Mel Brooks Genuinely Hates This Sylvester Stallone Sci-Fi Movie: "This Is Sh*t"
This is a story about a brutal police officer from the past who saves the future from a 90s-era villain.
Mel Brooks is a living comedy legend and EGOT winner whose taste in movies is remarkably diverse: he adores horror films starring Bela Lugosi and admires contemporary comedians like Sacha Baron Cohen.
However, there is one movie that Brooks detests so sincerely and vehemently that, even three decades later, he minces no words.
Mel Brooks Has Absolutely No Praise for 1993's 'Demolition Man'
With his characteristic frankness, Mel Brooks expressed his dislike of the 1993 movie Demolition Man:
“Demolition Man, probably one of the greatest adventures in stupidity, one of the least important and dopiest films, right? You go to the commissary at Fox, and these schmendricks, these assh*les, they're all very proud because it's done $27 million the first weekend.”
Brooks added:
“Now, I don't want to seem bitter. But I jumped up on the table, and I said, ‘This is shit. This is ridiculous’. I said, ‘We have to run Grand Illusion and Demolition Man side-by-side, just once, to see what a great movie is.”
What Is 'Demolition Man' About?
The movie begins with the escape of Simon Phoenix, one of the most dangerous criminals of the 1990s and a charismatic sadist, from a cryogenic prison after 35 years of freezing.
Having forgotten how to deal with real violence, the police of the future find themselves completely helpless against Phoenix's brutal ways.
The only solution is to thaw an old-school cop who once captured Phoenix but was arrested for manslaughter: Sergeant John Spartan.
'Demolition Man' Is That "Bad" Movie From the 90s That You Want to Rewatch Today
Demolition Man is a perfect example of cinema that prioritizes form over content – and not the most elegant form, at that. Directed by video artist Marco Brambilla, the movie has a striking visual style, but it can't save the absurdity of the script.
Today, the film's depiction of a crime-free Los Angeles in the future seems like an absurd joke – people have given up meat, salt, and coffee, and any "fluid exchange," such as sex and kissing, is strictly forbidden.
Demolition Man isn't a masterpiece, nor is it the best movie, but its insane premise and memorable visuals have a bit of 90s action movie charm that we want to return to.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Demolition Man'?
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Demolition Man has 67% from both critics and viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.7/10.
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On Letterboxd, Demolition Man scored 3.4/5.0.
Where to Watch 'Demolition Man'?
Demolition Man is available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
