dem_man1x01
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
[
previous
| bottom
]
INT. CAR - SAME TIME
And Phoenix is driving - self drive activated, tapping into
the computer at a strange speed.
PHOENIX
Oh shit, how's my piano skills?
The screen shows up entries on 'GUNS'.
CAR COMPUTER
Gun. Noun. Discontinued weapon that
has now been removed from the
mainland US State-Cities.
PHOENIX
What? Motherfucking Liberals!
BEEP.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
You have been fined one credit for
violating the verbal morality
stature.
Blink.
PHOENIX
What?
(laughs)
Oh I love this fucking place.
BEEP.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
You have been fined a further
credit for violating the verbal
morality stature. The police have
been informed.
Phoenix cocks an eyebrow. He looks at the screen...and he
suddenly stares at the screen. Dazed.
MALE VOICE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Edgar Friendly. Edgar Friendly. You
must kill Edgar Friendly.
Phoenix BLINKS, shaking his head - -
- and the car BUMPS into something.
EXT. ROAD - SAME TIME
The car CRASHES into a line of traffic - sharply. A domino
effect of cars crash into each other, attracting attention
and setting a lot of alarms off.
The drivers get out of the car, seeing the damage and looking
at the stolen car.
INT. CAR - SAME TIME
An airbag has sprung out, living Phoenix relatively unharmed.
CAR COMPUTER
Emergency services have been called
and are the way.
He takes a breath and KICKS the door open.
EXT. ROAD - CONTINUOUS
And he jumps out, a San Angeles citizen from one of the other
cars.
CITIZEN
(holding out hand)
My friend! Are you hurt? Did your
car malfunction?
Phoenix just GLANCES at him - SNAPS his extended arm! He
THROWS him around and STAMPS on his ribs cage.
PHOENIX
They'll let anyone on the road
these days!
He turns around, and the surrounding people turn to PANIC and
run away...
...just as the SAPD arrive.
PHOENIX (CONT'D)
(smiles)
Oh good. A sparring session.
He stands as the police officers, equipped with black shaped
rods of some kind, begin to slowly walk towards him.
The lead officer takes a few steps towards Phoenix.
INT. SAPD CONTROL ROOM - SAME TIME
The officers are all watching with baited breath.
EXT. ROAD - SAME TIME
With a deep breath, the Lead Officer takes one step further.
LEAD OFFICER
Simon Phoenix! Lay down on the
ground with your hands on your
head.
Phoenix doesn't move. His smile DROPS.
PHOENIX
No-one tells me what to do.
On that, JUMP CUT TO:
INT. COCTEAU'S OFFICE - LATER
Close up on a SCREEN. Similar to one of those in the
conference room. This one is showing Chief Earle - looking
very pale. Almost shell-shock like.
EARLE (ON SCREEN)
A-and it was fun. He had fun with
them. Fine members of the SAPD were
played around like toys...
(sighs)
How can one man hold such
brutality...
Watching without emotion, Cocteau sits behind his desk.
EARLE (ON SCREEN) (CONT'D)
I have begun to contact the
families of those officers. B-but I
don't know what to do, sir.
There's an uncomfortable silence.
EARLE (ON SCREEN) (CONT'D)
Sir?
COCTEAU
Chief Earle, this is just a minor
blip in a pitch perfect system.
It's unfortunate that it's happened
at the start of our preparations to
host the Presidential visit, but I
do believe that you and your team
can sort out the mess of this...
He reads a tablet.
COCTEAU (CONT'D)
Simon...Phoenix character before
too long.
EARLE (ON SCREEN)
But sir - -
COCTEAU
Now George, you have my blessing
and the city voted you to be in
charge of all the SAPD Precincts om
the StateCity. My confidence in you
is just, and I expect whatever
ideas you may have will be creative
and will have my complete and utter
backing.
There's a pause.
EARLE
Oh.
(slowly nodding)
Okay sir, thank you. And be well.
COCTEAU
(smiles)
Be well.
Earle's communication cuts out, and Cocteau's smile FADES as
he leans back into his chair.
He looks around his office. It's HUGE and glassy. Two
staircases on either side walk up to two collections of
books, and a huge window at the opposite end of the office
overlooks a very man-made waterfall leading to a manufactured
lake.
Cocteau looks towards the entrance to his office; and
standing there in a long multicoloured robe and hair of at
least three differing colours is ASSOCIATE BOB.
BOB
Greetings, sir. I take it the
meeting with Chief Earle has
finished?
COCTEAU
I despise talking to that idiot.
But I guess he'll be distracted now
to leave me in peace.
He flashes a smile to Bob, and off that CUT TO:
INT. SAPD CONTROL ROOM - LATER
There's an odd silence that fills the room. Several officers
are sitting there as Earle looks between them all.
EARLE
So has no-one got any solutions to
the problem at hand?
GARCIA
Sir, we're not trained in how to
handle the physical altercations
that Phoenix resorts - -
EARLE
That's not an excuse! Phoenix is a
a maniac. A thug. He resorts to
violence instead of using his
brain. That's what we have. We have
the brain.
Lamb shakes his head.
LAMB
No you don't.
(beat)
Chief.
EARLE
I beg your apology, Zachary Lamb!
LAMB
Phoenix is a mad-man. But he's not
stupid. He can improvise, think
fast and see every opportunity of a
situation. All in the half a second
it takes for his bullet to reach
the centre of your brain.
Beat.
HUXLEY
Officer Lamb, how was Phoenix
finally apprehended?
Lamb chuckles to himself.
LAMB
After all the years of TV
campaigns, FBI task forces, wanted
posters and even a church gathering
that ended in bloodshed; all it
took was just one man. One cop.
HUXLEY
Who?
LAMB
A cop named John Spartan.
There's a flash of recollection from Huxley.
HUXLEY
Spartan? The John Spartan?
Wide eye wonder, then CUT TO:
INT. HUXLEY'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
On screen there's a DOCUMENTARY being shown with a picture of
Spartan in a POLICE ACADEMY UNIFORM.
NARRATOR (ON TV)
...Graduated top of his class, with
commendations for intuition and
deductive reasoning. However, the
ever growing violence in the late
twentieth century began to have an
effect on the cop who would be
known as 'The Demolition Man'.
Watching this is Earle, Garcia, Lamb and Huxley. Huxley
smiles with Earle looking apprehensive.
On the TV, a SHOPPING MALL is seen blown to smithereens.
Spartan walks away, a reporter on his case.
REPORTER (ON TV)
Detective, how can you rationalise
destroying a mall costing several
million dollars for a small girl
who's ransom was only two-hundred
and fifty thousand dollars?
Spartan just looks at the reporter without comment.
Earle just shakes his head.
EARLE
You want to release this, this
murderer to capture Phoenix?
GARCIA
Manslaughter-er, Chief. It's
different from murder.
(beat; to Lamb)
It is, isn't it?
Lamb nods.
HUXLEY
Sir, we can re-instate him with
temporary parole. He can act as an
advisor to help capture Phoenix.
EARLE
But he's a relic! A relic of past
policing who will have no hope in
integrating with the way things
work.
HUXLEY
Sir, I can't think of anything else
that we can do. This is in our
power, and Mr. Cocteau said that we
could do anything.
Earle shakes his head, looking to see Spartan beat up four
thugs at once.
EARLE
I want my disapproval made clear
and added to the record,
understood?
HUXLEY
(nods)
Understood, sir.
Earle walks off, leaving the three standing in there. Lamb
stares at Spartan on the screen in the background.
ANGLE ON: Spartan in action.
INT. CRYOPRISON WESTERN WING - LATER
A metal slab echoes vertically. Several prison officers and
SAPD officers stand.
The camera rotates around, revealing the prisoner to be JOHN
SPARTAN. He's unconscious.
Huxley nods to a prison officer, and they inject Spartan with
something. Immediately he starts to come to.
HUXLEY
Detective?
(beat)
Detective?
Spartan hazily looks around.
SPARTAN
My wife...what happened to my wife?
HUXLEY
Her life was terminated in the
earthquake of 2010. Well, the
Earthquake.
SPARTAN
Earthquake?
EARLE
We don't have time for this,
Lieutenant Huxley!
Huxley glances to Earle, and then to Spartan.
HUXLEY
Detective John Spartan, my name is
Lieutenant Lelina Huxley, and the
year is 2046. You are currently in
the middle of San Angeles - -
SPARTAN
San Angeles?
HUXLEY
The San Angeles Californian
Combination State-City. You are in
the centre of what used to be Los
Angeles
Spartan blinks, shakes his head and goes to move - but
realises that he's cuffed to the slab.
SPARTAN
San Angeles? What the - -
EARLE
Listen 10,000 BC - you were woken
for one reason, and for one reason
only: to assist in the capture and
arrest of the escaped CryoCon Simon
Phoenix.
On the name: Spartan's eyes WIDEN.
SPARTAN
Phoenix?
HUXLEY
Earlier this morning Simon Phoenix
escaped from parole and has been
causing death and destruction
throughout the central city. We
have tried but we are ill-equipped
to deal with a menance of his
magnitude.
SPARTAN
And you want me to help?
Earle takes a step forward.
EARLE
You have no choice. Either you help
us, or you can easily go back into
your ice-cold prison and finish
your sentence. It is that simple.
Spartan looks at him, then nods quickly. Earle nods to some
officers and the cuffs let go. Spartan takes a breath as he
takes a step forward.
He glances around, seeing Garcia.
SPARTAN
You - give me a cigarette.
GARCIA
A what?
HUXLEY
John Spartan, cigarette's are
classed as illegal.
Beat.
SPARTAN
Illegal? Cigarettes? Are you
shitting me?
BEEP.
MALE VOICE (V.O.)
John Spartan you have been fined
one credit for violating the verbal
morality stature.
SPARTAN
And what the hell - -
BEEEEEEP!
SPARTAN (CONT'D)
(louder; points)
- - is that?
Huxley winces.
HUXLEY
Anything classed as bad was deemed
illegal. Like smoking and...well,
offensive language.
Spartan blinks. Trying to bother whether to process this
information.
HUXLEY (CONT'D)
We are now a peaceful society,
where crime and bad ways have
pretty much been eliminated from
the public consciousness.
GARCIA
We haven't had a unnatural death in
the city since 2023!
SPARTAN
(sarcastic)
Congratulations.
GARCIA
(smiles)
Why thank you John Spartan!
Spartan quickly smiles. Out of pity. He shakes it off and
turns to Huxley and Earle.
HUXLEY
We need your help.
(sighs)
Not many people have the chance for
redemption detective.
On this, Spartan looks away slightly. A deep breath.
SPARTAN
Fine. I'm in.
EARLE
I am going to regret this. I can
tell.
HUXLEY
Let's get you uniformed to
regulation standards.
She smiles and walks off. Spartan watches her walk, shaking
his head.
SPARTAN
I have no idea what you just said.
As he walks off frame, CUT TO:
INT. SHOWER - MOMENTS LATER
Shots of Spartan having his first shower for fifty years.
HUXLEY (V.O.)
A few things John Spartan. The
first is that all citizens of San
Angeles are required to be coded.
SPARTAN (O.S.)
Coded?
He finishes showering.
INT. OPERATING THEATRE - LATER
Spartan sits in a gown as two surgeons stand around him. He
looks slightly apprehensive.
HUXLEY (V.O.)
For around thirty years all the
population have had chips placed
into their hands.
His left hand is placed onto a small side table. One of the
surgeons as what looks like a very thick needle.
HUXLEY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
It serves for Identification,
Monetary Transactions, Global
Positioning as well as general
access.
SPARTAN (V.O.)
So I guess Big Bro is really
watching us then?
The needle is STUCK into his hand!
INT. WALK-IN WARDROBE - LATER
Spartan walks across a room full of racks with dark blue
jackets.
Now he's standing in front of three mirrors on his front and
back.
MIRROR
Remain stationary, please.
Red beams go down, tracing his body.
HUXLEY (V.O.)
All uniforms are also custom made,
as well as being adapted to predict
changes in body shape or mass.
SPARTAN (V.O.)
Are you saying that if I decide to
eat chocolate cake every hour every
day it'll actually still fit?
HUXLEY (O.S.)
Yes. Though chocolate is illegal.
There's just a SIGH heard as the mirror's scan finishes. A
CLOSE UP on Spartan's unsure face, THEN:
INT. SAPD CONTROL ROOM - LATER
A fully uniformed walks through the main doors, glancing
around. There's a silence as people glance in his direction.
Huxley follows him, smiling weakly.
HUXLEY
John Spartan, welcome to the
central SAPD Precinct Control
Centre for the whole of the State
City.
Looking around, Spartan sees that everyone is looking at him.
SPARTAN
Well everyone thought we'd all have
flying cars by now.
HUXLEY
Well there's only flights in
between -
SPARTAN
Huxley, that was a joke.
HUXLEY
Oh.
She shuts up.
As he walks into the room, Spartan takes in the screens,
equipment and all the other stuff that's been going on.
He stops when he notices Earle glancing at him.
EARLE
So caveman, what do you suppose we
do?
SPARTAN
I don't know yet, I've only just
walked in.
LAMB (O.S.)
Is that you Spartan?
Spartan turns around and does a double take.
SPARTAN
(weary)
No...Zach Lamb?
Lamb walks up, smiling. Spartan is slightly unsure how to
take this reunion, when Lamb suddenly EMBRACES him in a hug.
One that's quite tight hug. Quite a few people glance wearily
at each other while they hug.
SPARTAN (CONT'D)
Sweet Jesus, man. What happened to
you?
LAMB
Time did.
Spartan rubs his shoulder.
SPARTAN
That's some grip you got.
Lamb raises his right hand and KNOCKS it with his left. It's
metal.
LAMB
It got injured, ending my flight
career before it really began. Then
they gave me a metal one. And with
that, along with a higher life
expectancy and optional retirement,
it means I'm still working for the
man.
SPARTAN
Shit. You were a good pilot.
BEEEP. Spartan ignores it.
LAMB
(shrugs)
Yeah, well - -
EARLE
(interrupting)
Can we please get to the matter of
Phoenix, please?
SPARTAN
(smirking)
Sorry Chief.
EARLE
(shaking his head)
Anyway, we have managed to deduct a
scenario of Simon Phoenix's next
actions. That way we can predict
his next moves.
Spartan SNORTS.
SPARTAN
This'll be good.
EARLE
(glaring)
We have deduced that he'll start to
form underground connections,
building a crime syndicate before
running for mayor.
L-7
That's correct, Chief George Earle.
He smiles.
A deep breath. Spartan covers his mouth before taking a few
steps.
SPARTAN
Well Chief, I have to say that as
guess work goes, that has to be the
most ridiculous piece of crap I've
ever heard!
(beat)
A crime syndicate? Running for
mayor - - what are you basing all
this off? Comic books?
EARLE
I have you know that the
simulations were done based on
expert assumptions...
SPARTAN
(quickly)
He's going for a gun.
(breath)
Trust me, you want instant power,
and you want to generate more fear -
you find a gun.
Earle LAUGHS.
EARLE
That's preposterous! There's no way
you can get a gun in this city,
they're outlawed! The only you can
even see a gun is in a museum!
He laughs, then suddenly his smile fades as he realises what
Spartan is realising.
SPARTAN
I hope to God that they don't keep
live ammunition in the exhibits...
He turns to walk away, and Earle glares at Huxley and Garcia
who follow him. CUT TO:
INT. THE SAN ANGELES MUSEUM - DAY
And Phoenix is walking through the museum, passing several
normal citizens. He walks past a sign saying "Warfare".
INT. WAREFARE EXHIBIT - MOMENTS LATER
And a collection of guns and weaponry are all placed on show
behind thick glass. Phoenix walks down, looking pretty much
like a kid within a candy store that's made of chocolate.
PHOENIX
Oooh, it feels like Christmas
morning.
He has a walk down some aisles, stopping at a collection of
HANDGUNS. He smiles.
PHOENIX (CONT'D)
Can't beat a little bit of the
classics.
He looks around, and all there's near him is an elderly
couple. He shrugs, then gears himself up...
And KICKS the glass!
It doesn't smash.
A PUNCH. Doesn't smash. Painful.
PHOENIX (CONT'D)
Motherfucker!
BEEEEEP!
The elderly couple have now walked away, noticing Phoenix.
However, a museum staff member has now walked up to him,
smiling.
ATTENDANT
Greetings and salutations, may I
inquire if you have any trouble?
Phoenix just looks at him.
PHOENIX
Security is a bitch.
The anti-swearing alarm goes off.
ATTENDANT
I'm sorry sir, but could you please
refrain from resorting to such
vulgar language, please?
He's not really listening, but instead looking to the glass
and the attendant.
PHOENIX
How much do you weigh?
ATTENDANT
Well I weigh - -
Grabbing by the robe, Phoenix SPINS, and manages to THROW the
attendant THROUGH the glass.
It now smashes. And Phoenix is happy.
Alarms now go off. People panic, and the exhibit showroom's
automatic big metal doors slowly begin to close.
MALE VOICE (V.O.)
For your act of violence the police
have been called.
Ignoring this, Phoenix grabs a hand gun, releasing the clip.
It's loaded.
PHOENIX
Loaded museum exhibits?
(laughs)
Stoooopid!
He cocks the handgun. Then suddenly blinks, wondering
something.
PHOENIX (CONT'D)
Hey wait a sec...this is the
future, so where are all the laser
guns?
Off his face, CUT TO:
[
top
| previous
| next
]
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.