The 90s were arguably some of the best years for the action genre. So many fantastic movies were released that it was hard to keep up, and many of those titles have become household names. The decade also saw some of the biggest names in the business in their primes.
We can’t expect every film to become the next Terminator 2, but a long list of 90s action movies have influenced the films we know today. Quite a few, like Rush Hour and The Matrix, have become emblematic of the decade.
However, there were also plenty of projects that failed to garner an audience at the time or have since disappeared into obscurity. In the case of some, there was a good reason for that, but a great many action films from that particular era are much better than their current reputations (or lack thereof) may suggest, either because they aged well or simply flew under the radar.
10
Broken Arrow (1996)
Broken Arrow is a high-stakes action thriller starring Christian Slater as Riley Hale. He’s a military pilot tasked with flying a bomber carrying two live nuclear warheads on a test run. However, his co-pilot, Vic Deakins (John Travolta), has other plans and tries to steal them.
It’s a straightforward story, but the dynamic between Hale and Deakins is so great to watch. The pair were friends before the mission, and it’s clear how much fun Travolta is having as the bad guy. Hale also teams up with Terry (Samantha Mathis), a park ranger, to stop the weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
Broken Arrow is full of high-intensity action scenes, which is to be expected of a John Woo film, and the chemistry between the main characters elevates the movie over similar titles of the era.
9
Assassins (1995)
Assassins is an underrated action gem starring Sylvester Stallone as Robert Rath, a veteran hitman looking to get out of the game. He agrees to one final job, but everything changes when he meets Miguel Bain (Antonio Banderas), a wild and unpredictable competitor.
Both assassins have a contract to eliminate Electra (Julianna Moore), and they cross paths multiple times as they try to outsmart each other. Naturally, the chemistry between the trio is brilliant, which makes sense considering they are all A-list actors.
Assassins has a great story full of twists and turns, but Banderas makes the movie worth watching, even if you don’t enjoy assassin movies. Bain is deadly, over-the-top, and an unforgettable antagonist.
8
The Jackal (1997)
The Jackal is a loose reboot of 1973’s The Day of the Jackal. The 1997 movie stars Bruce Willis as the Jackal, an elite hitman so experienced that law enforcement can’t even prove he exists.
The FBI enlists the help of Declan Mulqueen (Richard Gere), a convict, after discovering that the Jackal is hunting their Director. A deadly game of cat-and-mouse ensues. We see the Jackal preparing for the hit as Mulqueen plays catch-up.
The 1997 movie is quite different from the source material, making it a polarizing entry on this list. The Day of the Jackal is an incredibly tense thriller, and the Jackal himself is enigmatic. The reboot is more action-oriented, but Bruce Willis makes a great bad guy regardless.
7
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
The Long Kiss Goodnight stars Geena Davis as Samantha Caine. She’s a mom and schoolteacher but suffers from amnesia, shrouding her past. Her previous life comes back to haunt her as she discovers she has all the traits of an ice-cold killer.
Caine was once an elite CIA assassin called Charly. She meets former coworkers through the movie as she struggles to remember who she was and whether it’s a world she still wants to be part of.
Davis effectively plays two roles in The Long Kiss Goodnight. She effortlessly swaps between Caine and Charly in a story full of twists and betrayals.
6
Last Action Hero (1993)
Arnold Schwarzenegger was a mega star during the 90s and remains one of the greatest action heroes of all time. Still, some of his films gained much less acclaim than others, and one of those was 1993’s Last Action Hero.
Schwarzenegger plays Jack Slater in Last Action Hero. He’s a tough-guy protagonist in his own series of movies. Danny (Austin O’Brien), an obsessed fan, is magically transported into a Slater movie. The action hero’s life is turned upside down when he enters the real world, where movie tropes don’t always work.
Last Action Hero pokes fun at action film rules, while Benedict (Charles Dance), the villain, learns how to use the real world to his advantage. The title offers a smart parody of movie worlds, wrapped up in a ’90s action-adventure.
5
Timecop (1994)
Timecop is a sci-fi action movie set in a world where time travel exists. Max Walker (Jean-Claude Van Damme) works for the Time Enforcement Commission and must take down Senator Aaron McComb (Ron Silver), who is using time travel to his advantage.
Time travel is regulated in Timecop, so travelers are forbidden from altering the past to enrich their future lives. It’s a fun concept, and the movie explores themes like alternate timelines.
Timecop notably features fewer martial arts scenes than other Van Damme movies. He still shows off a few trademark moves, but the action scenes are quite traditional. The story is straightforward, given the time-travel plot, and Silver makes a great villain.
4
The Quest (1996)
The Quest is another great Jean-Claude Van Damme movie. It’s full of brutal martial arts fights, pitting styles against each other, but it failed to reach the lofty highs of films like Kickboxer and Bloodsport.
Jean-Claude Van Damme plays Christopher Dubois. He’s a pickpocket turned martial arts master. Dubois enters a deadly fighting tournament where the competitors all specialize in unique styles, like Sumo. It’s a straightforward plot that sets the stage for some incredible brawls.
The stakes are high in The Quest, as there are grave consequences if Dubois loses the tournament. He also has to worry about a particularly bloodthirsty opponent, Khan (Abdel Qissi), who is on another level compared to the other competitors.
3
Boiling Point (1993)
Wesley Snipes plays Jimmy Mercer in Boiling Point, an experienced police officer. He becomes a renegade cop after a friend is killed on the job by Ronnie (Viggo Mortensen).
The movie is quite cheesy by today’s standards, but Snipes delivers some brilliantly quotable one-liners on his quest for revenge. It’s a violent tale, and while Boiling Point is action-packed, it does take time to explore Mercer’s complicated backstory.
Boiling Point is notably more grounded than many movies on this list. It’s a gritty crime thriller portraying realistic characters. Even the villains have relatable motivations, elevating them above typical action movie bad guys.
2
Live Wire (1992)
Live Wire is a tense action thriller starring Pierce Brosnan as Danny O’Neill, a highly trained bomb-disposal expert investigating a deadly, unexplained threat.
A US Senator suddenly dies at the start of the movie. He explodes, yet investigators cannot determine how or why. They seek guidance from O’Neill, who quickly discovers that this new explosive leaves no trace and is effectively invisible.
It’s a wild concept, and Live Wire is full of shocking deaths that still hold up today. The reveal of this revolutionary new weapon is unnerving and offers a unique twist on the genre.
1
Payback (1999)
As the name implies, Payback is a gritty revenge movie. It stars Mel Gibson as Porter, a tough career criminal betrayed during a heist. His attackers leave him for dead, but fail to finish the job.
The movie follows Porter’s quest for revenge. He starts with nothing, but uses his experience to gain money and acquire a gun. Porter climbs the ladder up through the criminal underworld. It’s a violent journey, and Payback makes full use of its R rating.
Several brutal scenes in Payback are still hard to watch today. Porter’s journey is grim and messy, but it makes his plight believable, resulting in a film that stays with you long after the credits.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
