography? Does it hold up in 2025?
