Rating: 16

"The plot is a variation on a theme that dates back to Buck Rogers (1939), but is merely an excuse to pit Sly against a lightly-caricatured pastel future. Cryo-imprisoned nineties steroid supercop John Spartan (Stallone) is revived in an idyllic but oppressive future to track down his old enemy, psychopath Simon Phoenix ([Wesley] Snipes). Stallone must save the city of San Angeles from old-style terrorism by applying equally old-fashioned heroic ultra-violence. --- This is a rare effort to get away from the now-cliché urban hells of Blade Runner (1982) or The Terminator (1984) and come up with an open air mall, PC-dominated alternative vision of the future. The fight scenes are insterspersed with genuinely clever jokes about action movies and California triviality --- Delivers enough carnage and and property damage to pass as a multiplex picture. But it's the skewed, imaginative, sick comedy worldview - courtesy of Hudson Hawk scripter [Daniel] Waters - that gives it distinction." - Phil Hardy / The Aurum Film Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

"This movie actually suggests that we might someday look back on the gun-crazy '90s with nostalgia. Nice try, fellas, but fat chance." - Hal Hinson / The Washington Post 9.10.1993

"First-time director Brambilla delivers the ultraviolence with spectacular comic book results and the panache of a pro, managing from a running start to build­up the mind-boggling action into a climactic special effects frenzy so stupendous as to freeze any criticism in its tracks. If ever there was a movie equivalent to the one-night stand this is it — not necessarily something you'll remember next day but fast, furious and damn good fun while it lasts." - Phillipa Bloom / Empire Magazine 1.11.1993

"The screen is flushed with blue lighting, the pacing is swift and there is a lot of montage and fast cutting. --- Ultimately, the real star is neither Stallone nor Snipes, but the high-tech, metallic look created by production designer David L. Snyder and his accomplished team. The new film is a veritable compilation of such landmark sci-fiers as Aliens, Star Trek and Blade Runner, and also seems inspired by the imagery — and some ideas — of Fritz Lang's expressionist masterpiece, Metropolis. --- The design and look of the film (aptly lensed by Alex Thomson) is always fun to watch." - Emanuel Levy / Variety 8.10.1993

Directed by Marco Brambilla / Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, Benjamin Bratt

USA 1993