Sylvester Stallone Defends His 1993 Dystopian Action Thriller: “It’s One of the Few Films That Really Holds Up”

by

Sylvester Stallone is a huge name in Hollywood, famous for leading major franchises and being one of the most recognizable action heroes ever. While everyone knows him from films like Rocky and Rambo, one movie he doesn’t often talk about is Demolition Man. However, Stallone believes this 1993 action film has actually held up surprisingly well over time.

In Demolition Man, Sylvester Stallone plays John Spartan, a police officer who is frozen for decades and then revived in the future. He’s brought back because he’s the only one who can stop Simon Phoenix, a dangerous criminal who has also escaped. The movie follows Spartan as he adjusts to this strange new world and tries to catch his old enemy, who is causing chaos.

In a recent interview with GQ, Sylvester Stallone discussed several of his famous movies, including Rocky, Cobra, Creed, and The Expendables. Despite these being some of his most well-known roles, he also praised Demolition Man, calling it “one of the few films that really hold up” over time.

I really enjoyed the movie; it’s one of those films that remains impactful even after multiple viewings. It felt incredibly relevant to what’s happening in the world today, and I was impressed by how well it was made. It captured a sense of how society is becoming more refined, or ‘gentilized,’ and that resonated with me.

Man, Wesley was just incredible to watch! He had so much energy and was a really skilled fighter. I remember sparring with him – I was wearing a chest protector, and you could feel his power! He really committed to the character, making him super memorable. He was honestly at the peak of his abilities back then.

‘Demolition Man’s Rocky Production Did Not Stop It From Becoming an Entertaining Action Movie


Warner Bros.

Demolition Man was a big hit with audiences, earning $159 million and becoming one of Sylvester Stallone’s most successful films of the 1990s. Critics generally liked it too, and it remains one of his best-reviewed movies from that decade (currently holding a 66% rating on Rotten Tomatoes). Despite its success, those in the film industry know that Demolition Man was a challenging production.

The movie’s script went through many revisions, and Sylvester Stallone wasn’t the original pick for the lead role – Steven Seagal was considered first. After Stallone signed on, Jackie Chan turned down the villain’s part (with Jean-Claude Van Damme also being a possibility), and Wesley Snipes eventually took it. However, Snipes wasn’t immediately on board, so producer Joel Silver and director Marco Brambilla had to personally ask him to join the cast.

During filming, Lori Petty was replaced by Sandra Bullock, which led to reshoots and contributed to the movie’s delays. The total cost of making and marketing Demolition Man reached almost $100 million. Sylvester Stallone later described the challenging production, mentioning that he personally performed two particularly risky stunts.

I was really impressed with the set design. It was a ‘working set,’ meaning everything you saw actually functioned. In fact, the stunts involving the giant claw were the most dangerous I’ve ever performed. The hydraulics weren’t always reliable, and those metal claws had incredible strength – they could seriously injure you if something went wrong.

They originally froze me inside a strong, cylindrical container made of thick plexiglass – it was so durable you couldn’t shatter it with a sledgehammer. Then they began pouring in warm oil, which was meant to slice through the container. If the process took more than 30 seconds, the oil would reach my mouth and I’d be trapped.

Read More

2025-10-27 21:33