The action film genre came into its own in the 1990s, aided by the rapid development in CGI technology, not to mention enormous production budgets. Actors like Tommy Lee Jones, Jackie Chan, Steven Seagal, Wesley Snipes, Bruce Willis, and several others starred in these movies, many of which were massive triumphs at the box office.
Grading cinema according to decade is a tricky job, as all "best" lists are nothing more than speculation. However, the 10 movies below have obtained enough success to become household names — due apologies to those films that also deserve to be included in this list, but couldn't make it due to length constraints.
Mission: Impossible (1996)
The first in a long line of Tom Cruise series, Brian De Palma's Mission: Impossible followed the story of Ethan Hunt, a man whose name has been besmirched by an unknown enemy.
It was an incredible achievement, even if the plot happened to be a tad too expository, because the fight (and stealth) sequences have influenced practically everything in the genre, not to mention, endlessly parodied and referenced. Mission: Impossible does not depend on its screenplay, nor does it have to, because the narrative is embedded within its action choreography.
True Lies (1994)
Arnold Schwarzenegger's pairing with the astoundingly brilliant Jamie Lee Curtis is at the core of this film and their conflicting personalities clash in the most hilarious ways. It is one of the first spy movies to consider the comic aspects of handling a job as a secret agent, while trying to juggle a family (who have no clue about the protagonist's origins).
Harry Tasker does go a bit far with his jealousy, though, using the most advanced tech in the world to spy on his own wife. In True Lies, the combat is explosive, the script is stark but relevant, and there is no lack of physical humor.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
Another Schwarzenegger movie, Terminator 2: Judgement Day works a lot better than its predecessor because its antagonist, T-1000, is just more believably evil. In addition, the characters of Sarah and John Connor are well fleshed out, their dreams and ambitions forming a gentle storyline amid a backdrop of time-traveling violence.
Upon production, this film had the highest budget for any movie until that point, but it sailed through the box office with little effort. Interestingly, this record was later beaten by True Lies.
Drunken Master II (1994)
The ambiguous "sequel" to the wildly popular Drunken Master (1978), Drunken Master II all but established Jackie Chan as one of the greatest action actors of all time. There is hardly any story to speak of: it basically boils down to the reclamation of Chinese pride in their own identity.
However, the martial arts scenes are sublime rhythms - as complex as ballet, as forceful as the tango, with a dash of belly dancing thrown in for comic relief. This movie is as spectacular now as it was when it released and it is unlikely to lose its sparkle for a long time to come.
Jurassic Park (1993)
There can be no list of 90s movies without considering Jurassic Park, Steven Spielberg's action peak - packed with suspense, warmth, fear, pride, and nearly every other emotion known to humans.
More than anything else, though, it allowed audiences to experience the reality of a world in which human safety is disregarded as expendable (as long as the owners make enough money from park tickets). It also had T-Rexes and Velociraptors going on a rampage - what more could anyone ask for?
Total Recall (1990)
Total Recall blew the lid off the 90s with its brilliant adaptation of We Can Remember It for You Wholesale, a 1966 short story by Philip K. Dick. Douglas Quaid's fantasies of living on Mars turn into a literal nightmare when his memory-implantation plan uncovers something it wasn't supposed to.
He travels to his dream planet to right his own wrongs, finally helping its poor inhabitants by triggering the release of oxygen into the Martian atmosphere. Most felt that the remake released in 2012 wasn't nearly as exciting.
The Matrix (1999)
The Matrix was nothing short of a cinematic landmark, and trying to classify it under a specific genre is going to lead nowhere. Its creation altered the way action films were composed, focusing on narrative wisdom and slow-mo combat scenes, rather than an empty plot and random fighting.
The Matrix was followed by two sequels, as brilliant as the first one, although they didn't obtain as much praise for their alleged lack of plot direction. The franchise is now quite enormous, encapsulating animation, video games, graphic novels, and a fourth movie in the works.
Speed (1994)
Speed is a (literally) non-stop narrative and the constant motion of the explosive-rigged bus is liable to keep any viewer on the edge of their seat. This film is Keanu Reeves' first major action blockbuster following Point Break (1991), and it made him a household name long before the previous entry in this list.
The uniqueness of its storyline combined with the anxiety-inducing suspense is the main reason why Speed is lauded as a masterwork in its genre. It's sequel, Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997), on the other hand, was less appreciated by audiences, to say the least.
The Fifth Element (1997)
Luc Besson's hybrid movie, The Fifth Element, is told from the perspective of a taxi driver in the year 2263, and his accidental companion, Leeloo (played by the vibrant Milla Jovovich).
With its refreshing plot, fantastic visuals, rib-splitting hilarity, and that haunting alien opera, it has managed to hold its place in cultural memory. However, it must also be mentioned that the role of Ruby Rhod, played by Chris Tucker, may not be to everyone's liking.
Independence Day (1996)
As one of the most significant sci-fi disaster movies ever made, Independence Day is a seemingly convoluted network of conflicting arcs for most of its length. Around the end, when all the characters' motivations seamlessly blend together and bring about the destruction of the extraterrestrial invaders, the film blossoms into perfection.
It received the Best Visual Effects Oscar (unsurprisingly), and is currently still considered one of Hollywood's best creations. And then there is Independence Day: Resurgence.