I told the city...I said nobody comes down here. Postmen figured it out,

              Policeman figured it out...but the god damn bus driver just wouldn't listen.

It is 1996 and Simon Phoenix is a notorious criminal mastermind, an underground Crime Lord who controls the streets of Los Angeles. he has been pursued relentlessly by the cop John Spartan, labelled the demolition man as he seems to blow up/destroy anything he comes into contact with. The film begins with Spartan being dropped into Phoenix territoty, with Spartan attempting to rescue hostages. After killing a number of gang members he eventually comes face to face with Phoenix, who tells Spartan that he cannot remember what he had done with the hostages. Spartan, aware that the building will explode, knocks Phoenix out and the two escape the blaze. However the authorities charge Spartan with killing the hostages - bodies are strewn everywhere and he must be punished for his risk taking, impulsive behaviour. As a result both he and Phoenix are put into chryostasis, which will induce rehabilitative programmes through computer. In a parole type system those frozen are assessed for release at a later date.

However in 2032 Phoenix is defrosted for such a hearing, and his jailer, Warden William Smithers, reviews his case and asks if Phoenix has anything to say. For some reason Phoenix knows the access codes to the cuffs - resling in him killing the security guards and fatally wounding the Warden. He subsequently escapes the holding facility. Of course San Angeles, as it is now called, is a peaceful city - violence and crime are all but eradicated and so we have a society ill equipped t cope with the barbarity and savage nature of Phoenix. Captain George Earl of the Police force is struggling to contain the situation, and after speaking to the 'leader' of the city, Dr Cocteau, he is advised to do everything in his power to deal with Phoenix. The Police see how Phoenix was apprehended in 1996 by Spartan, and despite Earl's reluctance Spartan is defrosted and reinstated to the SAPD.

As the story unwinds we learn that San Angeles does have a criminal element, a bunch of underground dwellers who do not want to live by Cocteau's rules. They are led by Edgar Friendly, and it seems Cocteau wants rid of him - and so he organised the release of Phoenix to deal with this problem. However Cocteau has underestimated Phoenix, and whilst Spartan chases Phoenix it is the latter who takes control and has more of his friends defrosted. Spartan is left to sort out the mess and bring harmony back to the city.....yet it seems that Spartan must achieve this on his own.

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