It's the 1990s: VCRs are still being used, Blockbuster is thriving, and female actresses are dominating the movie industry. Movie fans will recall a vast amount of action movies that were churned out, and most of them have aged decently well, but the real heroes were the women that got the deserved screen time they needed for a while, and viewers were happy because there are a ton of well-received movies that came out of it.
So whether it's their bravery, brains, or unbeatable strategies to overcome obstacles or a villain, these female characters elevated some of the best action movies that came out of this specific decade and continue to inspire future actresses and storylines years later.
Twister: Dr. Jo Harding (6.4)
Director Jan de Bont decided to make a film that even Mother Nature would approve of; Twister. Starring the late Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, and Helen Hunt, this action thriller is one of the most memorable movies to come out of the 1990s not only for the amazing special effects but for the performances, as well.
Helen Hunt plays Jo Harding, a storm chaser with a loyal team and a soon-to-be-ex-husband named Bill. When he drives out to meet Jo to take care of the final divorce paperwork, they are joined together once again to battle lingering feelings, violent weather, and competition. Twister portrays Jo Harding as a strong-willed character that wants to redeem her father's death by helping others prepare for tornadoes and becoming the first team to nail a new system that will change storm chasing forever.
The Long Kiss Goodnight: Samantha Caine (6.8)
The Long Kiss Goodnight is an excellent action-drama that not only stars the great Samuel L. Jackson but the iconic Geena Davis as well. Davis plays Samantha Caine, a suburban mother to an eight-year-old daughter. After she suffers from supposed amnesia, she's on a mission to find out who she really is, and what she's suppressed for years.
Samuel L. Jackson is always a shoo-in for a good action character, but without a doubt, Geena Davis manages to play two characters in one, while playing the ultimate female action star. Samantha AKA Charly goes down a dangerous path of figuring out her past with detective Mitch Hennessey, played by Jackson while making sure no one will forget her performance for years to come.
Starship Troopers: Dizzy Flores (7.2)
Directed by the man who brought viewers Basic Instinct, Total Recall, and RoboCop, Paul Verhoeven decided to direct a little movie called Starship Troopers. Based on a future filled with war, and giant alien bugs, Johnny Rico, played by Casper Van Dien, enlists in the army where he meets Dizzy Flores, played by Dina Meyer, a strong-willed woman that fights tooth and nail to earn her keep on her squad. Not only does she hold her own, but she shows a softer side to her as well, which is very human.
It's also notable to mention that Carmen Ibanez, played by Denise Richards, comes into her own as well from Rico's highschool girlfriend to a brilliant starship commander that doesn't need a man to be successful.
Speed: Annie Porter (7.2)
Chalk it up to Jan de Bont for directing another female-led action movie called Speed that stars Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, and the iconic Sandra Bullock. Speed starts out with Jack Traven, a Los Angeles S.W.A.T officer, who angers the wrong bomb squad member named Howard Payne, who then goes on to strap a bomb on a moving bus.
It's true that Reeves and Hopper played their characters well, but the real character that shined and was a surprise, was Annie, played by Bullock. Starting out as a mere passenger on the explosive bus, she steps forward to help get the rest of the passengers to safety, besides playing the damsel in distress. Speed is among one of Sandra Bullock's best roles to date, and for good reason.
Nikita: Nikita/Marie Clement (7.3)
Many movie-goers will think of the television show, La Femme Nikita that ran from 1997 to 2001, but it was initially based on the 1990 film, Nikita. Starring Anne Parillaud as Nikita and Marie Clement, a woman that initially lived on the street with an addiction problem, nothing to show for, and ends up killing a cop at point-blank.
She's given a second chance as the French government revamps her life with a new set of skills, a new identity, and a new look. Nikita paves the way as a platform for a woman assassin to shine, while transforming from a drug addict to a woman with skills that any man would kill for...literally.
The Fifth Element: Leeloo (7.7)
Seven years after director and writer Luc Besson released Nikita, came The Fifth Element in 1997. The Fifth Element is an action and sci-fi movie filled with adventure and stars one of the most iconic female action characters named Leeloo, played by Mila Jovovich. The Fifth Element is not only considered a classic because of the overall cast but because Jovovich perfectly settled into the role of Leeloo.
The Fifth Element is set in a colorful future filled with flying cars, creatures, incredible outfits, and evil villains trying to take over the world. The only hope for mankind is the Fifth Element, something that only comes around every five thousand years, but after it is destroyed, Leeloo is the last resort. Her character evolves from start to finish, and along the way, she's strong, resilient, and incredibly funny.
Jurassic Park: Dr. Ellie Sattler (8.1)
Dr. Ellie Sattler, played Laura Dern, practices paleobotany, a branch of paleontology that shines the light on extinct plant life. Sattler is incited by John Hammond to the magical world of Jurassic Park, a theme park with cloned dinosaurs.
After a power failure, the dinosaurs are set loose, and Ellie, along with Dr. Alan Grant, played by Sam Neill, has to protect the owner's grandkids against the prehistoric beasts. The real shining light is Laura Dern's character as she speaks her mind while being incredibly intelligent throughout the journey. Jurassic Park was an instant classic, and is, without a doubt, one of the best dinosaur movies to date.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day: Sarah Connor (8.5)
It's well-known that some sequels are better than others, and when it comes to Terminator 2: Judgement Day, this rings true, being one of the best action movies from the 1990s. The Terminator, played by the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger, is one of the most prolific characters of the 1990s and today, but it's Sarah Connor, played by Linda Hamilton, that really amazed the audience.
Sarah Connor is legendary from the first movie and is the mother of John Connor, the leader of the Resistance during the Future War. In Terminator 2, Sarah is now in a mental hospital after attempting to bomb a computer factory. When she's busted out by her son John and The Terminator, her role to fight for a better future for the country starts right back up and stops at nothing to keep her son safe.
Léon: The Professional: Mathilda (8.5)
Perhaps one of the youngest strong female leads from the 1990s is Natalie Portman, who plays Mathilda in Léon: The Professional. Portman was only 11 years old when she was cast and was also her debut film in the industry. Mathilda is a damaged little girl who has a horrible home life, and when her parents are killed, she's left alone until she meets Léon, an assassin.
The chemistry between Léon and Mathilda is excellent, and even though a younger cast member could be swallowed up by the older cast, that never happened with Portman. She fell perfectly into the role of Mathilda, and Léon: The Professional definitely remains one of the best roles in her career, and in the 1990s.
The Matrix: Trinity (8.7)
This strong-female role probably isn't a surprise, because The Matrix is one of the most mind-bending, and impactful movies of the 1990s. Even though it's been more than 20 years since the initial movie was released, it's a movie that has aged beautifully and has some of the best characters in movie history.
The role of Trinity, played by Carrie-Ann Moss, couldn't have been cast any better, and her action-packed skills were impressive, and she represented the pivotal example of a strong female. After three movies, and a fourth blockbuster film to look forward to in 2021, the role of Trinity, as well as the entire cast of The Matrix, remains extremely important as a shift in movie history of the 1990s.