The 10 Best Action Movies From The 1990s, Ranked

The 1990s was a great time for action movies and a decade full of stand-out films that are still incredibly well-loved to this day. A pivotal moment in the development of special effects, modern technology allowed action movies during the 1990s to become even more over-the-top and insanely creative in their execution than they had been during the previous decade. The 1990s was a great time for action filmmakers as many of the biggest franchises today were then in their infancy and newly finding their voice and style.

From the spy-based action of the first Mission: Impossible movie to the nearly world-ending disastrous catastrophe of Independence Day, action movies during the 1990s had viewers on the edge of their seats as the stakes became increasingly higher and filmmakers continually attempted to outdo one another. The 1990s was a time when legacy actors returned to the mainstream for exciting action adventures such as John Travolta in Face/Off or seeing Al Pacino and Robert De Niro together in Heat. There were just so many incredible action movies during the 1990s.

10 Léon: The Professional (1994)

Directed by Luc Besson

There was no ignoring that in the years its release Léon: The Professional has garnered its fair share of controversy, with co-star Natalie Portman even describing it as “cringey” (via Hollywood Reporter.) However, despite valid criticisms, the Luc Besson film still stood as one of the most stylish and over-the-top violent movies of the 1990s. Led by an incredible performance from a 12-year-old Portman and a standout role by Gary Oldman as Norman Stansfield, Léon: The Professional was a masterclass in action filmmaking that proved thrillers could be both aesthetically striking and edge-of-the-seat exciting.

9 Independence Day (1996)

Directed by Roland Emmerich

The unprecedented success of Independence Day, which made over $817.4 million at the box office against a $75 million budget (via Box Office Mojo), helped to reignite the then dormant disaster movie genre and solidified Will Smith as a bonafide action star and leading man in Hollywood. Independence Day explored the aftermath of an alien attack and expertly captured the terror and immensity of an imagined extraterrestrial invasion. With dazzling special effects and an iconic White House explosion shot, Independence Day was the highest-grossing movie of 1996.

8 Mission: Impossible (1996)

Directed by Brian De Palma

The starting point for a franchise that continues to this day, Mission: Impossible transformed Tom Cruise into a major action star as Ethan Hunt helped cement his reputation as a daring actor who often performed his own stunts. While not the best movie in the Mission: Impossible series, Mission: Impossible laid the groundwork for everything that would come after it and featured some of the franchise’s most iconic moments such as the self-destructing message to IMF agents. A spectacular spy film, Mission: Impossible had incredible action sequences, memorable music, and led to an array of enjoyable sequels.

7 Con Air (1997)

Directed by Simon West

The over-the-top unbelievability of Con Air was part of its charm that made it one of the best action movies of the 1990s. Con Air featured Nicolas Cage as Cameron Poe, a paroled former Army Ranger, caught up in a high-octane plane jacking situation involving high-risk convicts being transported to a maximum-security prison. With a signature visual style, a fast-paced and witty script, as well as a thrilling high-stakes concept, Con Air was the debut film by director Simon West and took the excessive impulses of producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s previous movie The Rock to even greater excesses just one year later.

6 GoldenEye (1995)

Directed by Martin Campbell

Everything great about Pierce Brosnan’s stint as the MI6 secret agent James Bond came together perfectly in his first outing as the character in GoldenEye. The first James Bond movie to not be based on a story by Ian Fleming, GoldenEye breathed new life into the franchise after a six-year absence and updated the character for modern times with excellent use of gadgetry which proved why the character has been so enduring. Adding to its reputation was the GoldenEye007 video game for the Nintendo 64 which pioneered first-person shooters and influenced the film’s iconic status.

5 Speed (1994)

Directed by Jan de Bont

The heart-pumping excitement of Speed, which revolved around a bus that would explode if it went below 50mph, was entirely unmatchable at the time of its release. Speed made a star out of Sandra Bullock and showcased the action potential of Keanu Reeves as the nail-biting thrill of its simple concept was explored in an energetic, tense, dazzlingly action tour de force. Add Dennis Hopper into the mix as the compelling villain Howard Payne and Speed was a winner on all fronts and a major box office success, making over $350 million against a budget of $30 million (via Box Office Mojo.)

4 Face/Off (1997)

Directed by John Woo

On paper Face/Off does not sound like it should work, but it absolutely did. A science fiction action thriller, Face/Off starred John Travolta and Nicolas Cage in dual roles as, through facial reconstruction surgery, FBI agent Sean Archer assumed the identity of the criminal Castor Troy in an over-the-top action extravaganza that made heavy use of action set pieces, violent shootouts, and thrilling boat chases. An absurd game of cat and mouse, Face/Off became even more thrilling when you realize the layered nature of Travolta and Cage’s dual performances and the impressive nature of director John Woo’s action-packed imagination.

3 Heat (1995)

Directed by Michael Mann

After having appeared together in The Godfather Part II but never shared any scenes due to time periods, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro finally came together for one of the greatest action movies of the 1990s in Heat. A powerful heist story about professional thieves and the luring presence of the LAPD, Heat was director Michael Mann’s best movie that had an enormous influence over subsequent action and heist movies. Full of psychological insight surrounding the relationship between police and criminals, Heat rose out of its action movie confines to stand among the best crime movies ever produced.

2 The Matrix (1999)

Directed by The Wachowskis

The Matrix was a defining film of the 1990s whose innovative use of visual effects, action sequences, and philosophical nuances made it one of the most layered movies of the entire decade. The insightful story of a dystopian future where humanity was trapped inside a virtual reality, The Matrix only became more relevant as time went on, and while its sequels may not be universally loved, the original has claimed a significant role in modern popular culture. From its incredible bullet time visual effect to its iconic fight sequences, The Matrix, at its core, was a fantastic action film.

1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Directed by James Cameron

One of the few sequels that can claim to have exceeded the original, Terminator 2: Judgment Day was the greatest action movie of the 1990s, and its groundbreaking use of special effects ushered in a new era of CGI-based filmmaking. With an incredible performance from Arnold Schwarzenegger as a reprogrammed T-800, Terminator 2 featured the franchises’ most memorable quotes and was a major success at the box office. A thematically rich film, Terminator 2 set the benchmark for what a great sequel can be and helped lay the groundwork for later effects-focused movies, like Jurassic Park two years later.

Sources: Hollywood Reporter, Box Office Mojo (Independence Day), Box Office Mojo (Speed)