In his over five-decade-long career, Sylvester Stallone had acted in many critically acclaimed films like Rocky (1976), Cobra (1986), Tango & Cash (1989), Cliffhanger (1993), Creed (2015) and many others. But the noted actor has revealed that among his many films, he believes 'Demolition Man' (1993) is the one that "still holds up" the best, according to People.
Recalling his iconic roles over the years, the 79-year-old actor said Demolition Man, directed by Marco Brambilla, was a "great movie". "It's one of the few films that really hangs up," he added, calling it "very contemporary" and "really well done." He further added that the dystopian world portrayed in the film feels "almost close to happening."
In the sci-fi action film, Sylvester Stallone stars as John Spartan, a fearless cop known for his destructive but effective methods. After a botched mission to save hostages from notorious criminal Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes), both men are cryogenically frozen in 1996. Decades later, in 2032, Phoenix breaks free, prompting authorities to thaw out Spartan to stop him once again. Talking about its premise, Stallone said it captures "the gentle-ization of society, everything's so meek."
The Rambo actor also applauded his co-star Wesley Snipes, calling him "a wild man, very energetic, good fighter." The Rocky star recalled that during some of their fight scenes, Snipes could "really lay into me," since Stallone was wearing protective gear. "Wesley really dug down there and gave a very memorable character," he said, adding that Snipes was "at the top of his game."
The film also had some intense stunt sequences, and Stallone revealed that Demolition Man featured two of the most dangerous stunts of his career. While one had a massive mechanical claw, which he said could have caused severe injuries if the hydraulics failed. Another involved filming a cryogenic freezing scene inside a sealed plexiglass chamber filled with oil. "If the oil poured in for more than 30 seconds, I wouldn't have been able to get out," Stallone recalled. "They hit it 20 times, couldn't crack it," he said.
Demolition Man also starred Sandra Bullock, and Nigel Hawthorne in key roles. While the film received mixed reviews, it was a commercial success, earning $159 million worldwide.
While a sequel to the film was hinted in 2020 by the actor himself, no updates have surfaced since then. In 2023, director Brambilla said the movie's unique tone would make it challenging to be greenlight today.
