The Top 18 MERICAN 90s Action Movies

[Dukefrukem]

Many of you know in the Film Discussion Thread, I've been watching 90s action movies lately, and I've finally pared them down to the top 18. I was trying to go for a top 20 but I just didn't feel very strongly about the movies that would fill the last two spots- I'll throw in a couple Honorable Mentions before the list starts, but they really are pushing it as far as enjoyable viewings IMO.

What qualifies to be on this list?


They need to be American made
They need to have been released between 1990 and 1999
They need to have FULL COMMITMENT to a dumb idea, premise or set piece


Movies that are Exempt from this list (movies that are too good for this decade):


True Lies
Terminator 2
The Fugitive & U.S. Marshall
Hard Boiled
The Matrix
Die Hard(s)
Men in Black & Independence Day
Jackie Chan
Jet Li


A couple of fun notes before I begin:


No Director made it on the list twice
No Film from 1990 or 1992 made the list
Three lead actor heroes make the list twice (they may not be top billed)
Two Female directors made the list



HM1: Armageddon (1998)
HM2: Predator 2 (1990)
HM3: Daylight (1996)
HM4: Face/Off (1997)

18. Blue Streak (1999)
17. Eraser (1996)
16. Judgement Night (1993)
15. Desperate Measures (1996)
14. Executive Decision (1996)
13. Escape from L.A. (1995)
12. Desperado (1995)
11. Timecop (1994)
10. Broken Arrow (1996)
9. Broken Arrow (1996)
8. Starship Troopers (1997)
7. Con Air (1997)
6. Volcano (1997)
5. Under Seige 2: Dark Territory (1995)
4. The Rock (1998)
3. Point Break (1991)
2. The Peacemaker (1997)
1. Speed (1994)

[Dukefrukem]

Honorable Mention...Sorta: Armageddon (1998)

Director: Michael Bay
http://www.cineol.net/images/noticias/Cameos/Armaggedon.jpg

Lead Hero(s):Bruce Willis +ensemble
http://images.wikia.com/webadmovies/images/e/e1/Armageddon.jpg

Lead Villain An Asteroid
http://www.nerdlikeyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/armageddon-asteroid-heading-towards-earth.jpg

Stupid Premise: Giant asteroid on collision course with Earth; NASA must hire oil drillers to go into space and drill a hole on the asteroid to detonate a nuclear warhead, to split asteroid in half.

Why It Didn't Make the List:As far as stupid premises go, this is probably the stupidest that will be discussed here, despite the fact that the production values are probably the best of the movies discussed here. But right away we are distracted by the question: Why instead doesn't NASA train Astronauts to drill instead of training drillers to be Astronauts? Why is there a Gatling Gun on the armadillo they sent to space? Why does drilling 800 feet in an TEXAS-sized asteroid split an asteroid in half? Wouldn't the hole need to be near the center...say 400 miles deep?- I wasn't quite sure this qualified to be an "action movie" either. Sure there's action, but it's more of a disaster film. Same goes for Independence Day which also will not be on the list. There needs to be other things going on than just stuff blowing up for it to be "action".

[Dukefrukem]

Honorable Mention: Predator 2 (1990)

Director: Stephen Hopkins

Lead Hero(s): Danny Glover

http://thedamper.com/images/3.jpg
Lead Villain The Predator

http://adventureamigos.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/600full-predator-2-screenshot1.jpg

Stupid Premise: The Predator wreaks havoc in a concrete jungle, Los Angeles

Why It Didn't Make the List: Despite how good Danny Glover is in this, there’s just not enough originality to reverse engineer a good Predator movie in a modern setting. Maybe it was because the bar was set so high with Predator, but Predator 2 is so unnecessarily violent, much more than its predecessor. The practical effects and makeup work is actually another good takeaway and I love the expansion of the Predator universe, adding in a new predator weapon ( the throwing disc) and seeing a glimpse of the Alien skull on the Predator ship and seeing the Predator elders, but there isn’t enough going on to propel this into a good action movie.

[Dukefrukem]

Honorable Mention: Daylight (1996)

Director : Rob Cohen

Lead Hero(s): Sylvester Stallone

http://endacunningham.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/daylight14_3.jpg

Lead Villain Air

http://actionflickchick.com/superaction/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Daylight11.jpg

Stupid Premise : New York Tunnel collapses at both ends trapping commuters and passengers inside. Stallone needs to enter the tunnel, with no immediate plans to rescue the people trapped…to do what exactly?

Why It Didn't Make the List : This is pure 90s-action movie logic: Stallone’s character needs to get inside the tunnel to “assist” the trapped people, so they decide to go in through a ventilation system that has several giant spinning fans. The fans CANNOT be shut down (for unexplained reasons- why can’t they cut the power?), but only slowed for 30 seconds each. So Stallone must drop between the enormous fans as they reboot every 30 seconds. While he makes his way through the vent system, several LEDs are displaying the countdown of the reboot process to let both Stallone and the audience know, just how much time is left before he ends up as a frappe.. Wut?

[Dukefrukem]

Honorable Mention: Face/Off (1997)

Director : John Woo

Lead Hero(s): John Travolta / Nicolas Cage

http://www.palzoo.net/file/pic/gallery/8203_view.jpg
http://narcissisten.me.formecdn.com/2015/04/travolta.gif

Lead Villain Nicolas Cage / John Travolta

http://www.themoviescene.co.uk/reviews/_img/90-2.jpg
https://38.media.tumblr.com/99fac5994cb90bd6d4084643ff0b65 89/tumblr_n5kg5otGke1qcga5ro1_500 .gif

Stupid Premise : Travolta’s character undergoes plastic surgery to swap faces with Cage to go undercover in a prison, to gain knowledge of a pending terrorist attack against the city. While Travolta is undercover, Cage wakes up from medically induced coma, kills all of the doctors and law enforcement officers who had knowledge of the sting, and starts living his life as Travolta.

Why It Didn't Make the List : I don’t think there are two actors who could pull off the Freaky Friday thing like Travolta and Cage do. They are basically doing impressions of each other but Travolta comes off like the better bad guy. The action scenes are so crappily generic; it makes me wish there was more Travolta / Cage dialog interaction like in the scene below. Plot Hole: Caster Troy (the terrorist) kills and burns all of the evidence of the surgery but wouldn’t a simple DNA test prove Archer’s innocence when he is left in the prison? BTW, can John Woo make a fucking movie without white doves please?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ce557hlgEM

[Skitch]

Loving it.

[Irish]

Seconded. This is a great thread & I'm absolutely loving these write ups.

[Sven]

My new favorite thread. Keep em coming.

[Ezee E]

I'm a big fan of Face/Off and love Travolta's Nic Cage impression mores than Nic Cage's Travolta impression.

[Dukefrukem]

#18: Blue Streak (1999)

Director : Les Mayfield

Lead Hero: Martin Lawrence

http://www.incine.fr/media/photos_films/original/Flic-De-Haut-Vol_21271_4ea61a1e9dc3d83c3b00 3abb_1320386600.jpg

Lead Villain Peter Greene

http://alive-ua.com/uploads/posts/2010-07/1278868988_720p_1298.jpg

Stupid Premise : Martin Lawrence (a thief) robs a jewelry store and stashes a $17 million diamond at a construction site before getting captured. After getting released from jail several years later, the construction site is now a police station. Lawrence then poses as a detective to search unsuspectingly for the diamond within the inner walls.

Why It Made the List : Martin Lawrence secretly tells everyone at the police station that he’s a highly decorated detective, which evolves into internal affairs, which involves into an undercover F.B.I. agent … Every time he gets close to locating the diamond, he gets dragged out on a real case in which he ends up solving in some strange manner, typically using his "think like a criminal" skills. While out on a case, he runs into fellow thief, Dave Chappelle, robbing a store, in which he proceeds to ‘talk him down’ in front of his fellow officers. He ends the negotiation with his catch phrase: “now this is gonna hurt hurt a little bit� to legitimize his special skills in front of his fellow police. The front continues until he confronts his former accomplice, Peter Greene, who wants the diamond for himself. With supporting cast from Luke Wilson and William Forsythe this is a fantastically hilarious 90s film that earned the number 18 spot on my list.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KdpYvgBYeg

[Thirdmango]

Ah this makes sense why I saw you watching these movies on letterboxd. We both ended up watching The Rock the same week.

[Dukefrukem]

Ah this makes sense why I saw you watching these movies on letterboxd. We both ended up watching The Rock the same week.

Heh yup. No peeking at my ratings on those movies.

[Dukefrukem]

#17: Eraser (1996)

Director : Chuck Russell

Lead Hero: Arnold Schwarzenegger

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BrB6IR4Nn2o/T8JOB4uUA-I/AAAAAAAADfQ/pzpHkmU0M-0/s1600/20100320230720!EraserEM-Railgun-4.jpg

Lead Villain James Cann

http://www.coveringfireflames.com/uploads/4/2/7/3/42737249/2120769_orig.jpg

Stupid Premise : Arnold, a US Marshall, specializes in Witness Protection and “Erasing� a person’s past identity. Arnold is set to protect Vanessa Williams who has information from her corrupt implorer on selling futuristic electronic pulse rifle weapons on the black market. Arnold is then betrayed by his mentor, James Cann, who turns out to be the facilitator of the black market arms sales.

Why It Made the List : All of those 80s Arnold movies would fare much better in the 90s, and this is an example of one that was made at the perfect time. You have Arnold wheeling dueling rail guns running around a dockyard killing bad guys left and right. At one point, there’s a gun fight at a zoo with some rather terrible CGI crocodiles, which is preceded by a rather awesome scene where Arnold rips a chair out of a plane, throws it in the plane’s engine and then jumps out of the plane without a parachute with some rather impressive special effects. And then you have a classic James Cann bad guy- saying things like: “I want his face all over this windshield�. And Arnold still cracking cheesy jokes- after surviving the parachute scene (below) Vanessa Williams scolds him “you’re late!�… “Traffic!�.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfmNeuDE5-8

[Dukefrukem]

#16: Judgement Night (1993)

Director : Stephen Hopkins (Hey look! Director of Predator 2)

Lead Hero: Emilio Estevez

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aK4f5osUrEg/VHvpFcb0y8I/AAAAAAAASBk/FVbpY3Akbu8/s1600/Judgment-Night-Denis-Leary-Emilio-Estevez.png

Lead Villain Denis Leary

http://static.underthegunreview.net/uploads/2012/01/screen_image_94959.jpg

Stupid Premise : Emilio Estevez, Cuba Gooding Jr, Stephen Dorff and Jeremy Piven rent an RV for guys night out to see a boxing match, when they get caught in highway traffic, take the back roads and find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Why It Made the List : Bear with me because this is one of those chase movies that you keeps you hooked in for the weirdest reasons. The kind of chase movie which keeps shifting from set piece to set piece as the bad guys track them down like they were hunting deer even though the movie takes place in rundown city. Emilio Estevez is the guy who always does the right thing, Stephen Dorff is his screw up brother along for the ride, Cuba Gooding Jr is the jock / wild guy and Jeremy Piven is pretty much playing the same character since 1986- the pessimistic, jump to conclusions snarky pain in the ass, racist guy. Put all of them into one RV and put them in a dire situation and you’ll get bickering, desperate bunch of guys using their environment to their advantage. Oh hey! Look it’s the bad guy from Blue Streak: Peter Greene as one of Dennis Leary’s thugs. The 90s were awesome.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-51x3jfpoWAo/UjEUC3gtpYI/AAAAAAAAOlY/ajAxQCVaBV8/s1600/Peter+Greene+Judgement+Night.j pg

Wanna watch the full movie? It’s on youtube. At the very least watch how the RV crashes between two buildings at 22:18. It’s so 90s it hurts.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro2RK7Y0WK0

[Skitch]

Worst CGI crocagator of all time.

[transmogrifier]

Face/Off will be better than 90% of your list. Love that movie.

[Pop Trash]

Those Judgement Night screenshots look atrociously DNR'd.

[Dukefrukem]

Those Judgement Night screenshots look atrociously DNR'd.

DNR?

[Pop Trash]

You also neglected to mention the TOTALLY 90s rock meets rap Judgement Night soundtrack. How else would I find out what Mudhoney and Sir-Mix-A-Lot sound like together?

[Pop Trash]

DNR?

Digital Noise Reduction. For HD transfers if the source is subpar (like an old print) the studios will put this digital filter that makes everyone's face look like wax (see Predator: Ultimate Hunter blu ray). Most studios have caught wind that people don't like this and have stopped doing it (or put out a new transfer w/o DNR) but certain less beloved films like Judgement Night still get the ol' wax figure treatment.

[Dukefrukem]

Digital Noise Reduction. For HD transfers if the source is subpar (like an old print) the studios will put this digital filter that makes everyone's face look like wax (see Predator: Ultimate Hunter blu ray). Most studios have caught wind that people don't like this and have stopped doing it (or put out a new transfer w/o DNR) but certain less beloved films like Judgement Night still get the ol' wax figure treatment.

I remember someone posting those Predator screens on here about that very issue. Was that you? Did you make a thread for it?

[Sven]

Ah, good ol' Eraser. I saw that one three times in the theater.

[Dukefrukem]

#15: Desperate Measures (1998)

Director : Barbet Schroeder (who??)

Lead Hero: Andy Garcia

http://www.joblo.com/images_arrownews/desperate_measures_1998_685x38 5.jpg

Lead Villain Michael FUCKING Keaton

http://www.joblo.com/images_arrownews/Desperate_Measures_4.jpg

Stupid Premise : Andy GarcÃ*a’s son has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant so the only person on the planet that matches his son’s marrow is convicted prisoner, murderer, sociopath Michael Keaton.

Why It Made the List : Four words: Best, prison escape ever. Keaton is so good here as the bad guy- there are plenty of opportunities for Garcia to take him out, but he knows if he does that his son is dead. Keaton literally kills several people in front of Garcia and Garcia is so fucking selfish he refuses to do anything about it. But in the end, it works out for everyone right?

Below is several doctors burning alive because of Garcia’s selfishness.

http://theadventurechef.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Scan-101.jpeg

[Spun Lepton]

#15: Desperate Measures (1998)



Wow, this sounds dreadful. Does the film address the fact that Garcia's character is letting all these people die?

[Dukefrukem]

Wow, this sounds dreadful. Does the film address the fact that Garcia's character is letting all these people die?

Yes I believe so. Garcia is an FBI agent, who used FBI resources to look through the national database for personal reasons to find matching donors, and I think at one point he's suspended for his actions. But he's also one of the few who can intervene in the situation since the entire hospital is on lock down. It's all very complicated. :-D

[Dukefrukem]

#14: Executive Decision (1996)

Director : Stuart Baird (directorial debut )

Lead Hero: Kurt Russell

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/die-hard-scenario/images/f/fd/DHS-_Kurt_Russell_in_Executive_Dec ision.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140821044001

Lead Villain : David Suchet

http://david-suchet.ru/rus/images/stories/ed/00.jpg

Stupid Premise : Steven Seagal is badass high-ranking Special Forces dude, who needs the assistance of Kurt Russell, a wicked smart Army consultant, to perform a mid-air transfer onto a commercial airliner, that has been high jacked by David Suchet and is also (somehow) carrying a bomb loaded with DZ-5 Nerve Gas that Suchets wants to detonate over the US….Because Death to MERICA!

Why It Made the List : SPOILER ALERT: [Seagal dies in the first 20 minutes! I know! What were they thinking? But it’s okay because the next 90 minutes are Kurt Russell, John Leguizamo and Oliver Platt whispering in the belly of the airplane, trying to defuse the bomb, while talking to Halle Berry over the plane’s internal phone system and signaling to her to do insanely risky favors while the terrorists are constantly smacking her when they continue to see her to use the phone. No seriously, this is a fun movie. Side note: the Airliner used in this movie is Oceanic Airlines. (Lost)

[Dukefrukem]

#13: Escape from L.A. (1996)

Director : John Carpenter

Lead Hero: Kurt Russell (2nd appearance)

http://images.amcnetworks.com/ifc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/621_356_escape_from_la.jpg

Lead Villain : Georges Corraface

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20141001171946/villains/images/7/72/498417.1.jpg

Stupid Premise : It’s 2013 but let’s pretend we’re 20 years into the future- so it’s 2035. Our biggest hope finally happened. Tool predicted it, but L.A. has broken off from the U.S and is now an island. Now tobacco, alcohol, non-martial sex, red meat, guns, profanity and atheism are all against the law (hmm this sounds familiar) and if you are caught breaking one of these laws, you will be sent to L.A. Island… forever. That’s right. Our justice system has resorted to some kind of juryless fascist state. Sounds perfect for a 90s action movie and DD’s dream country. Oh but this premise gets even better!

Georges Corraface is part of some revolutionary movement, performs mind control on the President’s daughter, and makes her steal the President’s ultimate secret space weapon (because all of the President’s family have access to this kind of thing). The secret space weapon, is a satellite that permanently disables electronic devices. Kur t Russell, is being asked a 2nd favor, to go into L.A. and stop Corraface from using the secret space weapon. Note: The President doesn’t care about the fate of his daughter… only the country.

Why It Made the List : So many reasons… Bruce Campbell, yup that’s Groovy Bruce.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gvjV467HsPM/U5T7y4Dcc1I/AAAAAAAAAp8/VwMrenYC6Lw/s1600/vlcsnap-2014-06-08-18h04m34s133.png

Kurt Russell surfs, high fives a guy and jumps on the back of Steve Buscemi ‘s car all in one scene.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Env4l87iA8g/U5T7cnkQOCI/AAAAAAAAAn4/5yxGmiYNoxg/s1600/004.gif

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-DFmubQchU/U5T7dnqzJ_I/AAAAAAAAAn8/noVu63UCwzU/s1600/006.gif


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDohpjD1jvA

Kurt Russell plays basketball

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W5kYzyieeZ8/U5T7Y0W4hoI/AAAAAAAAAnc/l7geA_89s7w/s1600/002.gif

And the ending frame...

https://33.media.tumblr.com/5eb5d1f1ea717d7affe1e7c5ab044e 38/tumblr_mgyuiyMerS1qfr6udo1_400 .gif

[Skitch]

I thought Desperate Measures trailer was god awful and the whole thing looked terrible. Then I caught it on cable, and remember thoroughly enjoying it and being surprised how much I did given my expectations. Sure, some of the premise is dumb, but Keaton villain is unmissable.

[Skitch]

Escape From LA has two moments so completely badass that it makes all its faults forgivable: the ending, and the Bangkok rules gun showdown.

[Ezee E]

That surfing scene, lol.

[Raiders]

Barbet Schroeder is no joke. That said, film looks awful. Blue Streak has been a guilty pleasure for a long time. Didn't realize it came out 16 years ago.

[megladon8]

Just saw this thread. Loving it, Duke.

Little-kid-Meg was horrified watching Desperate Measures and seeing that Batman had become such a psycho.

[Raiders]

I fully expect Con Air to top this list... though I strongly hope you have seen Martin Campbell's No Escape.

[Irish]

Kurt Russell surfs, high fives a guy and jumps on the back of Steve Buscemi ‘s car all in one scene.

Dude! "That guy" is none other than Peter Fonda.

The other big feature of this film: Pam Grier as a trans woman.

If we include Campbell in the mix there, EFLA has big cult movie stars from three different decades. That's cool.

[Dukefrukem]

Just saw this thread. Loving it, Duke.

Little-kid-Meg was horrified watching Desperate Measures and seeing that Batman had become such a psycho.

Thanks!

And Yes me too! I forgot to mention that in my blurb.

[Dukefrukem]

That surfing scene, lol.

It's soooooooo 90s it hurts my face.

[Dukefrukem]

#12: Desperado (1995)

Director : Robert Rodriguez

Lead Hero: Antonio Banderas

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/8/1/1406905067081/Desperado-010.jpg

Lead Villain : Joaquim de Almeida

http://www.upmagazine-tap.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/talentopt1.jpg

Stupid Premise : VENGENCE! (sorta) Antonio Banderas, still distraught after the events in the first film (El Mariachi), where his girlfriend was killed by a drug lord Moco, and his hand crippled by a gunshot, has a vendetta against any drug lords or cartels and roams town to town with a guitar case filled with guns to track down the drug lord Joaquim de Almeida (who’s connection to Moco is really unexplained in both Desperado and El Mariachi)

Why It Made the List : We have Steve Buscemi the pseudo-narrator, (who’s making his second appearance on this list in a supporting role, third in all movies discussed)

http://33.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m89v10YRqu1qagu6wo1_400 .gif

Quentin Tarantino telling one of the funniest R-rated jokes of the 90s and subsequently getting his face blown off

http://31.media.tumblr.com/723e552bdf0331ca57d613b6796953 ed/tumblr_mr6jdsVKlP1sz7asho10_50 0.gif

Two epic bar gun fights …

http://25.media.tumblr.com/e9cc273f4aef96fe8c01d6b8e8f1a7 8e/tumblr_mtfy6zk6Xl1qk55epo1_500 .gif

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1pYsGk1xktA/TYVdet8vUEI/AAAAAAAACcc/qM7TBipT3SI/s1600/401364_o.gif

and a trio of crazy Mexican gunmen with guitar cases filled with guns.

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view3/4010278/mg-guitar-case-o.gif

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view/401347/desperado-o.gif

You also have a very smokin’ hot Salma Hayek, in a very gratuitous sex scene with Antonio Banderas. (It may be a body double in this scene but I don’t want confirmation because I’m of the mind it’s indeed Salma on screen)

http://www.moviesonline.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/salma-hakey-desperado.jpg

[Dukefrukem]

#11: Timecop (1994)

Director : Peter Hyams

Lead Hero: Jean-Claude Van Damme

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/lr8mjdcidh7z8e6x0mec.jpg

Lead Villain : Ron Silver

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-etr19Q2aDK8/TxdPwtP_kwI/AAAAAAAABCI/ogFE7qmkwHQ/s1600/timecop2.jpg

Stupid Premise : Van Damme is a TIME ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION agent, whose purpose is to monitor illegal time travel events. He is tracking Peter Hyams through time who continues to use time travel to make himself rich, and the primary candidate for President of the United States. Oh btw, Van Damme also learns that his wife was murdered by Peter Hyams’s thugs 10 years prior, and decides to intervene in the past to save his wife.

Why It Made the List : I love the idea of time travel being so common that it can be used for personal gain, and obviously there needs to be an agency that monitors that kind of activity. It’s the perfect 90s premise. It is also very hilariously dated and probably deserves a remake: The purse snatcher that is shown multiple times to remind viewers where we are on the timeline, on rollerblades, dressed in flannel with a red bandanna, and Paul Shaffer sun glasses is so 90s. Why does the time machine require a ship to go back in time, but not to arrive in the past? Where does the ship go in between trips? There’s a sex scene between Van Damme and Mia Sara (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) which I always wanted to see her naked. And finally, the worst, WORST, CGI finale since Lawnmower Man. “The same matter can’t occupy the same place�.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D01mdGW9-Zg

[Dukefrukem]

#10: Broken Arrow (1996)

Director : John Woo

Lead Hero: Christian Slater

http://www.themoviescene.co.uk/reviews/_img/578-3.jpg

Lead Villain : John Travolta

http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/aj6293/broken_arrow.jpg

Stupid Premise: BROKEN ARROW: “It’s what we call it, when we lose a nuclear weapon�. John Travolta flies B-2s with Christian Slater in the Air Force. During a training exercise Travolta goes rouge, intentionally crashes the B-2, with the intention of selling the warheads back to the U.S. Government for millions or they will detonate them in a U.S. city.

Why It Made the List : Yes this is better than Face/Off and probably Woo’s best American film when it comes to set pieces, the lack of white doves, no motorcycles and no ridiculously stupid action scenes.
It’s another great chase movie with all the qualities of a great 90s movie; Slow motion introductions:

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9zwY9aJfaT4/maxresdefault.jpg

decently grounded action set pieces and Travolta at his best villain.

http://media.giphy.com/media/13U5CK2P7h0Jqg/giphy.gif

It even has Kurtwood Smith who plays some kind of high ranking official on the White House staff or Secretary of Defense in every action movie in the 90s. The strange thing about Broken Arrow is why there isn’t a love interest between Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis? Travolta also has great support from Bob Gunton, who’s supposed to be the money backer of the operation, NFL star Howie Long and Delroy Lindo who completes the ‘bad-guy team’ nicely. Final scene below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De2qscGlWX4

[transmogrifier]

Face/Off is twice the film that Broken Arrow is.

[Dukefrukem]

Face/Off is twice the film that Broken Arrow is.

If by twice the film you mean, twice the white doves, twice the slow mo and twice the ridiculousness (those prison boots), then yes. But I'd rather watch Broken Arrow.

[Gizmo]

If by twice the film you mean, twice the white doves, twice the slow mo and twice the ridiculousness (those prison boots), then yes. But I'd rather watch Broken Arrow.

Twice?

[Dukefrukem]

Twice.

[Skitch]

My favorite line from Broken Arrow is..."I don't know what's worse, that we have a nuclear weapon stolen or that it happens often enough theres a term for it."

[Morris Schæffer]

Executive decision is a classic. Great premise, lots of suspense and a great villain who's actually menacing. Saw it three times in theaters. That bit with the sleeper is awesome. Nice thread

[transmogrifier]

If by twice the film you mean, twice the white doves, twice the slow mo and twice the ridiculousness (those prison boots), then yes.

No, I did not mean any of that.

[Ezee E]

Desperado is Selma Hayek at her hottest.

[Morris Schæffer]

Come on man. I'm ready for more!!!

[Dukefrukem]

Sorry. I keep my list on my thumb drive and I keep forgetting it at home.

[Dukefrukem]

#9: Demolition Man (1993)

Director : Marco Brambilla

Lead Hero: Sylvester Stallone

https://spicypulp.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/demolition-man-original.jpg

Lead Villain : Wesley Snipes

http://media.giphy.com/media/Voncvt2aWr2XC/giphy.gif

Stupid Premise: Sylvester Stallone is LAPD, Wesley Snipes is a criminal who both get cryogenically frozen in 1996. Wesley Snipes is unfrozen in 2032, escapes and goes on a murderous rampage in the now peaceful society of San Angeles (a combination of Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Barbara). Sylvester Stallone is also unfrozen and must now use his 20th century police techniques to track down Wesley Snipes and stop him from murdering Denis Leary.

Why It Made the List : Hilarity. Strip away the premise for a moment and look at the society they built in 2032. Smoking, alcohol, caffeine, contact sports, meat, bad language, chocolate, gasoline, un-educational toys and anything spicy are all against the law (Escape from L.A basically ripped off this movie), even abortion and pregnancy without a license. All restaurants are now Taco Bell chains; toilet paper is replaced with the 3 Seashells; Sex is performed virtually as shown in a cyber-sex scene with Sandra Bullock and all firearms are at a museum. Some of my favorite clips below.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb21_qI90pE

[Dukefrukem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdnuOa7tDco

[Dukefrukem]

#8: Starship Troopers (1997)

Director : Paul Verhoeven

Lead Hero: Casper Van Dien

https://danhairfield.files.wordpress.c om/2012/05/screen-shot-2012-05-14-at-7-31-35-pm.png

Lead Villain : Bugs!

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/starshiptroopers/images/9/95/071031_starship_hmed_1p_hmediu m.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20081003182059

Stupid Premise: In the 23rd century, mankind is engaged with an interstellar war with an alien race of Arachnids “Bugs� on the planet Klendathu. Casper Van Dien graduates high school and enlists in the Federation to fight the bugs, but mainly to follow his pretty girlfriend Denise Richards.

Why It Made the List :Part Sci-Fi, part Action- Starship Troopers deeply satirizes fascism in one of the more brilliantly designed over the top violent scripts of the 90s, following the story arch of a kid enlisting in the war, going through basic training, thrown into battle and reuniting with his high school friends. With a breakout performance of Casper Van Dien, who never once again stared in a hit movie, the Starship Troopers was a technical marvel in the special effects department. Even above the satire, the Starship Troopers also hits the mark comically with fantastic supporting performances by Jake Busy, Neil Patrick Harris and Michael Ironside. Writing this blurb, I should have made this higher ranked on my list.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmUIfX9TSJs

[Morris Schæffer]

I thought casper van dien was so-so, but it somehow felt right. Like a nazi poster boy, indistinguishable from another trooper.

i have one movie in mind that i'm wondering if it'll make the list. :)

[Morris Schæffer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdnuOa7tDco

That's Eli Vance!!

[Dukefrukem]

That's Eli Vance!!

It so is!

[Ezee E]

Was a big fan of Demolition Man. I wonder how much of that came from being a fan of Dennis Rodman...

[Raiders]

Demolition Man is a legitimately good movie. It's so unpretentious and genuinely goofy, and Stallone really has good comic timing in that one.

[Skitch]

A-freaking-men. I love Demolition Man. Snipes as a scary villain as well as fun, very much a comic book villain.

I also like Dennis Leary. I understand how some dont, but I just genuinely like the guy.

[Dukefrukem]

#7: Con Air (1997)

Director : Simon West

Lead Hero: Nicolas Cage

http://esq.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/06/54d3d4cbe7b17_-_ibfoqbt169nmnw.gif

Lead Villain : John Malkovich

http://www.audienceseverywhere.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cyrus.jpg

Stupid Premise: A plane, filled with the countries hardest criminals and murders including John Malkovich, is hijacked with a paroled Nicolas Cage, an Army Ranger convicted of manslaughter, onboard hitching a ride home. It’s up to Cage to stop the convicts from.... escaping to Fiji?

Why It Made the List : The first of many times we see Cage in a wig throughout his career. The premise right out of the gate is questionable. Do we really believe, that in Texas, a man would get charged with manslaughter in self-defense?? In Texas?? There’s no parallel universe that exists where this would be true. Anyway, Con Air is filled with one-liners, over the top action and great supporting cast by Nick Chinlund, Colm Meaney, Ving Rhames, Danny Trejo, John Cusack, Dave Chappelle (second appearance in a supporting cast on the list) and Steve Buscemi (third appearance in a supporting cast on the list). You also have a plane crash landing on the Las Vegas strip and then this happens…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jJSW92CXvU

[Dukefrukem]

#6: Volcano (1997)

Director : Mick Jackson

Lead Hero: Tommy Lee Jones

http://cdn3-www.craveonline.com/assets/uploads/2013/02/file_204535_6_Volcano_Tommy_Le e_Jones.jpg

Lead Villain : A Volcano & John Carroll Lynch

https://cinemarant.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/volcanoeffects.gif

http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130124153824/doblaje/es/images/1/18/Emmit_ReeseVolcano.gif

Stupid Premise: A Volcano sprouts in the middle of downtown Los Angeles. Tommy Lee Jones is the head of the city’s Emergency Response system and tries to minimize the impact of the volcano destruction. John Carroll Lynch gets a “villain� status because there’s always a guy who ignores the warnings from the expert (being Jones) who wants to suspend the public transportation system. Lynch ignores the warnings and of course pays for it later in the film.

Why It Made the List : Yes I went here. Yes this deserves to be higher ranked than Con Air. “But Duke! Didn’t you discount Armageddon and Independence Day as disaster movies? Why is Volcano not a disaster movie?� Because I said so. Because those movies didn’t have one thing that Volcano has: Tommy Lee Jones. The best “Leader� of the 90s. Tommy knows how to take control of a situation. We saw him do it in the Fugitive. We saw him do it in U.S. Marshalls. And we see him in Men in Black. Directing people to go here to do this, and these other people to go here and do that. He just takes control of the situation and it’s fun watching him. I watch this movie every time I flip by it on cable. I own it. And I’m proud to have Volcano take the number 6 spot on my list. It’s way better than Dante’s Peak. Check out the movie’s climax ending scene below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A01aAvg8aDk

[Dukefrukem]

#5: Under Siege 2 – Dark Territory (1995)

Director : Geoff Murphy

Lead Hero: Steven Seagal (photo depicts “range� of emotions throughout the entire movie)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k-p_5OBg5m0/U6j5SyHj6cI/AAAAAAAABvQ/bFNjQE25KWg/s1600/4752224cfb1b34c21a44cb95a38.pn g

Lead Villain : Eric Bogosian

http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130925011219/die-hard-scenario/images/6/65/Undersiege4.png

Stupid Premise: Eric Bogosian, a super intelligent computer hacker who is a former Department of Defense employee fired a few weeks prior, highjacks a train with a group of terrorists where two other DoD employees are traveling, to extract access codes out of them, to take over Grazer. Grazer is a satellite weapon system, designed by Bogosian, to destroy targets by creating artificial earthquakes from space. Steven Seagal just so happens to be traveling on the same train and now must use his super awesome Navy Seal skills to take out the terrorists and save Washington DC.

http://image.wangchao.net.cn/bt/1245852862190.jpg

Why It Made the List : You have super-hot 18 year old Katherine Heigl playing Steven Seagal’s niece. For that reason alone it makes this movie "better" than the first- I love the train setting and the outrageous reason why they need to be a on a train in the first place. The first question we as the audience jump to is why did the terrorists need to hijack the train? Why couldn’t they just show up on the doorsteps of the two Department of Defense staff members and get the codes that way? Well because the train passes through a canyon called Dark Territory making it impossible for the government to track the train. Oh by the way, the term Dark Territory does exist in the rail industry but for a completely different reason (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_territory). I love the 90s dialog talking about computers and "hacking". When one of the terrorists is hassled to gain access to a Newton (remember that crappy apple palm pilot thing that almost put Apple out of business??)... Eric Bogosian responds by saying "1 GB of RAM should do the trick"... "Do what?" I screamed at my TV. And finally, the best cheese of a finale/disaster in the 90s. "Nobody beats me in the kitchen". (They actually wrote in the script that when both trains collide, Steven Seagal will continue to run through the train cars as the other train moves through the cars one by one.. just watch the video in awe)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPBTKsaFRiM

[Skitch]

I've always disliked Con Air (I can't get past that freaking country song, it irritates the hell out of me), Tommy Lee running in Volcano is funniest thing ever, and...



...I own the laserdisc of Under Siege 2.

[Dukefrukem]

Country song? You mean Sweet Home Alabama?

[Skitch]

Country song? You mean Sweet Home Alabama?

No theres some sappy country song that plays through the whole thing...I'll go look...

[Skitch]

Ugh, I recall it getting played over and over...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUeYV_u_WYs

[Morris Schæffer]

That crash scene in Under Siege 2 is actually pretty good. It's funny seeing Jonathan Banks grinning right before the crash at 1:08. Volcano has good special effects. "You mean lava? Here in L.A.?" is one of the best delivered lines of 1997. Con Air was fun.

Still wondering if that movie's gonna appear.:)

[Spun Lepton]

Dante's Peak > Volcano

You know what else?

punch to the solar plexus > poke in the eye

[transmogrifier]

Dante's Peak > Volcano. There is no argument.

[Dukefrukem]

Dante's Peak is sooooo boring. How can you guys say it's better than Volcano?

[Spun Lepton]

Dante's Peak is sooooo boring. How can you guys say it's better than Volcano?

Because they save the dog, Duke.

[Dukefrukem]

#4: The Rock (1998)

Director : Michael Bay

Lead Hero: Nicholas Cage & Sean Connery (as close to buddy cop as you'll find in the 90s)( Cage's second appearance on the list)

http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyqh6rUwID1r4etbjo1_500 .gif
http://i.imgur.com/1h5TI2d.gif

Lead Villain : Ed Harris

http://thisdistractedglobe.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/The%20Rock%20pic%202.jpg

Stupid Premise: Ed Harris and a devoted group of Marines take over Alcatraz Island with hostages and rockets armed with VX gas, to force the government to pay $100 million that he would distribute between him and his men and the families of other fallen Marine’s families who received no compensation of military funerals. Nicolas Cage, a chemical weapons expert, is sent in with a team including Sean Connery, who is the only living person to have successfully escaped Alcatraz, to take out the Marines, disarm the rockets and save the hostages and the San Francisco Bay population.

http://media.giphy.com/media/sO3R5lSxUuiKA/giphy.gif

Why It Made the List : People always say its Bay’s best film, and that may be true, but there’s still a ton of distracting cheesy Bay stuff throughout the movie. For instant, “VX Gas� doesn’t exist and the concept is ridiculous in itself. Nicholas Cage’s character is setup to be a lab rat with no field experience, but yet has a smokin’ hot wife, and proceeds to steal a Ferrari and a motorcycle to chase Sean Connery through the streets of San Francisco. “Let’s cut the chitchat… A-hole!� He also drives the Ferrari through a window right after convincing himself it was a good idea “well why not!?�. Yet later he’s afraid to even hold a gun and pukes in the toilet when he is told he’s going out into the field. That’s some inconsistent shit character writing right there…. Furthermore, Connery must roll through some kind of furnace, (which is left on for some reason) after years of not being in service, which is apparently the ONLY way into the sewer system below the terrorists. Wut? Why does the furnace lead into sewers? Later, it’s discovered there is some kind of mine shaft and/or mine tunnel, equipped with a mine cart below Alcatraz which leads to a chase/battle. What is this mine shaft doing below Alcatraz? Even with all that being said, it’s still one of the best 90s romps you can find. Action is solid throughout; Harris is a great bad guy here with his cast of bad guys including David Morse, John C. McGinley, the Candyman himself Tony Todd. Connery is excellent. There’s TONS of nicely laid jokes, one-liners and memorable quotes including the below famous line. It has everything you would ever want in an action movie, and it’s still not the best of the 90s.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD5GtohtRYU

[Irish]

My favorite part in this movie is when Connery looks up and says, incredulously, "The Rock is a tourist attraction?"

I think it's Bay's best because he takes a completely ridiculous plot and fills it up with terrific performers. Even the bit parts are played by highly watchable, interesting actors. (This is the same sort of model that Nolan would follow ten years later, with Batman. Ridiculous pulp requires top tier performers even more than high art does).

I thought about this movie recently in relation to other, more recent "stupid summer movie" actioners. It seems to me that our stupid summer movies are getting stupider. Lighter, thinner, less refined. And the actors in the them aren't nearly as interesting as Ed Harris, David Morse, or Tony Todd.

This movie casually tosses around a lot (or at least some) subtext. Or maybe just plain text?

The villains are mostly white. And American. Not middle easterners or Russians. They're sympathetic villains too, and don't waste time twirling metaphorical mustaches.

The story takes a serious dig at the prison system and the US military. Connery is a political prisoner that was disappeared by Western powers (and this in 1996, no less). The villains turn rogue because the US gov't essentially fucked them over. Badly.

The main plot is goofy as hell. The movie is popcorn-munching fun. But at the end of the day, it still manages to say a few interesting things here and there without being obvious or overbearing.

I can't think of another recent actioner where all of that was true.

Edit: This is a great pick, Duke. Most of your posts made me want to go off and re-watch whatever movie you were talking about. I held back on Demolition Man (because it's Demolition Man) but I think I need to see The Rock again.

[Scar]

There really is VX....

[Dukefrukem]

There really is VX....

Son of a bitch.... but of course they Hollywood up the actual symptoms/exposure.

[Scar]

They Hollywood up the face melting, but the shit is pretty much the most lethal crap on the planet.

[Scar]

And epi pens are injected in your thigh. But the heart is so much more dramatic.

[Dukefrukem]

And epi pens are injected in your thigh. But the heart is so much more dramatic.

So true. It makes you curl up in the fetal position right before poppin' green smoke.

[Scar]

Ha ha ha. I lost track of how many times I watched that movie when I was younger.

[Morris Schæffer]

Lab rats can't have hot wives? Lab rats can't be attractive themselves? I always thought the Ferrari bit was in character because hey lab rats are stuck in an office all day when others get to have all the fun. And something's gotta give!

The Rock has awesome chemistry between its leads and the writing's genuinely hilarious which is why it's so engaging.

Mason: Coffee!
Goodspeed: No, Thanks I'm fine.
Mason: No. Offer me some coffee.

Mason: You must see a certain pattern emerging here... Alexander Solzenhitsyn...
Agent Paxton: Yeah, I heard of him. Didn't he play hockey for the fucking Red Wings?
Mason: That's the chap

I could go on and on.

Also, Hans Zimmer firing on all cylinders.

[D_Davis]

The Rock is a masterpiece.

[Dukefrukem]

Lab rats can't have hot wives? Lab rats can't be attractive themselves? I always thought the Ferrari bit was in character because hey lab rats are stuck in an office all day when others get to have all the fun. And something's gotta give!

Is crashing the Ferrari to the point of the air bags going off in character too? And then shooting the air bags with your gun, jumping out of the Ferrari while it gets crushed by a trolley? Then immediately pushing someone off their motorcycle and stealing it?

[Morris Schæffer]

Is crashing the Ferrari to the point of the air bags going off in character too? And then shooting the air bags with your gun, jumping out of the Ferrari while it gets crushed by a trolley? Then immediately pushing someone off their motorcycle and stealing it?

Do you like Jimi Hendrix?

[Skitch]

That second gif from The Rock is one of my all time favorite scenes in cinema.

[Irish]

Dude, stop falling in love and post the top 3!

[Dukefrukem]

Dude, stop falling in love and post the top 3!

Bwhgahaha that's precisely why I've been dragging this out too. Also work has been killing me.

K I'll finish it up this week so I can transition to: The Top 20 90s Horror Movies.

[Spun Lepton]

K I'll finish it up this week so I can transition to: The Top 20 90s Horror Movies.

Were there even that many good horror movies in the 90s?

[Dukefrukem]

Were there even that many good horror movies in the 90s?

Yes more so than any other decade ever.

[Spun Lepton]

Yes more so than any other decade ever.
If you had just said yes, I would've been OK. But I call bullshit on your entire statement. Bullshit!!

[Skitch]

I went through every decade from 60s to present. 90s were not a good time....lol

[Irish]

The strangest thing about 90s horror is how indistinct it is. What claim to fame does it have outside Blair Witch and Scream?

(Obviously, Duke, the only solution here is for you to quit your job & break up with your girlfriend so you'll have enough time to write up these lists & fulfill your obligation to MatchCut).

[Dukefrukem]

:lol: You guys rock.

I promise to finish the list this week so we can start the new one and continue this discussion. :cool:

[Spinal]

The strangest thing about 90s horror is how indistinct it is. What claim to fame does it have outside Blair Witch and Scream?


I can't claim to think of 20. But there's a couple of Japanese movies that may be on there.

[Raiders]

The strangest thing about 90s horror is how indistinct it is. What claim to fame does it have outside Blair Witch and Scream?

"Fame" is a relative term, but Candyman, Dead Alive and Kurosawa's Cure for sure (I assume he is expanding beyond the US for this one...). I would imagine he might include borderline "horror" like Silence of the Lambs, The Sixth Sense and Seven.

But yeah, 20 is a lot.

[Morris Schæffer]

Tango and cash won't make this list, but damn is that movie far lamer than I remember. Saw it yesterday. Stallone has zero comic timing.

[Dukefrukem]

Tango and cash won't make this list, but damn is that movie far lamer than I remember. Saw it yesterday. Stallone has zero comic timing.

It won't make the list cause it came out in 1989. And it's one of my favorite buddy copy films.

I failed on my promise last week to finish this. My life is pretty crazy busy right now.... sit tight MC.

[Morris Schæffer]

It won't make the list cause it came out in 1989. And it's one of my favorite buddy copy films.

I failed on my promise last week to finish this. My life is pretty crazy busy right now.... sit tight MC.

Which is why I said it wouldn´t make the list Captain Obvious. I think the movie only works as a parody on 80´s cop movies, but even then you´re better off with Loaded Weapon. :) After the two-way punch of Lethal Weapon 1 and 2, Tango and cash is clearly not in the same ballpark.

[MadMan]

I like to defend 90s horror. It is not better than 70s or 60s horror. Or 80s horror. Or even 50s horror. Not better than 40s horror. Maybe 20s or 30s? Nah. Oh wait I'm out of decades.

90s action films rock.

[Dukefrukem]

BUMP!

I never finished this list, but no one seemed to care, but my OCD is making me finish this so when I get home, #3!

[Morris Schæffer]

BUMP!

I never finished this list, but no one seemed to care, but my OCD is making me finish this so when I get home, #3!

I did, but I can't wait forever. :)

[Dukefrukem]

#3: Point Break (1991)

Director : Kathryn Bigelow

Lead Hero: Keanu Reeves

https://media.giphy.com/media/rJ1RjQt0hYspi/giphy.gif

Lead Villain : Patrick Swayze

http://www.the-fanboy-perspective.com/uploads/1/7/3/8/17382151/9571402_orig.gif

Stupid Premise: A gang of surfers is believed to be responsible for a string of bank robberies. Instead of doing actual police work, Keanu Reeves must infiltrate the gang to win their trust and gather evidence on the crew.

Why It Made the List : Keanu Reeves's character's name is "Johnny Utah". Patrick Swayze is Patrick Swayze. "I AM AN F. B. I. AGENT!" With Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The back and forth love interest, the crazy finale and even crazier 'let me surf to my death and throw my badge into the ocean.'

The infamous firing into the air scene


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY6PXoyNP1k

Then of course there's Gary Busey...

http://45.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md9t34U6kW1qcq45eo4_500 .gif

[Morris Schæffer]

It's a great movie. It's downright exhilarating to watch Busey play a good guy.

"Utah! Get me two!"

[Dukefrukem]

#2: The Peacemaker (1997)

Director : Mimi Leder

Lead Hero: George Clooney

http://brianorndorf.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54ee7b64288330133f434db63 970b-500wi
Lead Villain : Marcel Iures

http://watchesinmovies.info/img/f3/Peacemaker_Casio1.jpg

Stupid Premise: US Army colonel (Clooney) and a civilian woman (Nicole Kidman)supervising him must track down stolen Russian nuclear weapons before it is transported across the Atlantic ocean and detonated on US Soil.

Why It Made the List : First of all, this stupid premise isn't really stupid. It's quite the real threat in today's world. But there's great stuff in this movie that almost makes it too good for 90s action. First, the opening scene of stealing the nuke is cool. Then the nuke detonating is cool. And then Clooney acts all Clooney-like and starts piecing together the puzzle on who, what where when and why-did it? Honestly, there's not much cheese or camp in this movie. IT's just a flat out great action flick. It helps I really enjoy 'who done it' premises and when you put a Clooney or a Tommy Lee Jones as the lead. I'm hooked.

Couple of great scenes: Clooney getting frustrated when he's not getting the info he needs and takes matters into his own hands


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHfRl_ZjHj8

[Dukefrukem]

Followed by a pretty good car chase and a fantastic "drop the mic" gun kill (at the end of the 2nd video).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfIJV6C9-fM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avXk2EamFs4

[Dukefrukem]

Then Clooney trying to track down the stolen nukes in a pretty great tracking shot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QecVEAGoQ4A

[Dukefrukem]

#1: Speed (1994)

Director : Jan de Bont (Who went on to direct Twister, the Speed sequel, The Haunting remake and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (which is the "good" Tomb Raider movie) and that's it)

Lead Hero: Keanu Reeves (2nd appearance)

http://45.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqt7uz8vZl1qa9siqo1_500 .gif

Lead Villain : Dennis Hopper
https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/enhanced/webdr03/2013/6/6/20/anigif_enhanced-buzz-26298-1370564842-20.gif

Stupid Premise: Keanu Reeves must prevent a bus from exploding by keeping its speed above 50 mph. Terrorist Dennis Hopper placed the bomb on the city busy because: reasons.

Why It Made the List : As 90s as you get, but you can't fault this movie for turning Keanu Reeves from surfer bro to action star. This movie works on all levels. It's got the classic villain catch phrase: "POP QUIZ HOT SHOT"- It's got the hot chick and love interest- Sandra Bullock. Crazy action: Jumping a bus over a 50 foot gap. Hell it even us comic relief and the fake-out ending. It's safe to say this is the quintessential best 90s action movie.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKJa-KQNjQU

[Dukefrukem]

So there is it is.

Top 20 90s Horror is next.


HM1: Armageddon (1998)
HM2: Predator 2 (1990)
HM3: Daylight (1996)
HM4: Face/Off (1997)

18. Blue Streak (1999)
17. Eraser (1996)
16. Judgement Night (1993)
15. Desperate Measures (1996)
14. Executive Decision (1996)
13. Escape from L.A. (1995)
12. Desperado (1995)
11. Timecop (1994)
10. Broken Arrow (1996)
9. Broken Arrow (1996)
8. Starship Troopers (1997)
7. Con Air (1997)
6. Volcano (1997)
5. Under Seige 2: Dark Territory (1995)
4. The Rock (1998)
3. Point Break (1991)
2. The Peacemaker (1997)
1. Speed (1994)

[Skitch]

Loved top3 picks. Well done.

[Yxklyx]

Well this was a great thread but isn't Speed like "too good for this decade"? I've queued a few of these in Netflix.

[MadMan]

Okay I need to watch The Peacemaker. Good list, sir.

[Dukefrukem]

Well this was a great thread but isn't Speed like "too good for this decade"? I've queued a few of these in Netflix.

I mean, maybe? The premise is so goofy it's hard to put it in the same vein as Die Hard or True Lies.

Watch the bus jumping the gap scene. It's ludicrous!

[Dukefrukem]

Okay I need to watch The Peacemaker. Good list, sir.

Report back please. I can't be the only one here that loves this movie.

[Lazlo]

Report back please. I can't be the only one here that loves this movie.

I haven't seen it in forever BUT it was my first R-rated movie in the theater and I loved it.

[Scar]

I remember enjoying it, not necessarily loving it. I'll have to revisit it.

[Skitch]

Report back please. I can't be the only one here that loves this movie.

You are not. That scene where Clooney ropes the package and rides it out of the truck over the bridge is BADASS.

[Dukefrukem]

You are not. That scene where Clooney ropes the package and rides it out of the truck over the bridge is BADASS.

Yes! As posted above!

[Skitch]

Yes! As posted above!

I know! But you were looking for agreement, so here I am!

[Morris Schæffer]

The Peacemaker is very solid, but it's one of those movies where you just know the masterplan couldn't actually be seen through to its very conclusion and some tension is deflated because of that. Clooney even jokes about that if I'm not mistaken by saying to Kidman "I'll be outside in the truck" when they're dismantling the nuke in a NY church and she asks him to step aside.

I have never seen a movie more times than Speed, it's one of the coolest movie premises ever and the execution by Lethal Weapon 3, hunt for red october and Die Hard lenser Jan de Bont is simply top notch.

I could sort of see why the bus jump is goofy for others, but not for me. Watch the "making of" of that stunt, they actually did get it airborne even if it looks like it's soaring higher because of the CGI gap in the freeway.

I also think Mark Mancina's score is one of the 5 best action scores ever.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zXDJDGLAFw

When is the last time we got a hummable action score?

Thanks for the #1 Duke. That made the wait worthwhile. :D

[Morris Schæffer]

Here's the making of of that freeway jump!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hds12QSSHx4

Watch the director despairing at 7:31.

Incidentally, the guy who did that stunt, Jophery Brown, is the same one who gets killed by the raptor in Jurassic Park's opening scene.

[Skitch]

Ill never forget seeing Speed in theater completely blind. Fucking great flick.

[MadMan]

Report back please. I can't be the only one here that loves this movie.

Hah sure thing dude.

[Morris Schæffer]

I started watching Air Force One again yesterday. That is an exceptionally well made action movie, bar the final 5 seconds of film.

Which reminds me, did Executive Decision make this list? One my fave action movies.

[Dukefrukem]

I started watching Air Force One again yesterday. That is an exceptionally well made action movie, bar the final 5 seconds of film.

Which reminds me, did Executive Decision make this list? One my fave action movies.

Check post 106.

[Morris Schæffer]

Check post 106.

Thumbs up!

[Dukefrukem]

Face/Off will be better than 90% of your list. Love that movie.

When was the last time you watched it? I sat through the whole movie tonight on HBO, just to make this post, even though it's close to unwatchable. The action, the scenarios, logic... that god awful ending. What do you like about it?

[transmogrifier]

Pretty much everything.

[Skitch]

Everything. Like Demolition Man, its a fantastic bad movie. :p

[Dukefrukem]

Pretty much everything.

Give me one specific thing.

[transmogrifier]

Give me one specific thing.

The typeface of the opening credits.

[Morris Schæffer]

The typeface of the opening credits.

:D:D

I don't understand Duke's reaction at all. I mean, unwatchable? The concept alone guarantees it's a cut above most of the rest.

I don't even think it's a fantastic bad movie at all, like Skitch says. I would expect people to say this about Torque.

[Dukefrukem]

I don't understand Duke's reaction at all. I mean, unwatchable? The concept alone guarantees it's a cut above most of the rest.

I don't even think it's a fantastic bad movie at all, like Skitch says. I would expect people to say this about Torque.

No. I invite you to sit down and watch it in 2017. It's nonsensical. There's a scene where Cage and Travolta are chasing each other in a room filled with mirrors. Travolta runs back and forth behind Cage while Cage is facing the opposite direction for the mere shot of Cage catching a glimpse of Travolta in the mirror, causing him to spin around and shoot the mirrors behind him.

Or how about every prison sequence? Every shot of that escape is Cage DIVING over something or sometimes just DIVING on the floor for not reason or DIVING into a corner of metal furniture to escape gunfire. The whole concept of it behind a secret prison that doesn't recognize the geneva convention but is a few hundred feet off the coast of LA?

I can go on and on.... Broken Arrow is so much better. Travolta is a better villain. It has wonderful chase values. Decent action. And a way better premise.

[Skitch]

I don't even think it's a fantastic bad movie at all, like Skitch says. I would expect people to say this about Torque.

I only say that because in the grand scheme of all things cinema, is it rewritting the art form, or even competing? No. Its just a dumb fun time. It doesn't satisfy a lot of logic circuits, but watching Cage and Travolta act like each other pretending to be themselves is worth the ticket alone.

Torque is both the greatest bad movie ever made and a great sincere piece of satire on dude cinema.

[Dukefrukem]

Torque is twice the movie this is.

[MadMan]

HM1: Armageddon (1998)-Crap but fun
HM2: Predator 2 (1990)-Good
HM3: Daylight (1996)-N/A
HM4: Face/Off (1997)-NEED TO SEE THIS YESTERDAY

18. Blue Streak (1999)-Hilarious
17. Eraser (1996)-Dumb Fun
16. Judgement Night (1993)-N/A
15. Desperate Measures (1996)-N/A
14. Executive Decision (1996)-Kickass
13. Escape from L.A. (1995)-Meh
12. Desperado (1995)-Badass
11. Timecop (1994)-WOOO TIME TRAVEL
10. Broken Arrow (1996)-Yeah I haven't seen it I know I'm behind
9. Broken Arrow (1996)-See above
8. Starship Troopers (1997)-YOU KILL BUGS REAL GOOD MAN
7. Con Air (1997)-PUT THE BUNNY DOWN
6. Volcano (1997)-No
5. Under Seige 2: Dark Territory (1995)-Dumb as shit. I love it.
4. The Rock (1998)-Bay's finest hour
3. Point Break (1991)-SURF BRAHS
2. The Peacemaker (1997)-Clooney and Kidman should have been in a franchise together
1. Speed (1994)-Pure classic 90s action magic