I’ve made a recent discovery – action movies from the 90’s were ridiculous. I know, I know, it’s not the most original take, but I’ve been watching more recently and enjoyed every single one. I’ve been making my through the catalogue on Disney+, but I wanted to find even more from the decade. Everything from unlikely heroes, scenes which defy the laws of physics (and common sense) and bad wigs… Let me know in the comments which should definitely be added to the list!
WYALAN star rating explained:
- 5 stars – Highly enjoyed and would highly recommend as a must watch
- 4 stars – Enjoyed and would watch again in the future
- 3 stars – Glad I watched it once, but I’ll probably never watch it again
- 2 stars – Watched to the end, but I wouldn’t watch it again
- 1 star – DNF (did not finish)
Face/Off (1997) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Mission: Impossible, Heat, and The Rock
Operatic gunfights and mirror metaphors define this identity‑swapping thriller, where an FBI agent and a terrorist steal each other’s lives. Nicolas Cage and John Travolta deliver unhinged performances in a film that treats medical science like magic and slow‑motion like gospel. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
Demolition Man (1993) – Action/Sci‑Fi
For fans of: RoboCop, Total Recall, and Judge Dredd
Frozen in the 90s and thawed in a utopian future, Stallone’s rogue cop must hunt down Wesley Snipes’s chaotic killer. The future is squeaky‑clean and completely insane, right down to seashells in the bathroom. Violent ballet meets neon‑wrapped satire. WYALAN Rating – 4/5
Virtuosity (1995) – Action/Sci‑Fi
For fans of: Johnny Mnemonic, The Lawnmower Man, and Terminator 2
A serial‑killer AI stitched from history’s worst villains escapes virtual reality and takes human form as Russell Crowe in technicolour suits. Denzel Washington is the ex‑cop with a dark past who must stop him, as reality bends to accommodate this pixelated menace.
Timecop (1994) – Action/Sci‑Fi
For fans of: Universal Soldier, Looper, and Minority Report
In a future where time‑travel crime is routine, Jean‑Claude Van Damme splits and kicks his way across timelines to stop temporal terrorists. The logic is loopy, the hair greased, and paradoxes plentiful — but justice lands with a high kick.
Total Recall (1990) – Action/Sci‑Fi
For fans of: Blade Runner, The Matrix, and Dune
A memory‑implant vacation to Mars turns into a delirious odyssey of rebels, mutants, and exploding heads. Arnold Schwarzenegger may be a disguised leader — or maybe it’s all a dream. Mars has never looked more like a construction site or felt more like a hallucination. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
Con Air (1997) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: The Rock, Broken Arrow, and Speed
A planeload of psychotic prisoners hijacks their transport, opposed only by one soft‑spoken ex‑Army Ranger desperate to see his daughter. John Malkovich delivers villainy with velvet menace, while even the stuffed bunny earns a dramatic arc. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
The Rock (1996) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Die Hard, Con Air, and Armageddon
A chemical weapons crisis on Alcatraz forces a twitchy chemist and a possibly‑not‑James‑Bond ex‑spy to team up. Michael Bay directs with exploding patriotism, operatic action, and shouted dialogue. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
Broken Arrow (1996) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Con Air, The Rock, and Executive Decision
Nuclear weapons are stolen during a training exercise, with John Travolta gleefully smirking through desert detonations. Christian Slater is the square‑jawed good guy who fights fire with helicopter explosions. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Speed (1994) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Die Hard, Point Break, and The Fugitive
A city bus rigged to explode if it drops below 50 mph turns into the most stressful commute imaginable. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock take the wheel, while Dennis Hopper’s villain wires the chaos together with mad logic. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Passenger 57, Executive Decision, and Die Hard 2
A hijacked train barrels through Colorado while a tech genius threatens chaos with a stolen satellite. Steven Seagal, still “just a cook,” slices and shoots his way through stone‑faced absurdity.
Johnny Mnemonic (1995) – Action/Sci‑Fi
For fans of: Virtuosity, Hackers, and Strange Days
The future is corporate, grimy, and deeply confusing as Keanu Reeves plays a courier with a data drive in his head. Cyber‑dolphins, laser‑whip assassins, and grunge aesthetics collide in this tech noir. WYALAN Rating – 3.5/5
Double Team (1997) – Action/Comedy
For fans of: Street Fighter, Tango & Cash, and The Expendables
Neon explosions and wardrobe chaos dominate as Jean‑Claude Van Damme teams with Dennis Rodman to stop a flamboyant terrorist. Tigers, landmines, and a Roman coliseum turn spy thriller into circus spectacle.
Tank Girl (1995) – Action/Comedy
For fans of: Mad Max, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey
In a desert ruled by a water‑hoarding corporation, Lori Petty’s punk heroine fights back with mutant kangaroos and rocket launchers. It’s Mad Max filtered through Lisa Frank on a sugar rush.
The Lawnmower Man (1992) – Sci‑Fi/Thriller
For fans of: Virtuosity, Tron, and The Matrix
Virtual reality experiments turn a gardener into a digital demigod, while Pierce Brosnan plays the scientist who thinks this is a good idea. Early CGI hubris spirals into glitchy cyberspace horror.
Steel (1997) – Action/Comic Book
For fans of: Spawn, Batman & Robin, and Blankman
Shaquille O’Neal moonlights as a DIY superhero in a homemade metal suit, battling villains with video‑game weapons. Equal parts comic book fantasy and community theatre.
Street Fighter (1994) – Action/Comedy
For fans of: Mortal Kombat, Double Dragon, and The Expendables
Arcade costumes and bananas dialogue fuel this adaptation, where Jean‑Claude Van Damme’s Guile faces Raul Julia’s gloriously over‑the‑top villain. Every punch lands with melodramatic flair.
Judge Dredd (1995) – Action/Sci‑Fi
For fans of: RoboCop, Demolition Man, and Escape from New York
Dystopian justice gets shiny uniforms and physics‑defying bikes as Sylvester Stallone enforces the law until framed by his own clone. Rob Schneider tags along for explosive chaos.
The Phantom (1996) – Action/Fantasy
For fans of: Indiana Jones, The Shadow, and The Mask of Zorro
Billy Zane dons a purple bodysuit and mystical rings to battle sky pirates and pulp villains. Jungle justice swings between homage and full‑blown nonsense.
Barb Wire (1996) – Action/Fantasy
For fans of: Tank Girl, Sin City, and Aeon Flux
Pamela Anderson plays a bounty hunter in a war‑torn America where leather, fog machines, and sultry side‑eyes dominate. Casablanca is loosely referenced amid pneumatic resistance.
The Crow (1994) – Action/Fantasy
For fans of: Blade, Dark City, and Constantine
Brandon Lee returns from the grave, face painted and vengeance‑fueled, to take down cartoonish criminals. Rain, fire, and poetic rage fuel this gothic revenge tale.
Cliffhanger (1993) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Vertical Limit, The Fugitive, and Point Break
High above the Rockies, stolen cash and icy cliffs set the stage for Sylvester Stallone’s gravity‑defying stunts. Guns, grappling hooks, and mid‑air battles drive this muscular vertical odyssey.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Atomic Blonde, Kill Bill, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith
A suburban mum with amnesia rediscovers her past life as a lethal assassin. Geena Davis unleashes snowy explosions with Samuel L. Jackson’s sarcastic sidekick, blending spy thriller with reinvention fable.
Ricochet (1991) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Cape Fear, Se7en, and Falling Down
Denzel Washington’s cop faces John Lithgow’s unhinged villain, who orchestrates twisted revenge years after imprisonment. Psychological vendetta collides with cop drama excess.
Executive Decision (1996) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Air Force One, Passenger 57, and Die Hard 2
Terrorists hijack a passenger plane with nerve gas onboard, and Kurt Russell’s analyst joins elite commandos to stop them. Mid‑air boarding tactics fuel tension at cruising altitude.
The Substitute (1996) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Dangerous Minds, Lean on Me, and Class of 1984
A mercenary goes undercover as a high‑school teacher to clean up gang‑ridden halls with military precision. Tom Berenger hands out detentions with fists and flashbangs.
Out for Justice (1991) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Marked for Death, Above the Law, and Hard to Kill
Brooklyn becomes Steven Seagal’s stomping ground as he avenges a murdered partner. Pool cues, bar brawls, and growling sermons fuel this vengeance tale.
Eraser (1996) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: True Lies, Commando, and The Terminator
A U.S. Marshal “erases” witnesses by faking deaths and blowing up infrastructure. Arnold Schwarzenegger faces railguns, alligators, and skydives in a precision‑crafted frenzy.
Chain Reaction (1996) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Enemy of the State, The Fugitive, and Minority Report
Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz uncover a revolutionary energy source, only to be framed for terrorism. Science takes a backseat to helicopter escapes and snowmobile chases.
Hard Target (1993) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Face/Off, The Killer, and Desperado
Jean‑Claude Van Damme becomes prey for wealthy hunters tracking homeless veterans through New Orleans. Directed by John Woo, it’s all slow‑motion pigeons and explosive spin‑kicks.
Drop Zone (1994) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Point Break, Cliffhanger, and Executive Decision
Wesley Snipes tracks skydiving cyber‑thieves who pull off heists mid‑air. Freefall fistfights and midair hacking take precedence over physics.
Terminal Velocity (1994) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Drop Zone, Point Break, and Passenger 57
Charlie Sheen plays a thrill‑seeking skydiver pulled into conspiracies with ex‑KGB agents. Gravity becomes a playground as betrayals unfold mid‑flight.
Only the Strong (1993) – Action/Drama
For fans of: The Karate Kid, Coach Carter, and Warrior
A former soldier teaches troubled teens Brazilian capoeira, turning classrooms into arenas of rhythmic combat. Discipline arrives in a backflip.
Marked for Death (1990) – Action/Thriller
For fans of: Out for Justice, Above the Law, and Hard to Kill
Steven Seagal battles Jamaican drug gangs who seem half warlord, half sorcerer. Voodoo clashes with vengeance in a fevered nightmare of snapped limbs and leather jackets.
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