The 1980s may have been a heyday for action movies, but it was in the 1990s when the genre came of age and showed audiences what it really could do. There was a virtual buffet of live-action films along with animated selections that weren't for kids, and the settings were wild and varied. Action movies could take place on other planets or rough city streets, and they could star spies, soldiers, cops, or even robots.
Given the variety, action movie fans had a lot to choose from in the years between 1990 and 1999. Nothing is perfect, however, and even the movies of any genre can go awry in the third act. There are several action movies from that bygone era that are still perfect, including the final act and the end. There are a few others that were great up until that point, but right at that crucial climactic moment, they just ran out of ideas.
Great - La Femme Nikita (1990)
With La Femme Nikita it was obvious that the time of female action heroes had begun. This French movie burst onto the international scene guns blazing, not only with some tense and terrifying action sequences but with a complex and lovable character in the lead.
Watching this movie is reminiscent of recent films like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, where certain folks in authority underestimate the wrong woman. She gives them a stern lesson in the end, and that's why it is so fantastic.
Just Awful - Starship Troopers (1997)
It's fairly obvious where director Paul Verhoeven was trying to go with this story, but the satire doesn't go far enough and the conclusion is equally disappointing. Plenty of critics actually said this about the whole movie, so in a way, the conclusion was a perfect culmination of that.
The ending actually had a chance to make something meaningful here out of the wacky scenes with co-ed showers and throwing up in class, but goes exactly where everyone expected it to, which is nowhere. Okay, so the bugs are scared. Would you like to know more? Again?
Great - Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
Forget for a second that other, more recent movies in this franchise have all but ret-conned the immortal words of Kyle Reese, which were then repeated by Sarah Conner's narration that closed out one of the best sequels of all time. It's not only Sarah's inspiring words that help bring this to a close but also the satisfying resolution that immediately preceded it.
This is a great ending mainly for the resolution. Our heroes have succeeded. Both the Terminators are dead and Judgement Day has been averted. And if a robot can learn the value of human life, then maybe a human can, too. Just as long as they learn to stop making bad sequels.
Just Awful - Speed (1994)
What a great movie, but as act three comes to a close, it doesn't have anywhere else to go. The result is that it plummets, in some ways literally, as the final scene takes place in a subway.
Averting the bomb on the bus should have been the ending, but instead, there's this weird extra 15 minutes that includes an obligatory confrontation with the bad guy that was foreshadowed earlier in the film in a way that was cheap and predictable. The movie still gave us action star Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, so we can love this movie despite the poor ending.
Great - True Lies (1994)
In a reaction to the lukewarm response to the family-friendly The Last Action Hero, Schwarzenegger went full-on in the opposite direction with True Lies. The final act carries the audience and characters to a successful and satisfying conclusion that includes more than just the standard happy ending.
Jamie Lee Curtis holds her own when cast with the action juggernaut, and the chemistry between the lead actors is part of what makes this movie so much fun. In the end, the family that spies together stays together.
Just Awful - The Matrix (1999)
Luckily, by the time audiences reached the end of this movie, their minds were so blown that they didn't notice how poor the conclusion really was. Really, all the complex and sophisticated existentialist philosophy, laced with ground-breaking action sequences, and the last few scenes fall back on the "revived by a kiss" trope?
It's nice that the usual dichotomy is flipped to make the man the recipient of the kiss as opposed to the woman, but it's still a tiresome example of lazy writing. Plus, the last few seconds haven't aged well. It looked cool before, but today flying Neo just looks pretentious.
Great - Ghost in the Shell (1995)
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Speaking of The Matrix, the movie from which it takes must of its inspiration has a much better ending. Ghost in the Shell was one of the first full-length animated features that made it across the Pacific from Japan and went on to inspire a whole generation of science fiction and action films.
The ending is stellar, and although somewhat ambiguous it does have some resolution. Remember, the net is a vast and limitless place.
Just Awful - Point Break (1991)
The audience just sat through an intense 90 minutes of extreme sports, bank robberies, thrilling chases, and gunfights. They're waiting for a final fight that's going to be the dizzying resolution of this amazing ride. Then, Keanu Reeves walks away as Patrick Swayze takes one last surf.
Wait, what? We know he's not coming back, as Reeves explains, but this is a miserable anti-climax given the tone of the film. Did anyone else feel cheated by this?
Great - Con Air (1997)
Before John Wick made killing for puppies cool, there was Cameron Poe in Con Air. The adorable stuffed bunny was meant for his daughter as a birthday present. No hardened criminal, even ones meant for this accursed airplane, is capable of facing his wrath should it be damaged.
This movie wasn't exactly a favorite of critics, but it's a fan favorite, with some notable actors in the leading roles and a script so over the top that it's funny. It's totally unrealistic to the point of being ridiculous, but that's why it works, along with the perfect resolution that includes a final confrontation and a bloody battle with lots of things exploding.
Just Awful - The Fifth Element (1997)
Who wrote this? Because it's not the same person responsible for the rest of the script. It's not that weird given the funny and quirky tone of this cyberpunk romp, but the logistics of the situation are off-putting.
That's a cellular hygiene detector. Um, how romantic? How does Leeloo feel about getting locked in this thing again? No, that cool Peter Gabriel song isn't enough to distract us from this jarring and cringe-worthy ending.