Five Great Action Films That Helped Define 90s Action
The 1990's hold a very special place in my heart and in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to grow up through that decade. People dive into nostalgia for many reasons: escaping the troubles of the present, reliving a time that was most comforting for themselves, and relishing in past glories. These are just some of the reasons we yearn for nostalgia.
The most formative years for my young mind were those of the 1990s. The American films were developing in many ways. CGI was a modest commodity and used as a tool, not as a platform for storytelling. Not every big budget release was an established property. Aggregate film review sites didn’t give a “Fresh or Rotten” seals of approval. In the sense of how few risks studios are willing to take today, the 1990s was the Wild West of action film production.
I look upon this era of filmmaking and cherish it for my own biases, but there are undeniable qualities to this “simpler” time of filmmaking we should all appreciate. Here are five films that helped define 1990s action films: (Note: I am purposely excluding any films that I would consider sci-fi or sci-fi/action films because I believe that is category all of its own)
Point Break(1991) dir. Kathryn Bigelow
Before she became an Oscar-winning director, Kathryn Bigelow was making very unique and dynamic action films in late 1980s/early 1990s. Her crowning achievement of this era is Point Break. This is a film centered around a star college quarterback turned FBI agent who needs to infiltrate a gang of bank-robbing surfers in LA. The film is beautifully shot, full of compelling action sequences, and surprisingly philosophical. Among the glamorous beaches,skydiving, and bank shootouts, Bigelow crafts a conflict between Eastern spirituality and the Western industrial age.
The film is part over-the-top action, part critique of the human condition, and all sorts of 90’s greatness. Point Break stars the late great Patrick Swayze as Bohdi; a surfer/spiritual guru and bank-robbing badass. Keanu Reeves is Johnny Utah, ex quarterback/righteous undercover FBI agent. In comparison to the lukewarm 2015 remake of the same name, Point Break was lightning in a bottle, and that bottle will forever reside in the 90s.
Speed(1994) dir. Jan de Bont
Cutting his teeth as the cinematographer for such hits as Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October, and Basic Instinct, Jan de Bont got his shot at directing in 1994 with Speed. Speed encapsulates nearly everything a 90s action film should. There is the threat of time, the clearly defined antagonist/protagonist roles, a wink and nod to the near ludicrous plot(bus cannot slow down or it blows up), and humor driven into the non-stop action.
The ensemble cast featuring Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock and Jeff Daniels gives the film a buffet of personality. The action set pieces and sequences should be reference points when discussing practical effects and stunt work. The beat by beat doesn’t falter for a moment; once Speed starts, it doesn’t slow down (pun slightly intended).
True Lies (1994) dir. James Cameron
Arnold Schwarzenegger, a man of many talents, had some of his best moments in the 1990s. True Lies, James Cameron’s comedic-action take on the spy film, has some of the most exhilarating and fun moments in the genre. But, the film should also be recognized as one of, if not the best performance of Arnold’s career. Arnold is known to be the stone-cold tough man (or machine) in his films, but he’s got the sensitivity and heart of a comedian, which shines through in True Lies.
True Lies explores the question What is family life like when you’re a globe-trotting spy? Arnold plays Harry Tasker, super spy by day, boring neglectful husband by night. His spy life becomes uncomfortably messy when his wife Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) and daughter Dana (Eliza Dushku) get dragged into Harry’s spy-world by chance.
The film, as an action piece alone, is near reference. As with any Cameron production, it pushed the limits of effects and action without ever feeling like they were the focus before story. The strongest moments of the film are the nuanced partnership games Harry and Helen engage in. The marital angst and resentment are funny as hell in this film. True Lies walks the action-comedy line perfectly and doesn't miss a step. If for nothing else, see this film for Bill Paxton (RIP) as a sleazy used car salesmen.
Broken Arrow (1996) dir. John Woo
John Woo, action auteur, brought his beautiful style of filmmaking to the US in the early 1990s. After finding recognition and success in Hong Kong, Woo was fortunately given opportunities to meld his unique style with Hollywood productions. Most would know John Woo for his operatic gun-play, heavily dramatic storylines , mythological archetypes, and seamless action sequences.
Broken Arrow may not be Woo’s most recognized American production, (Face/Off) but it’s got all the goods when it comes to 90’s action. It is, for all purposes, a very high-stakes game of cat and mouse. Two nuclear weapons are stolen by a crazy rogue Air Force pilot, Vic Deakins, played by John Travolta, in order to hold the U.S for ransom. His thought-to-be-dead co-pilot, Riley Hale, played by Christian Slater, teams up with a Utah park ranger (Samantha Mathis) to stop Deakins from completing his devious plot.
Beautifully shot in the Utah desert, Broken Arrow has a unique look and tremendous momentum. There’s a great teacher-student dynamic between Deakins and Hale throughout the film which adds a level of fun and wit to the story. Humvees, nukes, stealth bombers, and Howie Long; what more could you want from the 90's?
The Rock (1996) dir. Michael Bay
To this day, Michael Bay is one of the most polarizing filmmakers out there. He’s become a name synonymous with big, loud, action-based productions. Whether you’re a fan of his brand ( I am) or detest it, there’s no doubt he’s solidified himself as one of, if not the most recognizable action directors working today.
Before he was ever involved in franchise mode, Bay was making films based on original properties. The Rock is Bay’s finest hour in this regard. The film pushed action filmmaking into the next century with sharp visceral imagery, kinetic camera work, intense combat sequences, and unique setting to stage story.
Ex-con John Mason, played by Sean Connery and neurotic chemist, Stanley Goodspeed, played by Nicholas Cage have fantastic “buddy comedy” moments as two unlikely personalities tasked with disarming VX (nerve agent) rockets on Alcatraz. The great Ed Harris plays General Hummel, the antagonist threatening to launch the missiles into San Fransisco Bay unless royalties are paid to the families of fallen black ops soldiers.
With a surprising amount of character depth and moral conflict to anchor the fireworks show that is The Rock, the film is a landmark in 90s action. It has since spawned many copycats in film and video game, both in style and story. The Rock stands the test of time; as John Mason (then 66-year-old Sean Connery) so eloquently put it, “Losers always whine about their best, winners go home and f*** the prom queen.”
