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“
Is it cold in here or is it just me?
„
~ Simon Phoenix's most famous quote.
“
Raymond Cocteau: I hadn't counted on this, but I must say you've worked out beautifully. People are terrified of you. Simon Phoenix: What's new? People have always been terrified of me.
„
~ Simon Phoenix talking to Raymond Cocteau.
Simon Phoenix is the main antagonist of the 1993 sci-fi action film Demolition Man. He is the most crazed and dangerous criminal of the 20th century, and only the toughest cop could be a match for him. He is John Spartan's arch-nemesis.
Phoenix was a wanted criminal responsible for many crimes like theft, kidnapping, robbery, and murder. He declared his own kingdom in South Central within Los Angeles, having all other street gangs, drug dealers and even some murderers under his control.
In his last crime in 1996, he made over 30 bus passengers hostage for trespassing at his building, but when LAPD officer Sgt. John Spartan interfered, he set alight tanks of C4 and after a brief fight with Spartan, he was captured and taken away before the building was blown to pieces.
Meanwhile, other cops have found the corpses of the hostages with Phoenix being found guilty of the murders and condemned. But he framed Spartan for not caring about the hostages and as a result of Spartan too was wrongly accused of killing the civilians, and the two were frozen in a cryogenic prison, remaining there for years.
In 2032, 36 years later, society has changed drastically, with San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles being merged in one large so-called utopia named San Angeles.
Phoenix was released from his confinement with a rehabilitation program that gave him astounding new skills and extra strength to help him adapt to the future. He discovers this when he knows the password to release him from his cuffs, easily kills many workers at the cyro-prison, is familiar with futuristic technology and overpowers several SAPD officers. During this time, he sees a programme on a computer screen, telling him he has a job to kill a man by the name of Edgar Friendly.
Unable to deal with a violent psychopath like Phoenix, the SAPD decide to revive Spartan who was responsible for Phoenix's apprehension back in the 20th Century in hopes of capturing him again. While stealing weaponry from a museum (as all weapons were now banned and the last of them were displayed there), Phoenix is both surprised and annoyed that Spartan has come back, but immediately knows the reason why. After a fierce fight between them, Phoenix flees and runs into Dr. Raymond Cocteau who was the creator of the cryo-prison and founder of San Angeles. Phoenix attempts to kill him with one of his stolen handguns, but to his surprise is unable to. Cocteau reminds him of his job to kill Friendly and after exchanging conversation, Phoenix departs as Spartan along with SAPD officers Lt. Lenina Huxley and Officer Alfredo Garcia start chasing him.
Later on, Phoenix visits Cocteau and his associate Bob. He finds out the reason for his programming was to kill Edgar Friendly, the leader of the resistance group called Scraps who lived in the sewers of San Angeles. Friendly had always been against Cocteau's society and was therefore seen as a threat. Phoenix decides to help out Cocteau in exchange for being able to be in charge of all the costal cities of San Angeles. He also makes a list of a few convicts that need to be released from the cyro-prison to help in his task. After demanding why Spartan was released as well, Cocteau promises to imprison the former LAPD cop again, this time for good. However Phoenix doesn't believe him and vows that he will easily get rid of Spartan if he tries to stop him again.
Phoenix then gathers his men together in the sewers and after seeing that Spartan is now there too, precedes to kill two birds with one stone, causing great devastation with an AcMAG plasma rifle. However Friendly repels the attack, making Phoenix lose the weapon and force him to flee. He also badly injures Garcia along the way when he tries to arrest him. Spartan and Huxley then chase after him.
In deleted scene after Phoenix manages to escape from the sewers, he sees Spartan's old friend Zachary Lamb and shoots him before stealing Huxley's police cruiser and escaping onto the roads. Spartan and Huxley then chase after him in an Oldsmobile. Phoenix tries to stop them but to no avail, as Spartan manages to get on the roof of the cruiser.
During a brief fight, Phoenix admits that the hostages Spartan tried to save in 1996 were already dead before he even arrived, meaning that Spartan was sent into rehabilitation for no reason. Furious, Spartan throws him out of the cruiser, onto the road. Phoenix then escapes.
Later he returns to Cocteau, presumably to lie about killing Friendly. By this time Phoenix has had enough of Cocteau's wimpy society, deciding to take matters into his own hands and rule San Angeles himself, as he sees Cocteau as just an evil Mr. Rogers. Still unable to kill him due to his programming, he has one of his henchmen Adam to do it for him. Bob, having seen all this happening and fearing for his life, offers his services to help Phoenix in his plan.
Seeing Spartan and Huxley now entering the building, Phoenix sends some of his henchmen to stop them before going with Bob to the cryo-prison where he wants to release every dangerous convict imprisoned there and create his own gang of criminals, Spartan and Huxley however, manage to defeat the henchmen.
Work in the cyro-prison begins and after deciding the staff are no longer needed, Phoenix kills them. Spartan then arrives at the cyro-prison to face Phoenix alone. Along the way, in another deleted scene, Spartan faces more of Phoenix's henchmen including Adam whom he guns down.
Seeing that Spartan has now entered the main room, Phoenix draws his handgun and the two men engage in a fierce gunfight, with Bob fleeing the scene.
Ignoring Bob and deciding he has bigger fish to fry, Phoenix traps Spartan in a crane, using him for target practice before he runs out of bullets from his Uzi. Sensing that Spartan is attempting to break free, he then precedes drop him in a vat of defrosting fluid that will burn him to a crisp, but some of Phoenix's bullets had damaged the crane, allowing Spartan to use the cryo-fluid inside to freeze the mechanism and smash himself free. Phoenix then makes Spartan fall on a block of ice and attempts to sever him with a cutting laser, but only succeeds in doing further damage to the cyro-prison, with water spilling everywhere, whilst Spartan dodges it.
Frustrated by the way Spartan keeps slipping through his fingers, Phoenix decides to kill him with his bare hands and the two engage in an intense battle of hand to hand combat. Spartan bravely fights but Phoenix overpowers him and picks up a sharp steal rod to finish his arch-enemy off, once and for all.
However Spartan smashes a container of the potent cryogenic liquid against the floor and leaps to grab the now malfunctioning crane arm overhead, as the floor and everything in contact with it freezes solid, including Phoenix. Spartan then kicks Phoenix's frozen head off after shouting "Heads up!", reminiscing Phoenix's predictable loss of his head, and it hits the ground before smashing to pieces, avenging himself and all the people Phoenix killed.
The damaged equipment in the room then explodes, with Spartan escaping just before the cryo-prison is destroyed, along with Phoenix's decapitated frozen body and the criminals he attempted to set free, ending his reign of chaos forever.
Video game Appearances
Sega Genesis Continue Screen
SNES Continue Screen
1/2
Simon Phoenix appears in all the video game adaptions of Demolition Man on Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Super Nintendo Entertainment System and 3do where he serves as the game's main antagonist and the final boss.
Appearance
Simon Phoenix is an African-American man with an athletic and muscular build, shaven blonde curly hair, and a small black beard. He has heterochromia, his right eye is brown, and his left eye is blue. Both of his ears are pierced with two silver looped earrings, later on he lost one of them on his left ear. In 1996, he wore a black leather jacket with red lining and a black and yellow checker pattern on the back, a grey shirt, and black and white striped trousers. In 2032, he now wears blue dungarees bearing the cryo-prison logo on the chest with an orange vest with a silver stripe underneath and later wore grey underground combat fatigues.
Personality
“
Edgar Friendly: They thawed this guy out just to kill me? I'm flattered. John Spartan: Don't be flattered, be frightened. This guy's a certifiable nightmare.
„
~ John Spartan telling Edgar Friendly how deadly Simon Phoenix is.
Simon Phoenix has a personality that is beyond that of a nutcase, he is a ruthless and sick-minded anarchist with no other aims than torturing, killing, committing mayhem and driving the surrounding society into chaos for his own sadistic pleasure. Phoenix also loves playing tricks to others, though his tricks are usually incredibly cruel and cause the deaths of dozens of people.
Though impulsive, maniacal, bloodthirsty and barbaric, Phoenix can be highly intelligent, collected, opportunistic, manipulative, polite and even charming if that could work in his favor, as seen when he speaks with Raymond Cocteau. Phoenix also acknowledges that he is completely evil, but does not seem bothered and instead enjoys it.
He is also a very humorous man, and seems to not take his atrocious acts or his fight against Spartan very seriously (much like the Joker) - though, at the end of the movie, Phoenix gets frustrated by Spartan's relentless pursuit and escaping his attacks, resulting in him losing his coolness and revealing the monster within, as an incredibly wrathful, narcissistic, shameless and remorseless psychopath.
He had a reason, though, to criticize Cocteau's society, saying that he can't remove people's free will. He affirmed this, however, only for his selfish purposes, as he wants total chaos rather than an extreme lawful society.
Quotes
“
Arrest? S**t. And you're trespassing.
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Oh, yes, the passengers. Well, they're... F**k you. The passengers are gone. Ha ha ha ha. See, I told the city, "Look, nobody comes down here." Postmen figured it out... ...policemen figured it out. But the ***damn bus drivers just wouldn't listen.
„
~ Simon Phoenix to John Spartan.
“
What? What? Whatcha got, soldier boy? Do something. Go ahead. You're up to your ass in gasoline. I'll set yo' ass on fire.
„
~ Simon Phoenix to John Spartan.
“
Now, where did I put 'em? I swear, I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached.
„
~ Simon Phoenix to John Spartan.
“
Wrong again!
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
You see that, Captain? I told him! He said he didn't care! How could you sacrifice all those innocent people for little ol' me! What kind of man are you?
„
~ Simon Phoenix taunting John Spartan about the deaths of 30 municipal bus passengers while he is under police custody.
“
We'll spend a lot of quality time together. See ya, sweetie! Honey! Sugar!
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Hace veintinueve años el sistema de libertad condicional, como lo...
„
~ Simon Phoenix mimicking Warden William Smithers in Spanish.
“
...was rendered obsoleto.
„
~ Simon Phoenix mimicking Warden William Smithers in both English and Spanish.
“
Estatuto Cinco treinta y siete guión Veintinueve...
„
~ Simon Phoenix mimicking Warden William Smithers again in Spanish.
“
Yeah. I do. Teddy bear.
„
~ Simon Phoenix, secretly activating the password "Teddy Bear" to the electronic cuffs before attacking Warden William Smithers and the CryoPrison guards.
“
I wish I knew.
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Simon says, "Die."
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Yoo-hoo! Warden... ...Let's get this over quickly.
„
~ Simon Phoenix, before ending his CryoPrison parole hearing with the sadistic killing of Warden William Smithers.
“
Yeah, you too.
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Get outta here!
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Damn, I'm possessed! Wonder if I can play the accordion too. Ha-ha-ha.
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Look, I don't need a history lesson. Come on, HAL! Where are the ***damn guns?
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
What? F**k you.
„
~ Phoenix, after being given a ticket by the Morality Box for breaking the Verbal Morality Statute
“
Yeah, right. [Police show up] F**kers are fast, too. [Morality Box buzzes again and Phoenix mocks it, throwing away the ticket] Beep!
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
What's this? Six of you. Such nice, tidy uniforms. Oh I'm so scared! What you guys don't have sarcasm anymore?
„
~ Simon Phoenix to 6 San Angeles police officers.
“
Lucky number seven.
„
~ Simon Phoenix, activating the Anti-Graffiti Activation Program which killed a nearby standing 7th SAPD officer.
“
Olé!
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Hey! Wait for me!
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Stupid!
„
~ Simon Phoenix, after both beating up and killing 7 SAPD officers with ease.
“
Simon says: everybody sing!
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
♪And the home of the brave♪♪ Play ball!
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Home, sweet home. Whoa.
„
~ Simon Phoenix at the San Angeles Museum of History.
“
Wait a minute. This is the future. Where are all the phaser guns?
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
The museum is no longer sealed, is it? Ha-ha! What can I say? I'm a blast from the past!
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
Oh, boy, that voice sounds familiar. Who is that?!
„
~ Simon Phoenix beginning to open fire, forcing John Spartan to take cover.
“
Spartan? John Spartan? Aw s**t, they let anybody into this century! What the hell you doing here?
„
~ Simon Phoenix to John Spartan.
“
Simon says bleed!
„
~ Simon Phoenix
“
C'mon, you space-age piece of s**t.
„
~ Simon Phoenix mutters to the AcMAG gun acquired.
“
So let me get this right: They defrosted you just so you could lasso my piddly ass? Damn, you been had! I've been dreamin' about killin' you for 40 years.
„
~ Simon Phoenix to John Spartan.
“
The past is over, John! It's time for something new and improved!
„
~ Simon Phoenix to John Spartan.
“
I took care of Spartan once and I'll take care of him again.
„
~ Phoenix vowing to rid himself of Spartan.
“
All right, gentlemen, let's review. The year is 2032 - that's two-zero-three-two, as in the 21st Century - and I am sorry to say the world has become a pussy-whipped, Brady Bunch version of itself, run by a bunch of robed sissies. All we have to do to run the whole thing, is to kill a man named Raymond, who put it all together. Ah, but there's an extra added bonus. We get to kill the man who put most of us behind the freezer.
„
~ Simon Phoenix to his gang of fellow free CryoCons from the 20th century on his plans of reintroducing criminality to the future world as well to kill both Dr. Raymond Cocteau and John Spartan.
“
I want you to loot, pillage, plunder! I want ya to steal! I want you to do all the wonderful things that we used to do before all this happened. This world will be ours! Let's bring back the good old days! Are you with me?! ARE YOU WITH ME?! LET'S DO IT!
„
~ Simon Phoenix to his fellow criminals of the 20th century.
“
Will you please kill him? He's p***in' me off!
„
~ Simon Phoenix telling one of his men to kill Dr. Cocteau.
“
"S**t! ***damn! What am I doing wrong?
„
~ Phoenix getting frustrated at not being able to kill Spartan.
“
This is the best day of my life!
„
~ Phoenix's last words as he is about to finish Spartan.
Gallery
Images
Phoenix opposite his arch-enemy John Spartan.
Phoenix taunting Detective John Spartan during his search for the hostages.
Phoenix frozen in cryo-stasis.
Phoenix breaks free of his bonds after being revived and brought for a parole hearing.
Phoenix uses Warden Smithers' eyeball to gain access to restricted areas of the compound.
Phoenix discovering he has special skills he was never previously aware of.
Phoenix attempting to break a weapons display in a futuristic museum.
Phoenix meeting Dr. Raymond Cocteau, the man responsible for setting him free.
Phoenix and Cocteau discussing their issues with Spartan.
Phoenix stealing a SAPD car.
Phoenix about to engage Spartan in one final battle.
Phoenix about to finish off Spartan.
Phoenix being frozen solid after coming in contact with a cryogenic fluid.
Phoenix's frozen head is kicked off his shoulders...
...before hitting the ground and smashing into pieces.
Comic adaptation of Phoenix's final battle with Spartan.
Videos
Demolition Man - Simon Pheonix Parole Hearing
Demolition Man - Phoenix vs Cops HD
Demolition Man - Simon At The Museum Scene (2160p)
Demolition Man - Museum Fight (2160p)
Demolition Man - Dr. Cocteau meets Simon Phoenix
Demolition Man - Illuminate Delluminate HD
Simon Phoenix Speech (Demolition Man, 1993)
Demolition Man - Simon Phoenix Kills Dr Cocteau
Demolition Man - Final Fight Scene (HD)
Trivia
Phoenix's last name simply came from the mythological fire-bird of Egyptian legend which indicated the legendary criminal's desire to bring back greed, cruelty, and anarchy into the world, including the seemingly serene city of San Angeles and make all the chaotic madness last forever.
Phoenix has two different colored eyes. A condition called heterochromia iridis.
Sylvester Stallone wanted Jackie Chan to play the part of Simon Phoenix, Chan declined, since Asian audiences don't like the idea of actors who have always played heroes suddenly playing evil characters (ironically enough, Jet Li, who is also an Asian actor, would later portray as Gabriel Yulaw in the 2001 film The One).
During rehearsals, Wesley Snipes starting reciting his lines in Spanish, and they thought it was funny.
Wesley Snipes' kicks and punches sometimes look lurchy and awkward. Snipes is an accomplished black belt in real life, and his kicks and punches were so fast that they blurred on-camera. Hence, the producers asked him to slow them down.
According to the commentary found on the Region 1 DVD, there were some scenes deleted from the movie including a subplot involving the murder of Zachary Lamb by Phoenix.
Wesley Snipes hated his blond dye job, and shaved his head as soon as filming was complete. After this movie's release, professional NBA player Dennis Rodman began dying his hair different colors, a look that was inspired by Simon Phoenix.
Sir Nigel Hawthorne (who plays Raymond Cocteau in the movie) didn't get along with Wesley Snipes during filming.
According to Denis Leary, Snipes insisted on doing his own action scenes. After Snipes finished his scenes, the crew would film scenes with the stunt people.
Wesley Snipes later worked with Sylvester Stallone again in The Expendables 3, where they portray as allies instead of enemies.
✓
